Super Cheap Natural Fly Repellent

Fly Water Bags

We spend summers outside on our patio.Our horses are fairly near the patio so flies are a big problem.

We’ve tried a lot of things. Fly Predators worked well but are just don’t fit our budget.  Automatic fly sprays are out becasue my son is sensitive to any chemicals.  So I looked for a natural alternative.

This morning I hung water bags. Do they work? I’ll let you know.

Some researchers believe water bags reply flies due to simple light refraction. A housefly bases its sense of direction on the direction sunlight comes from. Some entomologists believe that when these complex eyes experience refracted light, the insect becomes confused and flies away.

I made our water bags from gallon freezer baggies and nylon cable ties from the dollar store.

I hung them on patio torch poles and the backs of patio chairs. I also planted citronella,  mint, and basil plants in containers on the patio.

If you don’t like the look of baggies you can purchase a commercial one. Look in home and garden centers.

How Stuff Works explains why water baggies may work:

The common housefly boasts an incredible array of eyes which allow it to see in almost every direction.

Refraction takes place when a clear or opaque object, such as a piece of glass or a bag of water, alters the course and velocity of light. The rays of light, which normally travel in a straight line, bend. This effect is responsible for a number of optical illusions, such as mirages, that occasionally baffle humans as well. For more information on refraction, read How Light Works.

In theory, refraction can be just as confusing for some species of insect, especially the housefly. It boasts a highly sensitive array of eyes which allow it to see in multiple directions at once.

The insect’s head mostly consists of a pair of large complex eyes, each of which is composed of 3,000 to 6,000 simple eyes. These eyes can’t move or focus on objects like human eyes, but they provide the fly with a mosaic view of the world around them. Each simple eye provides one small piece of the puzzle, much like the way a screen’s pixel delivers one detail of the larger picture.

A housefly bases its sense of direction on the direction sunlight comes from. Some entomologists believe that when these complex, sensitive eyes experience refracted light, the insect becomes confused and flies away.

While some supporters claim water bags keep all kinds of flying insects away, most report success with complex-eyed insects, like houseflies.

Not convinced? You’re not alone. Read the next page to explore some of the doubts about optical fly repellent.

Your Turn

What do you use to repel flies?I heard lavender plants discourage flies.