Flies

Now that summer is here it seems that I have been invaded with flies! They are everywhere; especially in my kitchen! I do not want to share my recipes with them nor my food so I got busy this morning looking for ways to get rid of them without harming my cats or my dog. If my dog sees me using anything, spraying something or laying something down he has to lick it, smell it, or steal it!

Here is what was a “buzz” on the Internet this morning!
If you have done all the normal things like putting your food away and keeping your counters clean; closing screen doors and using fly swatters and you still have flies then here are some suggestions found on the Internet.
Bags of Water

One of the most effective home remedies to get rid of flies involves hanging clear plastic bags of water near outdoor entryways. This might sound like a ridiculous way to get rid of flies, but people who live on farms, and those who operate fruit stands use this home remedy to get rid of flies on a regular basis.
There is more than one theory behind this home remedy, and the first theory hinges on the natural instincts and the poor eyesight of flies. Clear bags of water are said to cast images that to a fly resemble spider webs, and flies steer clear of anything that resembles a web. The other theory claims the reflection of the water disorients flies, and this illusion is said to be an effective way to get rid of flies and greatly control their numbers. Whatever the reason is, this home remedy is said to really work.

Simply fill gallon size bags of water about halfway full, and hang the bags outdoor areas where flies are a problem. Suspend the bags near entryways, garage doors, and anywhere else files seem to graze. According to this home remedy, you’ll notice a great reduction in the fly population almost immediately.

Found this article at http://www.associatedcontent.com/.

Found out they also don’t like basil! So have a basil plant sitting in your kitchen window. Fruit flies find this a repellent too! Citrus peels are another deterrent.

Found out how to make fly paper on a few sites:

Homemade Fly Paper
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1. Cut 4 or 5 long strips about 2 inches wide from brown paper bags. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and spread it on the strips with a knife. Hang the strips over a bowl to catch drips.
Hanging Herbal Repellents
Hang a pine bough in the kitchen: flies dislike pine oil.
Whole or ground cloves in a small muslin teabag make a good fly-repelling hanging sachet.
Here is a suggestion from a reader.
Take an empty spray bottle and fill it with water, the juice of an orange. Lime and lemon then add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the mix. Shake it and spray it! This also keeps away ants and stray cats!