This lovely hot weather is causing a lot of flies around here and with a young litter on the floor (3wk+) I obviously can't use most fly sprays. Despite the teens' gymnastics with one of those zappy bat things, we're still plagued with them but I can't close the windows and keep the hounds cool. Any and every suggestion welcome.

Could you get some of those fairly cheap fine net door curtains and cut to fit then tape on the window frames - on inside if windows open outward?. Might be worth a try? Or cut down an ordinary net curtain to fit.

Sticky tape.

Multitude options at link below but those sticky fly papers that we could hang from lampshades etc were very effective, don't know if they sell them anywhere these days, check the link for stuff though at 3 weeks they are not crawling all over the place so maybe a fly screen compound/tent will do for now.

https://bit.ly/2L02Vcz
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Another thought on fly screen netting is that you could get the netting & then get a local handyman type to make some moveable fitted frames & screen all your windows & doors or wherever they are getting in, that way you would have permanent year in year out solution.

Amazon do fly papers as do some hardware stores and possibly places like b and q.jusy looked and in theory so do places like Tesco and aldi .cheap and work .I tried red top  fly bags last year and although yes they attracted flies they stink inspite of keeping them away from  the house and seemed to attract every fly in the world  flying via my house. Yuk

Look on Amazon for The Buzz and Buzz off.  I found these very effective.

Flypapers.

Fly papers work best although they are gross - but they are still best as they have no pesticides and are perfectly safe and effective.

Facebook Replies:

Helen Edwards says:  I'm told lemons studded with cloves works just keep squirting lemon juice over the cut lemon xx

Carole Caz Hill says:  Get something like red top fly trap outside and they won’t come in the house . I can’t link a pick to show u mine though

Neil Fishburn says:  I was about to state the same trap works very well we have one down the field wouldn’t have one in house though as they stink so would put it outside near enough to catch most of the flys that will end up in the house but far enough that you don’t have to have the smell. Unless you like the smell of death as that’s what attracts the flies.

--- Carole Caz Hill says:  Neil Fishburn yes repulsive but it’s heaven having no flies in the house

----- Julie Shaun  Carole Caz Hill have you hung your's near the house and is it stopping the majority of flies coming in? if so, I will order another one to put close to the back door xx

Facebook Replies:

Angie Lloyd says:  It's been on Facebook this week that if you put a load of pennies in a bag of water and hang it up near your door it keeps the flies away apparently they think it's bees

Suzanne Ellisson says  I have bought some fly papers which are really good, the UK ones are hopeless but the German ones are great! AEROXON fly papers

Niall Curtin says:  Oranges lemons especially scented candles they hate citrus

Facebook Replies:

Sandra Simper says:  Red top fly trap in garden

---- Julie Shaun says: I was just about o say this- we have chickens and rabbits in the garden and these fly traps have been a God send- it is revolting how many flies are in there after only a week! we are still getting flies in the house but less than we would have done xxx

Paula Osborn says:  Try wiping everywhere with lemon oil. Check it's safe for pups

Liz Swainston says: You can buy somethimg that looks like a tennis bat with batteries and electrocute the liytle sods

Facebook Replies:

Danny Hall says:  See through plastic bag with ten penny's and water in think it's a bees nest

Jill Mounty says:  Fly net across the door and window.

I bought a cheap netting door screen from ebay and love it, it has magnetic strips down the middle that close automatically after the dogs go through.

I also use a red top fly trap in the far corner of the garden, again ebay is cheapest, I use a couple a year and it's amazing how many flies they catch, I only change it when it's literally full of dead bluebottles! That draws them away from the house.

I have a dog that hates flies so this keeps the house fly free and him happy

Facebook reply:

Kevin Dixon says:  Bugzilla. Its a natural fly spray. Can get it from the dogs Diner

I have just ordered a red top fly thing and read reviews on Amazon where people said they fed the dead flys to their hens. Any idea what is in the liquid and whether it is safe. TBH I don’t know if bagging and binning the dead flies or giving them to the hens is less appealing. Hate those little flying beasts. Does it attract wasps too?

Some jam in a jar of water with a screw on top with a wasp sized hole in the top is the best for catching wasps as they can’t resist something sweet as we all know from eating anything outside. Just hang up somewhere in the garden and empty regularly

I am terrified of them so couldn’t cope with emptying the jar even the hens won’t eat them.

Red tops seem to attract everything but keep it away from the house it stinks . I gave up as even 40 ft away I could smell it.cant go any further as I have a small garden and it didnt stop flies in the house just attracted more to the garden :(

I bought a red top fly trap and it has been up for a week and there are less than a dozen flies in it. The water is a murky brown shade but there is still a lot of powder in the bottom as none of it seems to have dissolved. Any ideas what I have done wrong? My house is still full of flies.

Just thought I'd pop back and update people. We put a couple of sticky fly papers up indoors. Get Rentokil ones. Cheap ones don't stick according to our local hardware shop man. That sorted the odd serious candidate indoors.

Then put a Red Top fly trap outside but read the placement instructions properly. This thing is amazing. The stuff in it smells a bit (hence the placement comment) but it is amazing and non toxic itself. The dead flies are a different matter I presume. Make sure you get a genuine one. Ours hastwo inches of dead flies in it currently and is still going strong. Just keep it topped up with water.

These two steps have gotten the fly count down to one or two at most and the lively teen son with a zappy bat fly killer thingy sees to them although he looks a bit like Billy Elliott dancing around four lively 5wk old pups whilst trying to zap the odd one or two in the puppy room. :)

Is it in a sunny spot? It needs the sun to get it going. Or else did they sell you a copy? Apparently there are a lot about that aren't good. I'm on a farming forum and there's a definite issue with copies that don't work and some gruesome photos of the real things working a bit too well in the heatwave. I believe the stuff that comes with it is dried ground meat which smells quite off if you're close to the trap but is fine a few feet away.

It is definitely in a sunny spot but there hasn’t been much sun in the last week. I bought it from eBay but it all looked genuine enough - maybe it is a copy ☹️ I’ll give it another week or so and see if it improves. Thanks.

I'm told you have to use warm water when you first fill them up, although I've only heard that from one person.  It is possible that it could be a copy though, there are plenty around unfortunately!

It says on the packet to use lukewarm water so we did that but still no flies or any sun to keep it warm!