Tips on trapping fly's

[AMEXY]

Does anyone have any tips on reducing, trapping fly's outside. The back door to our house seems to attract a lot of fly so we are not able to leave the door open. Would prefer to organically make something rather than by a product. All ideas welcome...

There's no point in trying to trap them outside - there's effectively an infinite supply of flies so however many you trap they will be replaced by others. You need to find out what's attracting them and remove that.

Are you talking about bluebottles/blowflies - ie the big ones that lay eggs on food? Or small midge sized ones? If large ones, consider a bead curtain or similar, or a fly screen made of fine voile, so you can still get the breeze but the flies can't get through.

Hi, bluebottles are the culprit. Sheep & horses are the attraction but it's not an option to get rid of them. I know we are not going to eradicate them but a reduction would be a start. Or just another attraction

We just got a magnetic screen from amazon plus window nets just over the small windows and we only open them and leave the back door open. No flies it’s bliss

Apparently a pot of mint by the door keeps flies away. Old wives tale perhaps, but I have some growing there. No flies.

@Beebumble2

Apparently a pot of mint by the door keeps flies away. Old wives tale perhaps, but I have some growing there. No flies.

Interesting one not heard that before. Worth a go, my partner is a very keen gardener, and probably already has some growing somewhere. I know we have a small herb patch but I have no idea whats in there.

It makes sense anyway to have herbs in pots by the back door ... mine include a mint on either side, we do get the odd fly in nevertheless.

If you've got a bad fly problem but want ventilation, I think really the only solution is to have proper fly screens like in the US. They don't look nice, but they do the job. I'm not sure I've ever come across one in the U.K. though.

Or just another attraction Piece of dead meat at the far end of the garden? Or one of the various plants that smell of dead meat. Although that'd probably just mean they all came into your garden instead of only some of them.

Is you back foot in direct sunlight? That will also attract them. I would buy some carnivorous plants and plant them by the door. A dish of soap suds in the sun can also be an effective flytrap.

Spiders, lots of them.

I hate this!

I had some buzzing around in front of my back door when closed and I can only think it was because the cat food was just on the other side.

I hate flies with a passion though and keep doors shut to avoid them. I need one of those metal mesh things mentioned.

Red top fly trap

Our current flat is awful for flies in summer, we’re above shops and there’s takeaways a few doors down and bins in the alleyway, we can’t stop them being out there. I have fragrant plants on our front door/balcony - mint, jasmine, lemon balm - and when we’re in will burn essential oils on the windowsills - lemon/lemongrass/citronella seem to work well.

This year I have got some carnivorous plants sitting in the windowsills and they are fab! Grimly fascinating. Venus flytraps and sarracenia are the most successful.

Thanks all some good ideas, might pass on the meat idea at the other end of the garden. The door is in direct sunlight most of the day. We have a Venus fly trap in the kitchen just to amuse the kids. Will try a bucket of soap suds, thinking about it they like the water butt that we use so not a bad shout.