A swarm of flies buzzing around you as you try to spend time outdoors is never a pleasing experience. There are about 160,000 known species of flies; however, the most common among all that infests home in the U.S., especially in the warmer months, is the housefly or Musca domestica.
Besides being an eyesore and a substantial nuisance, flies pose significant risks to your health. While they do not bite or sting, these pests carry bacteria and can transmit various diseases by transferring pathogens to food and contaminating it.
Accordingly, adopting some preventive and elimination measures is crucial to control flies in your backyard and keep these pests from infesting.
What Causes Flies Outdoors?
Houseflies typically thrive in warm weather. Capable of laying up to 150 eggs in three to four days, these pests reproduce at an alarming rate, leading to an infestation overnight.
They are mainly attracted to things that provide them with a food source and a place or lay eggs. Decaying organic matter like rotting fruits or produce, animal droppings, dead insects, or exposed trash can be a welcome sign for these pests to invade your home.
Stagnant water can also draw flies into your backyard. Water buckets, pots and containers, and birdbaths are some potential sources of pooling water that can attract flies.
Ways To Control Flies in Your Backyard
There are plenty of effective ways to keep flies away from your San Antonio backyard. Some of these include:
Remove Food Sources
As mentioned earlier, organic matter is the number one attraction for flies. Remove all organic food sources from your yard, including animal feces, compost, rotting produce, etc.
Garbage cans are also breeding grounds for flies, and it is not unusual to see these winged nuisances surrounding trash. Therefore, store your bins away from the yard and keep them sealed with tight-fitting lids to prevent the odor from coming out and attracting flies.
Use Essential Oils
Certain scents can work wonders to repel flies. Spraying an essential oil mixture around your backyard can be an effective natural remedy to keep these annoying pests at bay. Some oils with a pungent odor known to deter flies include peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, citronella, and tea tree. Besides keeping flies away, these oils will infuse your backyard with a pleasant aroma.
Install a Fan
Plugging in a fan on your deck or patio is another effective method to keep flies away temporarily. These unwanted pests do not fly well in strong winds, and the constant moving air from a portable fan outdoors will make them fly away from it.
Make a Fly Trap
Fly traps can be a viable way to eliminate fly infestations quickly. You can make your fly trap using baits like syrup, sugar water, or rotten fruit or eggs. The pungent odor of this food will entire flies to enter the trap, making it an excellent technique to eliminate lots of flies in a short time.
Light a Candle
Placing some citronella candles in the backyard is not a welcome sign for flies and mosquitoes. The strong odor these fragrant candles emit makes them an effortless way to get rid of flies in the short term while you enjoy a good meal outdoors or congregate with friends and family outdoors.
Say Goodbye to Flies Today!
From landing on your food and exposing yourself to harmful pathogens to constantly buzzing around your face, one can never find peace in the presence of these pesky critters. However, eradicating flies is as simple as taking a few preventive and elimination measures that can help reclaim your outdoor space and get the most out of the summer season.
If you have a tough time keeping these buzzy creatures away from your yard, it may be time to call in the professionals. Romney Pest Control has been providing high-quality pest control services to residents in Texas for over a decade. We deliver top-of-the-line treatments, and our team of highly experienced and -trained pest exterminators can get the job done for you quickly and effectively.
Call us today for prompt and reliable pest control services, and keep flies in control of your San Antonio property with the help of Romney Pest Control!
