# Forum Home Renovation Pest Control  Flies

## OBBob

Heading toward the warmer months again, I thought it might be a good time to ask about solutions for controlling flies. They seem to love it below the pergola just outside the back door (the cool / shade I guess). We've had success catching them with the fly trap... but catching hundreds doesn't deter or diminish the population. 
I'm in Melbourne and we have flyscreens... but inevitably they also get inside.  
Is it just a fact of life or do people have other solutions?

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## davegol

the only thing that works for us is ... moving air. 
flying things can't settle when there's too much air movement, so they tend to just pack up and leave.
A ceiling fan in our alfresco area solved all our problems. 
Also keeps the mozzies and wasps away.
Just need to be careful of the area under the table (where the air doesn't move) - last summer we all got bitten to pieces on our legs only.

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## OBBob

> the only thing that works for us is ... moving air.

  Good idea. Not sure I have enough headroom for a ceiling fan ... perhaps the wall mounted variety?

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## PlatypusGardens

OMG Bob we had one of those fly trap things or similar.... 
....long story short-ish, it was hanging indoors by a window between the windo and curtains.
I had kinda forgotten about it as my partner got it and put it up.
Anyway, every afternoon/early evening inside the house, just about the time when I'd go inside and plop myself on the couch for a while, there wiuld be this smell....stench rather....of something dead.....then it would disappear.
I checked behind the couch and other furniture for dead geckos or frogs....nothing...under the house...nothing....  
This went on for a while until one afternoon I was sniffing around (literally) and opened the curtains...PHOOOWEEEE OMG WTF 
It was that bloody fly trap and it would only stink in the afternoon as the sun hit that window!  
It was not far off the smell of a ripe dead roo on the highway, I tell ya.  :Yuk:         
Anyway, we just put up with them these days  :Sigh:  tried those sticky spiral tape things you hang from the ceiling but after they had caught 3 geckos (I like geckos) I got rid of them  :Frown:    
I remember someone talking about flies on ABC talkback radio once and they wondered how they get insid even though they have screens on every door and window. 
"they sit on your back when you walk through the door" one caller said.  
Probably a lot of truth in that.    :Smilie:

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## OBBob

Ah yes, that would not be ideal ... we have only used these outside (and you can smell them there)!!

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## PlatypusGardens

> Ah yes, that would not be ideal ... we have only used these outside (and you can smell them there)!!

  
Ah yes I see the one in your pic says outdoors......hmm...dunno if ours did   :Rolleyes:

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## chrisp

> I'm in Melbourne and we have flyscreens... but inevitably they also get inside.  
> Is it just a fact of life or do people have other solutions?

  A dog!  
Our dog is pretty good at catching the odd fly that gets in - she is "Mr Miyagi" fast at snapping at them!

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## OBBob

> A dog!  
> Our dog is pretty good at catching the odd fly that gets in - she is "Mr Miyagi" fast at snapping at them!

  Ha ha... I have cats and a dog, they aren't efficient enough.   :Frown:

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