How to get rid of flies in the garden?

[bunny85]

Every time the weather gets hot those horrible flies come to our garden. We don't have pets and the garden is very tidy and clean, but our neighbours have dogs who sometimes poo in their garden and even though I'm sure it all gets picked up I think it contributes to the problem (before someone suggests, I can't really mention it to them so need to find another solution). Also there's a shop nearby and maybe they come from there? I'm not sure. But they can ruin any BBQ or garden picnic for me easily, I absolutely loathe them. We have a fly screen for the back door so that isn't an issue, it's mainly about them coming to the garden. What can I use? P.S. we have 2 small kids. Thank you!

What can we say about sheep's arses, eh? Fly bait.

I remember the horrible bites from force flies at the stables. Yuk.

What can we say about sheep's arses, eh? Fly bait
I’ve never kept sheep, but would this still be the case with the breeds that don't need shearing..?

That's an interesting question- my main breed is one of the 'primitive' ones that some people say don't need shearing but I haven't found that to be the case. They do shed a bit around the neck and chest- and believe me I've tried to select for that, but they don't shed early enough or near the danger zone of the back end. But having said that these breeds originate from Scottish islands and such and so have midges to deal with maybe more than the problem big maggotty flies. And they have some resistance to fly strike as well which is another big plus. I do have one lovely little ewe that I could completely 'roo' which is pulling the fleece out by hand as it separates away from the skin (not scalping- it's like pulling the loose hairs out of ponytail after you've brushed it). But none of her offspring do it, and neither did her parents 🤷‍♀️

The modern shedding breeds that derive from the Wiltshire Horn and the peeling Texels seem to shed earlier and much more comprehensively, to be honest if I was having commercial sheep I'd seriously consider Exlanas or Easycares just for that reason. But my rare breeds do all the things I need and they are lovely to deal with, and in small numbers the fly situation is manageable with walking through them a couple of times a day as if one does get caught it's only in the very early stages and it's easy to deal with with little to no impact on the sheep other than being a bit itchy (which is the main sign something needs a closer look).

@DiddlyWiddly

How many flies are we talking?

I’m a very clean person with a neat, tidy and very beautiful garden.
I have dogs that go to the toilet in the garden, they are only allowed on a small area of stones and sadly, despite regular bleaching, there is often definitely an odour.
Particularly on a hot day I can often smell urine.
I’m looking into a biological cleaner to try and fix it.

And yet, I pretty much never see flies in the garden unless there is poo I haven’t picked up yet.

It seems odd to me you have no pets or rubbish and are getting enough flies to ruin BBQs.
They must be coming from somewhere, I think you need to work out where they are all coming from and go from there

Not many, but a few annoying ones always come if there's a BBQ. Maybe 2-3? But they are just so unsightly and annoying. I have a feeling it's to do with the shop nearby. They have bins there at the back and possibly leave their compost open, I don't know. I'm going to ask them.

@BuggerBognor

Is there standing water nearby?

We are next to a lake and have garden flies. I use a combination of citronella candles and those electrocution devices that look like tennis rackets.

No water, no

@LizzieMacQueen

What kind of flies OP?

Erm I'm not sure, just ordinary black ones

@Temp023

Don’t kill wasps, we need them. Honestly if you are that bothered by creatures outside, stay inside. Don’t start killing things.

Wasn't intending to kill them...just repel

@Bluntness100

Op do you have open bins or compost heaps? Something is causing them to be there, and it’s unlikely it’s the dog poo that’s being picked up next door, they need something to lay their eggs in and feed off, generally something rotten, so there must be something near by.

No, never. But I think the shop nearby might do...

@Sparrowfeeder

Insects are hugely decimated and their decline is one of the first signs of a collapsing ecosystem. But sure, enjoy your bleeding BBQs as our planet dies.

What a rude and completely unnecessary reply! I wasn't asking how to kill the flies...just to repel them...

You could try clear plastic bags half filled with water hung up, one of my neighbours does that.
I have no idea if it actually works but I’ve seen it recommended on here before.

Or lots of very fragrant, aromatic plants like sage, oregano, rosemary, lavender etc.
I have loads and loads of scented plants, could equally be coincidence I suppose

A couple of years ago we bought a variety of carnivorous plants and placed them inside all the open windows. Hard to know for sure, but definately felt like we had less flies in the house after that!

We live rurally, horses out the back and we are rarely troubled with flies though I did read about putting bags of water with a coin in, mimicking the eyes of a fly maybe?, to keep them out of the house.
I’m thinking cadaver flies - could there be something dead close by?

If you’re cooking meat on the BBQ then flies and bluebottles are attracted to the smell of meat and will seek it out as soon as it’s on a plate?

If it’s only 2 or 3 I don’t think that sounds like a fly problem.

[quote Heyha]These are amazing, I use them in stables and barns as well as one hanging on what used to be a bird feeder at the end of the garden. Gross when it comes to emptying them but well worth it in my opinion. Even wasps fall for them sometimes!
www.viovet.co.uk/Red-Top-Fly-Trap/c16120/?quick_find=279728&utm_source=sag&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces_UK&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1PSDBhDbARIsAPeTqrcr7Gxs26HjKuOIZCA4ZfjYoJr7W4IMuUldY81UAN5xmrXAHCP8lzIaArg1EALw_wcB[/quote]
I use these as well I'm surrounded by sheep fields and that means lots of flies. I hang them at the outer edges of the garden. It takes a little while for them to work well so hang the new one next to the old one for a week until it's got a decent amount of dead flies and the smell draws more of them in.