Reducing flies in your garden and home during the summer can be necessary if you find your meals, parties or ventures outside are plagued with common flies. We don’t get as many opportunities as we’d like to get outdoors and enjoy our meals or have a drink with family and friends. And if you have an oversized population of flies in your area it can destroy the pleasure of it. We eat outside to relax, enjoy some fresh air and enjoy some sun. But if you spend the entire time swatting flies away from your dinner plate, you’re more likely going to want to retreat back to the confines of your home. And that’s not even considering professionals such as landscapers and arborists, who have to deal with biting insects in the summer months as a work hazard.
Reducing Flies in Your Garden Naturally
Prevention is always better than cure. One of the most common draws for flies is wasting organic matter. That’s what they feed on, so that’s what attracts them to eat and breed. One common ways to avoid an excessive fly population is to keep the compost as far away from everything as possible. If you don’t have one already you may want to consider getting a fully covered composter that doesn’t let flies in or out.
The same goes for any outdoor tables you have. There may be food and drink residue on the surfaces and on the ground around it. Make sure that these are washed down after every use. The other thing to watch out for are pets. Animal poo is food for the flies, so pick it up as much as is possible and for anything remaining hose it down into the soil so that it doesn’t draw pests.
A home-made Repellent
Flies hate the smell of mint, thyme, rosemary and lavender. These can be planted strategically around your garden (and the bonus is that we humans tend to love these scents). You can also create a natural spray with these scents using essential oils. You can spray this on and around all your garden furniture, around the decking or yard.
Mosquitos are a different problem
Mosquitos are more drawn by pools of stagnant water and, unfortunately, the carbon dioxide, heat, and smell of blood emanating from animals – humans in particular. If you have problems with mosquitos working as a professional arborist, you may need to get repellent sprays. Having the right PPE will fend them off but the exposed areas will still need care. If these are a big problem around your yard, for example, if you live in a country area which is prone to swarms, you may need to consider more drastic measures. Outdoor fans can deter the pests (they are weak fliers), and there is also a range of deterrents on the market that can attract and kill them.
If you have any questions about our range of products, you can give us a call on 021-4965132