Forum home Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Pesky flies!

I have a new greenhouse and I have had a particularly unpleasant problem which I did not expect to have to deal with. Lots, and I mean LOTS, of flies come into the GH and can't find their way out. They eventually die and create a nasty mess all over. It's really rather horrid, not least for the insects, which includes bees, butterflies and moths.

Does anyone have any bright ideas of what to do. Fly paper wouldn't cope with the large numbers and the design of the GH ( square with a high apex) doesn't allow their escape.   image

Posts

  • Thanks waterB. but there is no window in the roof which is the main problem. lots of windows and door to let them , but they go up and can't get out. 

    My only idea is to place a bright light at ground level outside the open door to lure them out at night. Do you think this might work?

  • archiepemarchiepem Posts: 1,155

    try a catapult with small stonesimage

  • I would place the light outside at ground level by the open door. Moths would be attracted but hopefully not to go inside. Will look into the fly screen idea but am reluctant to drill into the structure to secure the blinds. Thinking caps back on.....image

  • Good point, thanks WB.

  • Alan4711Alan4711 Posts: 1,657
    the old hanging plastic strip cutains are used to keep lots of unwanted s out of the allotment greenhouses ,you used to see them everywhere years ago ,the (in thing ) they were, not so now but they do work quite well for the greenhouse door they also keep the birds out,
  • I once lived in a house that was plagued by flies. After talking to the old boy down the road we hung bunches of elderberry leaves in the window. Voila! No flies

  • What a lovely natural idea, Adam...... Will try it.

  • You could also try lemon or lavendar.  We had a big problem a few months ago with big black flies using downstairs for aerial display practice & the bay window looked like a kamikaze fly central.  

    Switched kitchen cleaner to a lemon one, planted lavendar in window boxes & got a lavendar room scent.  Not a single fly since.  

    Basil is another natural option.

  • SingySingy Posts: 206

    Interested in the Lavender/Lemon/Basil/Elderberry comments, are flies put off by the smell?

Sign In or Register to comment.