Flies can be a problem, whether they are in the house, on the porch, or in your garden. While there are many traps and sprays you can buy in stores, they can often contain chemicals that smell bad and are dangerous to your health. Fly swatters are great for a lone fly, but an onslaught can be hard to contain. A great, natural solution to your fly problem is to make your own fly trap. In a few, quick steps, you can be managing the problem, and on your way to eradicating every fly in sight. There are some Methods to Make a Fly Trap.
Making a Bottle Fly Trap
Grab an empty soda bottle. This can be one that is used, or simply pour out the soda. Make sure that all the soda has been removed and that it has been washed out with warm water and remove the cap.Â
Cut the top off from the bottle. Use a pair of scissors. Poke a hole through the bottle using one of the blades on the scissors. Do this right where the funnel of the soda bottle ends, and where the large shaft begins (near the middle of the bottle).
- After you have poked the hole in the bottle, insert your scissors and cut around the bottle. Cut off the entire top funnel, so that what you have left are two separated pieces: funnel (top) and shaft (bottom).
- Try to cut as close to the edge of the funnel as possible, otherwise, when you flip the funnel upside-down it won't stay in place.
- You can also use a sharp knife to cut the top funnel off, but make sure not to cut yourself. If you are doing this project with your kids, it is better to use a safe pair of scissors.
Flip the cut piece over. Stick it into the bottom half of the bottle. If you cut close enough to the edge of the funnel, it should stick inside as you slide it in.
Join the two cut edges of the bottle parts together. The simplest and most effective way is to staple the edges together. Simply staple three or four times around the bottle, equidistant from one another.Â
- If this project is done with children, an adult should staple the two parts together. If you do not have a stapler, the following two options work fine as well.
- Tape is another good option, but make sure that the tape is water resistant. Apply three or four pieces of tape around the funnel.
- If you wish to use superglue, or regular glue, that will also have to be water resistant. Before you add the funnel, apply a thin layer of glue around the top inside of the base. Then insert the funnel upside-down. Use your fingers and press the funnel with the base. Hold the two pieces into place until it is dry.
Create a melted sugar mixture. Pour five tablespoons of sugar into a pot. Place the pot on a stove top. Flatten the sugar so that it lies evenly across the bottom of the pot.
- Pour in enough water to cover the top of the sugar. Slowly heat the mixture over medium-high heat until it boils.
- Stir the mixture well. Dissolving sugar in hot/warm tap water makes sweet water but boiling makes “syrup”, a more concentrated attractant. Let the liquid sit until it goes from hot to warm.
Spoon the liquid into the funneled end of the bottle. Try to drip it down the edges of the funnel so that when the flies come towards the funnel, they will stick right from the start.
Use another type of bait. You can slice up some apple chunks, and push them through the bottom of the funnel. A piece of raw meat will work as well, as do a few tablespoons of old wine. You can also simply add in water mixed with either sugar or honey.
Add in vinegar. If your bait of choice is a liquid, add in a few teaspoons of vinegar, preferably white vinegar. This will help keep bees and other unwanted insects away from the trap.
Put the bottle in a sunny spot. This will help the fruit/meat to rot and thereby increase the likelihood of flies smelling the bait. It will also cause liquid mixtures to evaporate, thereby creating a pheromone, drawing the flies towards the trap. Marvel at your new fly trap as it catches flies.
Repeatedly breathe into the bottle. This will improve your results because insects are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide. You can also rub the bottle in between your two hands to create more heat.
Throw the bottle away. Do your best to remove the flies and re-use the bottle as many times as possible. After some time, you may need to throw the bottle away, and create another one. The trap might eventually become too tough to use because of the sun. Make sure to wear gloves so you do not have to handle dead flies with your hands.it is easy to make a fly trap.
