Categories: Outdoor

Homemade Fly Trap

Published by
James marcus

Learn how to make a homemade fly trap. This fly trap is made with repurposed trash, so you don’t have to run to the store and buy supplies. It’s a great way to naturally control the fly problems at your house and homestead without relying on potentially toxic chemicals.

Your mission, if you choose to accept:

To fight back against the pests, vegetable-eating insects, and biting bugs on your homestead (or backyard).

Rules of Engagement:

  • No pesticides or toxic chemicals allowed.

Sound impossible? It’s not. BUT it will take some creativity and good old-fashioned homestead ingenuity.

Here are some weapons to add to your natural pest control arsenal:

  • Natural Fly Predators— I’m using these for the first time this year, and I’m impressed! (affiliate link)
  • Organic Pest Control Garden Spray
  • Homemade Fly Spray for Animals
  • 20+ Natural Insect Repellents You Can Make
  • DIY Liquid Fence Recipe

If you happen to sustain injuries in your battles, there’s always the DIY Bug Bite Relief Stick.

And here’s another heavy-hitter to add to the list: this homemade fly trap made from repurposed trash, so you don’t have to make a trip to the store to buy traps or bait. It doesn’t get much better than that. Let the battle commence!

Homemade Fly Trap

  • Repurposed plastic bottle
  • Water
  • Bait (see below)
  • A drop or two of liquid dish soap (optional)

This is so easy, it barely needs instructions. But just in case you need some extra clarification—>

Cut the top of the bottle off. Straight lines are not my forte… Thankfully, my homemade fly trap still works great, thankyouverymuch.

Flip the top over, and stick it back into the bottle’s base to form a funnel. You can glue it or tape it, if you like, but mine nestled in there snugly on its own.

Fill the bottom of the container with a bit of water (a couple inches is enough, just leave a gap between the bottom of the “funnel” and the water).

Add some smelly bait, and a drop or two of liquid dish soap. The dish soap clings to the flies wings, and traps them a bit better.

Homemade Fly Trap Bait Options:

Remember: flies like sweet and smelly things. So the sweeter and smellier, the better. You can use anything you have hanging around, but these are my favorite choices:

  • Sugar water or honey water
  • Fruit- especially slightly rotten or overripe fruit. Bananas and strawberries work beautifully.
  • A bit of raw meat, such as a pinch of ground meat, or trimmings from a steak
  • Fresh animal manure
  • Or all of the above (yuck)

And remember- the longer it sits, the better. So don’t hesitate to let it fester and ferment a bit (yuck, again…)

Set your homemade fly trap in a place where the bugs are driving you crazy and you’ll be capturing flies in no time.

Homemade Fly Trap Notes:

  • The theory behind this trap is that the flies will be attracted to the scent and fly down the funnel. However, it’s quite difficult for them to figure out how to fly back up the funnel, and in their efforts to escape, they flop into the water… Then they’re toast. And it works!
  • If you want to hang your homemade fly trap, you can punch holes in the sides and hang it up by a bit of string.
  • Two-liter soda bottles are great for this, but any plastic bottle will do. I used an old juice jug—bonus points for having sticky juice residue inside.
  • Not that the flies will care what kind of honey you use, but just in case you’re wondering what honey I prefer, it’s this one. Of course, like I said, the sweeter the better, so maybe the flies do care, and would be even more attracted to this extra-sweet Tupelo honey… 😉

More Natural Solutions for Your Homestead:

  • My Natural Homestead ebook is FULL of recipes and tips running a natural toxic-free homestead
  • Want to reduce the flies around your homestead? Try implementing these 4 natural strategies for farm fly control.
  • Learn how to use Diatomaceous Earth around the homestead to keep pests at bay (and use it for your health, too!).
  • Find the rest of my favorite homesteading tools in my Homestead Mercantile.

This post was last modified on 15/10/2023 03:01

James marcus

Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.

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Published by
James marcus

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