I’m Nicholas Martin, and I have conflicting feelings about insects. Although I love them, I also hate them. A Brave Little Tailor is my favorite fairytale, but I feel like I can never kill enough insects, especially flies.
Fortunately, there are numerous fly traps available for purchase with different designs, prices, and effectiveness. You may have seen some of these products in action or advertised. However, I wondered whether all fly traps were equally effective.
To investigate this, I spent some time researching and examining the most highly regarded fly traps based on my personal experience, reviews I read, and feedback from friends. Conducting a comprehensive experiment would take years, but fortunately, many people have shared their experiences online. I made an effort to exclude reviews that were overly emotional or biased.
After my investigation, I arrived at the conclusion that there isn’t an ideal fly trap model, nor is there a perfect type of fly trap, and certainly not a perfect vendor. You may find a particular device effective outside your home but ineffective inside, or the other way around.
The following information will reveal the incredible power of eliminating insects. My second observation was that you won’t find a single solution that works for all types of insects. The fly traps I’ll describe are effective against flying insects, but it will require a significant amount of time and effort to find a solution for all insects. The good news is that we don’t have to rush.
What Are Fly Trap Types: Choose Your Weapon
Fly traps are less various than flies, but still, they differ, offering you a set of options. If we skip the most exotic types and give a special section to homemade ones, in 2019 the most popular types of flytraps are the following.
Indoor Tape Traps
These have been around for long, and, as you see one covered with dead insects, you may consider it efficient. In fact, it’s a typical survival bias: you don’t see the flies that escaped the tape. But if you spend enough time around, you can hear them very well.
Pros:
- the effect is seen immediately;
- no electricity or bait needed;
- easy to replace.
Cons:
- can’t neutralize all the flies inside (especially if they are numerous);
- needs to be replaced when dried out.
Indoor UV Traps
The most technological type of fly trap attracts the flues by emitting ultraviolet light. As the insects fly closer and contact the device, they get killed with electric shocks and fall into special containers.
Pros:
- no smelly bait needed;
- killing is instant;
- no dead insects insight;
- these devices look modern.
Cons:
- they need power, either sockets or batteries;
- the price may be higher than you expect.
Outdoor Container Traps
It’s impossible to neutralize all the flies around, so container traps just distract the most active ones. The container holds a smelly bait, and it’s built so that once a fly gets in, it can’t get out. (You have probably seen the same effect unintendedly realized in some chandeliers).
Pros:
- require no power and emit no light;
- cheap;
- easy-care.
Cons:
- you need many of these to protect a large outdoor space;
- they may have to be positioned at a distance from humans.
As well as ant killers, they can differ, depending on whether they are for indoor or outdoor use. Outside you can use more aggressive ones, attracting flies strongly… but when you’re inside, you better opt for something softer.
You may also think of flytraps (without a space), but these exceptional plants deserve a special section of the discussion. Really. Though many of us have Venus flytraps as just a decoration, it’s still a flytrap. Like a cat purring at your lap probably doesn’t have to catch mice to eat, still being a predator despite that.
In addition, I’ll drop a word about the best DIY fruit fly trap I could make (and I’m not goldhanded).
Top 15 Best Flytraps
In fact, we’ll rather speak of 15+1 best flytraps. In this section I’ll shed some light on the best fly traps available on Amazon, with pricing, reviews, descriptions, and recommendations. Another one is, in fact, one species, with some trademark specifics, and yes, I mean the plant. But let’s start with artificial extermination machines.
1. Victor M380 Fly Magnet: Best Outdoor Fly Trap
No products found.
Specifications:
- Attractant is included
- Number of pieces: 3
- Item Weight: 9.1 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 12.36 x 8.82 x 4.84 inches
- Target Species: Fly
The Pennsylvania-based company that created the traditional mousetrap remains the leader in eliminating pest animals. Victor’s reusable trap resembles a street lamp, with a bait inside instead of a light. Its white color is meant to attract insects during the night.
This trap can serve as a decorative element in your outdoor space, and you can place it wherever you desire to eliminate flies. The exact location of the trap is up to you, but it’s advisable to position it at a minimum height of 18 inches.
You can even redesign it a bit (but while and light colors should prevail!) It’s a multi-use one, and it’s enough to dump it once it gets filled with flies. Luckily, you won’t have to do it often.
It’s not poisonous, so recharging it with new bait and water isn’t dangerous. Still, you better keep it safe from children.So hang it high enough and enjoy one of the best fly traps outdoors.
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2. Black Flag Fly Stick: Best Sticky Tape Fly Trap
Specifications:
- Material: Plastic
- Style: Indoor
- Number of pieces: 6
- Item Weight: 21.91 Ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 10.88 x 3.31 x 17.63 inches
The name Black Flag sounds like a potent brand, and it has been established since 1833, boasting that their products have eliminated more insects than any other brand. Although newer brands now provide excellent competition, Black Flag is a clear champion when it comes to creating superior fly traps, as we will discover later.
Their invention is an excellent alternative to sticky tape that is equally effective but more visually appealing and convenient. While it may not be the most efficient way to trap house flies, it is a fairly decent option.
To use this device, simply place it outdoors (without touching the sticky surface), and hang it where you want to eliminate flies, using a specialized hook if required. For improved efficacy, add a teaspoon of syrup or honey to the bottom plastic cup.
The device should remain active for about three months unless it becomes completely covered by flies before that. If this device’s effectiveness isn’t satisfactory, you may consider looking into RESCUE’s device as an alternative.
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3. RESCUE Outdoor Non-Toxic Disposable Fly Trap
Specifications:
- Material: Plastic
- Style: Fly Trap
- Item Weight: 1.6 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 8 x 3 x 3 inches
- Target Species: Fly
RESCUE! is a manufacturer that specializes in creating insecticides explicitly designed to eradicate ants, flies, and other insects. This company operates in the USA, and all of their products are made in America. Therefore, they do not encounter issues such as those with Chinese or other Asian manufacturers who may neglect legal requirements or create products for species in other regions.
The RESCUE fly trap is an excellent solution for open areas, such as barbecues, trash containers, and yards, where flies may cause disruption. This plastic pack has a filter and is designed to attract flies with a bait that dissolves and releases an odor.
To set it up, use scissors to cut along the dotted circle, pour some water inside, and hang it on a rope in the area where you want to get rid of insects. Once the flies enter the trap, they are unable to escape. When the trap is full, dispose of it properly.
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Specifications:
- Color: Black
- Style: Flowtron
- Item Weight: 4.84 pounds
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 9.7 x 9.7 x 16.5 inches
- Batteries: 2 AA batteries required
- Is Electric: Yes
Trapro is well known for its highly technological devices that make the insects’ genocide geeky and fun. The device named WS130 is a great looking UV lamp, attracting flies and other insects with its light. In addition to the lamp, you’ll need some disposable glue boards that don’t let the attracted insects leave. The combination makes one of the finest, if not the best indoor fly trap.
Frankly speaking, the device itself is hard to find now: Amazon doesn’t offer it at all, and the official Trapro site can’t be found at all. Maybe some items can be found, but chances are low. On the other hand, if you already have the device, you can easily purchase disposables for it.
The trap gathers mostly positive reviews, but its installation is rather tricky, and, besides that, it will require powering. I won’t cover it in detail, because chances are you won’t find it anyway.
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5. Katchy Indoor Insect Trap: Best Fruit Fly Trap to Buy (and Reminding Some Fruit-Named Brand)
Specifications:
- Style: Automatic
- Material: Plastic
- Item Weight: 1.41 pounds
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 5 x 5.5 x 9 inches
- Target Species: Fly, Mosquito, Gnat
There are few models by Katchy, especially when compared to Victor with their large weaponry; but let me remind you that Apple only had one iPhone a year until 2014, and it was enough. Katchy’s devices are something Applish: ultimately hi-tech, as safe as can be, rather expensive, specific in their missions, requiring assistance by other devices, and – yes! – very attractive. They even can be confused to a smart speaker; though Alexa or Cortana won’t hear you unless you give some fly a name like this.
The fruit fly trap is meant for fruit-flies, mosquitoes and sand flies as well. All these flying insects are first attracted with UV light, then sucked in with a fan, and then stuck with glue. The dead insects fall down, so it’s easy to clean. No poison or electricity is involved, so the device is quite safe.
It can be powered with a power bank, so you don’t need a socket to use it with. It’s convenient, as sometimes you have to position it where the fruits lie, or where people spend the night outside.
The final “one more thing”: this one is quite useless against regular house flies, so (if you like it) better buy another specific one meant for that species.
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6. Safer Brand 5025 Houseplant Sticky Stakes Insect Trap: Best Disposable
Specifications:
- Pesticide-Free
- Number of pieces: 14
- Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 7.5 x 4 x 1 inches
- Target Species:Fly, Thrip, White Fly, Gnat
Safer Brand doesn’t sound like the name you should trust, but this time it is; by the way, it’s trademark by the company that runs the aforementioned Victor brand. Traps by Safer Brand have good reputation, and this one is quite an aesthetic replacement to sticky tapes. Instead, it looks like a regular plant with leaves sticky and attractive. It can be used both indoors (with potted plants) and outdoors.
These “plants” are disposable, and you’ll need to replace them as soon as they are covered with pests. It may happen often, because the bait is attractive for various insects: black and whiteflies, gnats, fruit flies, and other sort of flying parasites. These stakes are especially effective as fungus gnat traps.
The sticks look especially natural when planted among real plants, contributing to the bouquet and attracting insects logically to your little garden. The stakes are reusable; the traps aren’t. When filled with insects, just remove them and dispose; the vendor recommends wrapping them in a newspaper or something like that.
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7. Trappify Sticky: Maybe Best Indoor Fly Traps by a New Vendor
Specifications:
- Material: Plastic
- Number of pieces: 25
- Item Weight: 0.19 Pounds
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 5.2 x 3.3 x 0.1 inches
- Target Species: Fly, Mosquito, White Fly, Gnat
Being quite a new kid in town, Trappify is a brand that shares the features of XXI century’s eco consciousness, personalized business approach and handmade aesthetics (even if it’s not truly handmade).
These leaves are so far the only Trappify product (at least, there is nothing else on its official shop as well as on Amazon). The only difference is the package. They are meant for indoor use, and, being as functional as the sticky tape we’re used to, the yellow leaves are looking much better. The leaves are also said to be eco friendly, and, as for their killing abilities, they are equally lethal for flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and other winged invaders you don’t want around.
All you need to do is to hang them around where the flies are unwanted and wait until they get stuck. The leaves are disposable, but hardly will they dry out sooner than they are covered with insects. There are special hooks to hang the leaves.
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8. Farnam Home and Garden 14680 Starbar Captivator Fly Trap: Where You Don’t Go Frequently
No products found.
Specifications:
- Material: Plastic
- Number of pieces: 2
- Item Weight: 14.4 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 10.94 x 9.13 x 5.63 inches
- Target Species: Fly
Starbar manufactures both captivator devices and attractants you need for them to work. It looks like a glass jar with a specific cap, very familiarly looking. This outdoor fly trap is something reminding of 1980s, so it would look great among other remnants of the last century.
To use it, put the contents of one attractor zip into it and add water, then close it with the original cap and pull it up to open holes. The flies will smell the attractant, fly in, and never find the way out. After the jar is full (or the attractant seems to stop working), just empty the jar, and then refill it.
The attractant produces a smell that may seem unattractive, so this one is rather for the places where you rarely get into, like farms, garbage containers, backyards, and so on. It doesn’t need to be emptied daily, and that’s a bonus for use cases like this.
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9. FlyFix Fruit Fly Trap: If Not the Best Fruit Fly Trap, Then the Best-Looking
No products found.
Specifications:
- Material: Plastic
- Number of pieces: 2
- Color: Green/White
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 7.1 x 4.3 x 4.1 inches
- Target Species: Fly
Little is known about the vendor; even its official site sheds almost no light on where the company is from and how long it’s around. Yet the products have generally positive reviews on Amazon.
Once a fruit fly gets in, attracted by the smell, it cannot get out. The construction of the funnel prevents escaping. The attractants used in this device are claimed as harmless for humans of domestic animals. But, in fact, you can just put a piece of a banana or an apple inside, to make sure it’s as natural as can be.
Check out my comprehensive review of the best fruit fly traps.
As for humans, the most attractive thing about these traps is the appearance. They look like décor elements, so they will perfectly fit into your outside or inside design. So this is a good option for restaurant use or for any public spaces.
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10. Catchmaster 904 Bug & Fly Clear Window Fly Traps: Best Indoor Fly Traps Are Window Based
Specifications:
- Style: Insect Fly Trap
- Material: Paper
- Number of pieces: 12
- Item Weight: 0.01 Pounds
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 8 x 0.01 x 8.2 inches
- Target Species: Fly
If you don’t want flies in your house or apartment, you can kill them when you’re in, but it’s better not to let them in at all. This window fly trap is here to prevent unwanted guests right at the border, so these sticky traps are to be installed directly to your windows.
You’ll have to change them often, as if there are many flies outside, they fill the trap spots very quickly. If you don’t do it periodically, your window will remain decorated with dead flies, and this is not the most beautiful picture in the world.
But if you don’t mind changing these traps periodically, you better order many of them at once. They are quite efficient, not in terms of catching flies, but of letting none in.
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11. Kensizer Dual-Sided Yellow Sticky Traps: Best Fly Traps for Gardening
Specifications:
- Material: Paper
- Number of pieces: 20
- Item Weight: 10.5 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 8 x 6 x 0.4 inches
- Target Species: Fly, Thrip, Mosquito, White Fly, Gnat
These yellow sticky traps don’t look as exquisite as their colleagues made by Trappify; they are just rectangular sheets of 6*8 inches, covered with sticky matter and meant to attract flies. Once an insect touches the surface, it gets stuck.
The vendor is based in California, and they must know how to deal with these creatures summoned by warmth! But, being designed to catch small insects, these ones are useless against regular house flies. The glue isn’t strong enough for them; so if your main problem is just to get rid of house flies, you better search for something specific to take care of them.
These traps can be ordered in 10-, 20-, or 30-piece packs. If you have a garden or a greenhouse, you’ll probably need lots of these.
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12. REDTOP Flycatchers Standard Size: Female Insect Genocide Machine
Specifications:
- No Insecticides, Non-Toxic, Environmentally Friendly
- Number of pieces: 2
- Item Weight: 13.6 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 11 x 8 x 2.1 inches
- Target Species: Fly
These outdoor traps are manufactured by a South African company Redtop, and they are popular all over the world. The idea is quite unique (as far as it’s possible in this industry). The trap works selectively and attracts first of all egg-laying females, offering them something that smells like a potential nest. This is the most efficient method to reduce the entire population.
To activate the trap, you just need to put the bait in it and add some water. The vendor recommends hanging traps with the bait at least 15 feet away from the place you want to clear from flies. When it fills with flies, you can either rebait the trap or replace the entire pack.
It is said to work with any flying insects as efficiently as with flies. You need to bait the new one three or four days before replacing the old to make sure they work incessantly. It also works well if you add a teaspoonful of local soil. This will help the bait smell natural. The only thing reported that can be gotten wrong is the time until the bait gets really attractive: sometimes it’s up to one week.
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13. Crioxen Indoor Plug-in Bug Zapper: Small Yet Effective Fly Killer
Specifications:
- Material: Plastic
- Is Electric: Yes
- Item Weight: 5.3 ounces
- Package Dimensions LxWxH: 4.84 x 3.94 x 3.03 inches
- Target Species: Fly, Mosquito, Gnat
Traditionally, bug zappers are quite large devices that take up a lot of space and buzz quite loudly. But not the Crioxen Indoor Plug-in Bug Zapper. It works the same way as full-size appliances but is much more compact and can even be plugged into the outlet next to your bed. If you are tired of fighting flies and mosquitoes, this model will be a real godsend for you.
The device is compatible with any 50-60Hz / 100-120V power outlet. One unit is sufficient for use in areas up to 500 square feet. It is not the highest for bug zappers, but good enough for a tool of this size. If you need to kill insects in several rooms at once, it is better to buy several devices. It is very quiet and has a night mode so that its bright light does not irritate you.
It uses an LED lamp that emits ultraviolet light to attract insects and an electric charge to kill them. As it kills on direct contact, it is indeed effective against many flying insects. It is non-toxic and safe for pets and humans. The upper grill reliably protects against accidental contact and electric shock. This product is easy to use: you just need to plug it into an outlet where you want it and press its power button. But it should be regularly cleaned of insects that accumulate in a special compartment. The item comes with a brush for easy cleaning of a grill from flies and mosquitoes.
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14. Black Flag Disposable Outdoor Fly Trap: Bodies in the Bag
Specifications:
- Material: Plastic
- Number of pieces: 12
- Item Weight: 2.55 pounds
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 12.44 x 9 x 8.75 inches
- Target Species: All major fly species
Here comes Black Flag again, the most experienced player on the market. If its sticks didn’t convince you, then it offers rattan-designed traps for outdoor use! They look exceptionally great and handmade-stylized, so they’ll fit perfectly into your yard or garden atmosphere formed by vintage elements.
In fact, the bag contains the chemical attractant that only needs some water to start working. Hang it on a tree branch and let it work. The bag contributes to your vintage style, but it conceals dead flies as well, so it’s one of the best-looking outdoor fly traps.
One charge of attractant remains active for at least 30 days, though it depends on the weather and on the population of flies. But you better hang it away from your usual routes (though not very far), because the odor the flies consider attractive for humans may be disgusting.
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15. Green Gobbler Fruit Fly Goodbye Gel Drain Treatment: Keep’em Unborn
Specifications:
- Active Ingredient: Citronella
- Item Volume: 1 Gal
- Item Weight: 8 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 1 x 1 x 1 inches
- Target Species: Drain flies, Fruit flies, & Sewer flies
Name it Green Cobbler, and I will feel eager to taste it! Hey, stop: even the flies won’t be attracted by it. On the contrary: it’s just a gel for getting rid of them. The primary mission of the gel is keeping the house clean, especially the spots adored by fruit fly and other insects we love so much. That means, it helps to extinguish the insects by keeping the house clean. Fly repellent in this gel keeps the flies away from the place they would otherwise have turd-a-formed.
Cleanliness is good regardless, but here is another thing: the gel by Green Cobbler is destructive to nests and eggs of the insects, and that’s the reason to prefer it to other cleaning gels. Besides that, it does no harm to pipes and other equipment.
So, it doesn’t kill flies after they are born: it leaves them unborn at all. The best fruit fly trap prevents them from making it to this world; where’s the fruit fly Sarah Connor? So it’s hard to estimate its efficiency, but users say there were really less flies after they started using it. Some even say one week of treatment was enough to get all the fruit flies gone.
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Venus Flytrap: How to Train Your Plant
There is a question sometimes: does a space makes a difference? When it comes to flytraps, it does, because a fly trap is a device, and a flytrap is a plant. The idea of having a protective garden is promising, but is there anything more than just playing Plants vs. Insects?
Let’s take a closer look. The Venus flytrap can catch flies and other insects as they land on its leaves; as the leaf detects that it’s really an insect (not a water drop or another leaf), it closes quickly and then digests the game. One plant has multiple leaves with this trap, so it can hunt with all of them. And it isn’t too selective when it comes to hunting: if it’s alive, it’s edible. The scientists are still exploring how it works, as this quick response isn’t a common thing among plants.
There is only one species in this very special genus, and it’s the Venus flytrap. Naturally endemic to North and South Carolina, it’s widely cultivated all over the world, including, of course, the US. So, when you hear of this natural wonder, isn’t it seductive to have it as a guard? And are Venus flytraps good house plants at all?
But before all these questions I would have raised another one, and it is: DO I WANT IT? Let’s return to cats: if your cat doesn’t hunt for mice, does it mean the animal is useless? No, because it’s furry and purry, and that’s what I appreciate in my one. A rattlesnake instead? No, no way, even though I know rattlesnakes are better mouse extinguishers.
If you’re determined to have this plant, then you may dig deeper into the best way to grow Venus flytrap at home, what is the best soil for growing Venus flytraps, how often it has to be watered, and so on. Well, it’s all better to see on certain examples, like these.
A spoiler follows: there are downsides to Venus flytrap as a fly trap. Say, in natural life its predate leaves only develop in midsummer; that is, before that it’s no fly trap at all. As a leave closes, it needs about a week to digest the insect and eight more hours to reopen. After the leaf digests (usually) three insects, it dies off, and the plant grows another one instead. It’s useful for the plant itself, but not for its employer. So ask yourself again: DO YOU WANT IT?
As far as I know, many of us do. It’s a real Predator of the flora, and some of use treat it like an animal rather than a plant, even find good names for Venus fly traps. What about, say, Doggy? Or Hannibal? I even had one friend who named the Venus flytrap after his ex-girlfriend. All these stories just highlight that Venus flytraps are rather an emotional purchase than a practical.
Adult Sized Venus Flytrap: Are the Best Fly Traps Natural?
Specifications:
- Plant Product Type: Venus Flytrap
- Expected Blooming Period: Year Round
- Item Weight: 0.25 Pounds
- Sunlight Exposure: Full Sun
- Unit Count: 1 Count
Let’s not go far: the plants can be bought right on Amazon. There are few options, but this one I considered the best Venus fly trap to buy. The young plants are already sold in 3-inch pots, yet, as they grow, you may need to swap them into bigger ones. But don’t go too far: it usually grows up to one foot tall (so it’s a good option for your window).
In nature, it grows in a moist ground, so you need to keep it watered well. It’s a good idea to install an automatic watering system, if you’re into smart home thing. But you can enjoy doing it manually, why not.
And don’t ignore the manual and the FAQ that come with the plant. Of course, you can google any particular question (like what soil is the best for Venus flytraps?), but the instruction is written right for the plant you’re holding in your hand, and that’s why it’s trustworthy.
Organic Carnivorous Plant Soil: The Best Venus Fly Trap Soil
Specifications:
- Style: Peat Moss, Soil Mix, Potting
- Item Volume: 1 Quarts
- Item Weight: 8 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 6 x 3 x 9 inches
- 100% organic perlite and Canadian sphagnum moss
If you are purchasing the plant from the previous section, you may already know it comes with enough sphagnum to feed it for the first time, but still it needs soil. Even if you have your own yard with the type of soil Venus flytraps usually grow on, it’s better for young plants to grow in specific soils, like this one. It’s the special sort of soil for carnivorous plants, providing the perfect balance between periods it catches flies and it doesn’t.
This mix is made to retain the level of moisture the plants need (though it still needs watering). It includes ingredients like organic peat moss, vermiculite, or perlite, so the plant will have all the elements it needs.
The pack for $11.95 contains one gallon of the soil, that is four dry quarts. If you have more than one plant, probably you’ll need an encore when they need to be transferred to larger pots.
What’s the Best Fruit Fly Trap Bait?
Even the best homemade fly traps or industrial devices require some bait. While some manufacturers offer special baits for attracting fruit flies, others reasonably say that regular fruits are a bait good enough. Well, having a complete set by one vendor is a pleasant feeling (I type this looking at my TV with a gaming console and a sound system, all by Sony, and missing my good old VAIO). And I agree that specially developed baits may have a stronger smell than natural fruits or flowers.
But in some cases (and I mentioned them) a natural bait is recommended. For example, the traps by FlyFix can be used with natural fruits in it; this provides natural smell and makes the bait easily available. The construction allows for using real fruit slices, and you won’t have to go far for these. The best DIY fruit fly trap also supposes you use something regular.
Apple vinegar is often recommended as the best bait for fruit flies. It’s really efficient, due to its strong smell, but the same smell can affect humans around. So we’d recommend to use the traps with apple vinegar away from your exact location, at about 15 feet.
You may argue what is the best bait for making the best fruit fly trap, considering fresh (or not so fresh) juice a better alternative to vinegar. The smell of the juice is more pleasant, I won’t deny. As for efficiency, it may depend on lots of conditions, from weather to exact breed of your fruit flies (you know how quickly they can mutate). So try different options and select what seems the most efficient and the least disgusting.
It works the same way when you want not to attract flies. Cover your food when it’s served. By the way, the very Prextex offers transparent food tents, so you can cover your dishes with them and let no insect land on your sliced fruits, cheese, or meats. They may seem too expensive, but they are more ecofriendly than single use plastic bags, and look much better when served.
You also better keep the air from being too humid, just like you do when you get rid of house centipedes. The rules are, in fact, versatile: cleanliness, dry air, ventilation, traps. They demonstrate some differences when it comes to the practice, but the base is the same.
Is the Best Fly Trap Homemade?
When you see how simple the traps look, you may feel curious: what if you make one with your own hands? It must be easy to project it, and it doesn’t take any professional tools that can’t be found at an average home. If you google it yourself, you can find hundreds of recommendations; here are just some examples.
A Plastic Bottle Trap
The simplest method only requires a small plastic bottle (like a 20-oz. one by Coca Cola) and a sharp knife or scissors. You need to remove the label and cut the upper part of the bottle a bit lower than the neck widens. If you do it right, you can insert the top of the bottle back upside down, so its neck is deep inside the construction. The insects will easily fly in, but it will be hard to find a way out, because the entire system is transparent.
Now you only have to add the bait and wait. First flies may appear there very soon. Chances are some of them will get away, but most will stay in and perish. It’s a good way to utilize plastic bottles, by the way. But, of course, these traps are less effective when it comes to attractiveness – both for flies and for humans. It takes about a week for the trap to get filled, and then you’ll need a new one. This is probably the best homemade fly trap for beginners.
You may use a glass jar instead of a plastic base, but you’ll still need some funnel as an “insect semiconductor”, and a part of a plastic bottle will do. Maybe you have an old funnel for pouring liquids into bottles, and you don’t need it anymore. It’s a good option, especially if it’s transparent. If not – well, okay, you can return to the list above at any time.
A Glass Trap
Another way (for example, if you don’t buy plastic bottles principally) is using an old glass. The principle is the same: you cover it with transparent tape (like cellophane) and make some holes in it. The transparent trap is easy to get in, and hard to leave. A glass is much easier to wash (though not a pleasant procedure at all, after this sort of usage), and it takes quite a little tape.
Maybe it’s the best fly trap homemade if you’re not experienced, or if you want to make it together with your kids. By varying hole diameter, you can set it up to catch house flies or fruit ones. Probably you might need several of these, if not used along with fabric ones.
An Electric Trap
It’s the most complicated one, but still the most satisfying to see. The idea is in combining a lamp that attracts the insects and electro shocker or fan that kills them, powered by the same source. If you consider the best electric fly trap a homemade one, here we go.
I didn’t check it (I confess), but there are instructions on making electric fly traps, and everything it takes (like 3.3 voltage regulator, 12V DC CPU fan, LED, or SPST switches) can be found on Amazon. To tell the truth, the items may contain dozens or even hundreds of details, but if you’re into electric works, you’ll find what to do with the rest. Otherwise think twice before you begin, and give some time to learning the basics.
Fly Away!
As you see, you’re not doomed to be flied all over. Though sometimes you may think it would have been great of Noah to dismiss those two flies from the ark, this is quite a job to be done by technical means to get rid of them.
What other ways to protect yourself from flies do you know and practice? Sometimes I wish I had a cow’s tail to use as a fly-whisk, but you don’t have to be that eccentric; and even I prefer more common methods when it comes to real life. Moving to the place with no flies sounds like utopia too. But utopia is better than hagiography, and tolerating packs of flies is probably the best way to test your saintliness. By the way: my name is Nicholas Martin, and I am not a saint.
If you tried any of the devices or methods above, you can share your experience here. Maybe others will have a different experience, but remember: you are not flies, so you don’t have to get trapped, and there is always a way out.
References:
- Fruit Flies (by Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist University of Kentucky College of Agriculture):
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef621 - Venus flytrap (Wikipedia):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_flytrap
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Thank you for sharing your reviews with us! I have already bought two traps from the list. Fly Fix Fruit trap for my kitchen catches all the fruit flies inside. All I need to do after is to throw away flies and put it near fruits again. No fruit flies in my kitchen! I also have Kensizer sticky traps in my garden. They catch flies and gnats, and even mosquitoes, which is just what I need.
I don’t like sticky tapes for flies. You catch one fly and get stuck five times. I was looking for very specific fly trappers. You know, the ones without any glue on them yet the job had to be done. And I found Victor M380 Fly Magnet. I love it! Effective, reusable, and savvy. Not expensive at all! I can assure you, there are no flies around my yard!
Hi, everybody! Thank you, Nicholas. The piece is very informative!
When you live in a city, flies do not cause many problems. At least in the city, it is enough to hang a mosquito net and destroy insects already flown into the apartment. But when you live in a village, the problem of flying insects becomes especially acute. As for me, of all indoor house fly traps, I chose Zapper and never regretted it. This thing doesn’t destroy your interior, and it’s safe for everyone except flying insects.
I recently purchased a couple of the rescue fly traps as we had a few around our patio when eating ect. The traps have worked at catching a disgusting number of flys but they really smell. I have Also noticed that there are almost more flys around now that I put the traps out. Could the traps be bringing in flys from around the area that wouldn’t necessarily have been around before? I’m not sure if I should stop using them and see if they disappear or if I should try to set up traps further from the house to try and attract the neighborhood flys else ware. Help!