Pests aren’t bugs that merely annoy you. They are destructive. In the home, pests such as fruit flies may not seem as big of a threat, but they carry bacteria that can make you break out in a rash or get sick. Recently, chemical-free fly traps went viral. Many people are wondering if this is the answer. And if it is, which types are the best to buy?
Shop this article: DynaTrap Flying Insect Trap, Katchy Indoor Insect Trap and Gardner FlyWeb Classic Fly Light
Insects are like every other living thing: they seek an environment with the resources they need to survive. If your home provides these resources, flies will be attracted and take up residence. Following are three things flies find enticing.
Unfortunately, many flies prefer to live and breed in the same temperature range that humans prefer. Unless you are comfortable keeping your home below 50 degrees or above 95 degrees, tweaking the temperature won’t have the impact that you desire.
Flies are as dependent on water for survival as humans. They also breed in stagnant water. If there is stagnant water in or around your house, it can attract flies. Be vigilant about eliminating as many of these desirable breeding areas as possible. Check gutters, look for standing water on your property, move bird baths away from your home and inspect for leaks. If it is difficult for flies to find access to water, your home will be less appealing to them.
Food is the element you have the greatest amount of control over. It can also make the biggest impact. Flies are drawn to rotting and high-fructose substances. If you have any fermenting fruits or vegetables on a counter, get rid of them. Don’t just put them in the trash; take the trash outside. Immediately clean up sticky spills and do your best to keep your sink drain as clean as possible. Wipe down countertops and avoid leaving damp items, such as mops, sitting around. If you can eliminate a fly’s food source, it will not want to stick around.
Living with flies might not seem to be that big of a deal. Other than being annoying, most don’t attack people the way a wasp might, so it is easy to be complacent about having them in your home. The problem with flies is they spread bacteria. Flies contaminate food and surfaces as they travel from decaying material to other areas of your home. Wherever a fly lands, it can transmit the pathogens that cause such unpleasantries as E. coli and cholera.
Mosquitoes also belong to the order Diptera (true flies). If you have them in your home as well, you are at risk for contracting a wide variety of diseases, such as Zika virus, West Nile virus, dengue fever and more.
The best way to get rid of flies in your home is to keep them from coming there in the first place. This involves preventative measures, such as cleaning up spills, regularly wiping down counters, removing garbage from the home daily, cleaning your drains and garbage disposal, washing your produce, only buying what you can eat and repairing screens.
However, even if you do all that, you might occasionally get flies in your home. Once they are inside, fly traps are the best way to diminish the population.
Some flypaper is coated with chemicals that hold the insects that get stuck and then actively kill them. The fragrance that attracts flies to the flypaper can also be mildly disagreeable to humans, and disposing of flypaper can be tough because it sticks to everything, including you.
Luckily, flies aren’t just lured by smells. If you’ve ever had a porch light on at night, you see how well it attracts all manner of flying insects. Since flies see colors with shorter wavelengths better than colors with longer wavelengths, they are more likely to be attracted to blue and ultraviolet light. Chemical-free traps utilize this high-frequency light to lure flies into a trap where they get stuck and eventually expire. This way, there are no toxic chemicals, no odors and no mess.
If you want a high-end outdoor model, this trap is designed for large insects as well as common house flies. It has a three-way UV light projection that attracts bugs and a whisper fan that pulls them in. It can protect up to one acre.
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This indoor fly trap utilizes UV light and a fan to attract and catch various winged pests, from fruit flies to mosquitoes. The stylish design keeps it from being an eyesore in your home.
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Gardner FlyWeb Classic Fly Light
The discrete design of this plug-in fly trap lets you rid any room of flying insects. Since it doesn’t employ a fan, it is completely quiet. When the glue card is full, simply remove it and add a new one to continue trapping flies.
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DynaTrap Indoor Plug-In Fly Trap
DynaTrap is the budget-friendly fly trap option. It plugs in like a night light and protects rooms up to 400 square feet. Like other models, it has a discrete design and is easy to clean. All you have to do to clean it is swap out the glue card.
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If you prefer to zap your insects, this option from Black and Decker works inside your home. You can either hang the unit or mount it on your wall. When it is full, just take out the removable tray and empty it.
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
