DIY fly trap: is the result worth the effort?
A do-it-yourself fly trap is a good alternative to industrial analogues.
In the fight against insects using industrial sprays, tapes and other products, there is one significant drawback- harm from the contents contained in them chemical substances. Some of the ingredients in a commercial fly killer may be serious threat for human health.
Trap from a plastic bottle
Almost every home has an unnecessary plastic bottle of water or other liquid. If not, then such clean and empty containers can be purchased in the store without any problems.
In order to make fly traps, you will need to cut off the top of the bottle. The bottom part should be larger than the top. To make the trap as effective as possible, the cut must be even. When the bottle is divided into 2 halves, the part with the neck is turned over and inserted into the hole in the other part of the container. The plug must first be removed. For reliability, the junction of the 2 halves must be secured with a stapler, but you can use tape or glue.
The bait will be sugar and water. You need to mix these 2 ingredients and bring them to a boil. The trap will be more reliable if the water boils and produces syrup. After removing from the heat, the bait should be allowed to cool slightly and then poured into a bottle. You can additionally attract attention by moistening the edges of the trap in sugar syrup.
Sugar and pieces of fruit diluted with water will be used as bait.
Other favorite insect delicacies can be used as bait: apples, pears, honey, etc. To distract the bees, who may also fly in after smelling the sweet smell, it is recommended to pour a little white vinegar into the bottle.
After a certain period of time, when the bottle is filled with insects, it can be replaced with a new one if necessary. It is not recommended to reuse the same homemade device- this is, at the very least, unhygienic.
Metal can trap
This method is designed to catch annoying insects in the dark.
To make a trap, you will need a metal can, for example, from coffee, animal food, etc. It needs to be washed well, allowed to dry, and then the outer part degreased. You should not touch the walls, as the effectiveness of the homemade device is reduced.
The walls of the future trap need to be covered with tape or insulating tape. The main task is to transfer the adhesive composition to the jar. Once the metal container is covered, you can let it sit in the sun for a while. This will enhance the effect of the glue moving onto the jar.
After removing the adhesive tape and placing the trap in the desired location, you need to install the bait.
In this situation, it is an ultraviolet flashlight. It must be well charged or need to be installed new battery. The switched-on flashlight is placed inside the jar and left on the windowsill or street. Preference should be given to ultraviolet light because it attracts insects more than a regular light bulb.
Insect trap made of glass or plastic container
In fact, to prepare a trap, you can take any container, even a cup. As bait for " uninvited guests» you can use the same means as when making a trap from plastic bottle.
Flies are well attracted by the putrid smell, so if the trap is made to kill insects on the street, you can put some finely chopped meat in it to attract attention.
After completing these simple steps, you need to cover the container with cling film or a plastic bag. The homemade lid should hold tightly. Therefore, it can be fixed with tape or an elastic band.
You will need to make several small holes in the polyethylene, through which flies will fall into the made trap.
“Doors” for insects should be made small.
Otherwise, the flies will not only have free access to the treat, but will also be able to easily leave the trap. You can use a toothpick to make holes.
Sticky paper
To make a trap for flying conditions insects will need thick paper. These can be packaging bags from the store or thick album sheets.
It is not advisable to use other material such as polyethylene. The prepared bait liquid will not adhere to such material.
The paper needs to be cut into strips, the width of which should be about 3 cm. Since this trap will be hung in an area actively attacked by flies, you need to make a hole in each strip near the edge and thread a piece of wire or thread into it.
Cut the paper 3 cm wide
The same sugar, water and honey will become a trap for flies. They are mixed in such proportions that after dissolving the sugar, a viscous liquid is obtained. To do this, the mixture is heated. For more information about making traps, watch this video:
When the bait is ready, the paper strips are soaked in syrup and allowed to dry in this form, and then hung in the area where insects need to be destroyed.
If the flies do not stick, then you need to add more sugar or honey to your prepared syrup.
Electrical traps
Safe for people, but merciless for insects is a fly trap electrical action. The principle of its operation is to attract insects by thermal radiation and light.
When a fly flies to the stimulator of her attention, she dies from high voltage and falls into a tray specially designed for this purpose.
The disadvantage of such store-bought insect killers is that they are quite expensive and work on mains power.
Electrical traps sold in stores do not pose a danger to pets. But still, if there are small children in the house, then it is not recommended to plug in the device. The current that kills flying insects is not fatal to humans, but can create discomfort.
Electric traps differ from each other not only in design, but also in the number of built-in functions.
Some can only have a detrimental effect on flies, mosquitoes and butterflies. More expensive models have a current intensity mode and can be used to destroy larger pests. The original fly trap in this video:
To protect your home from flying pests, it is not recommended to try to make such a device yourself, as it may be unsafe. You should not skimp on your health.
There is so much chemistry in our lives that we don’t want to use toxic drugs again, especially if there is a harmless alternative. A popular life hack is a DIY fly trap. This simple device is replete with many modifications, can be made in 5 minutes from scrap materials, and most importantly, it quickly and in large numbers “catches” annoying and unceremonious insects. So, at least, say those who use homemade flytraps. Let's try to figure it out impartially,
The fly swatter can be put aside - it will be replaced by a fly trap!
What do you need to know about flies to catch them in a trap?
To prevent a homemade fly trap from being a waste of time, it is advisable to know the basic habits and instincts of insects. Only in this case will it be possible to outwit them, lure them and destroy them. A little from the life of flies, point by point.
- The senseless, as we think, circling of a fly around the room is, in fact, an incessant search for food. She will definitely bite on edible bait, the main thing is to guess the taste and smell.
- Meat, especially “flavored” meat, has a hypnotic power over voracious insects. The category of favorite products also includes jam, honey, and sweet overripe fruits.
- The second direction of the constant search for flies is where to breed offspring. The best place for egg laying in a residential area - spoiled food, decomposing garbage, feces. Given the insect's delicate sense of smell, this factor must be taken into account when choosing a place to place traps.
- Most people are familiar with the situation of how difficult it is to catch a fly in a room. It is difficult to take an insect by surprise, since due to the special structure of the eye, it perceives the slightest flicker and has a visual angle of 180⁰. But he calmly sits down where his relatives are already there, for example, on adhesive tape.
This is interesting! To understand how developed the sense of smell is in flies, Swiss scientists conducted an experiment, luring them to the aroma of different foods. It turned out that the maximum distance from which flies can smell meat is 3 km.
Types of simple traps
The whole variety of homemade flycatchers can be conditionally combined into 3 groups.
- With edible bait, when an insect gets into a confined space, but does not die, but simply cannot get out.
- With poisonous bait. A fly dies after eating something “sweet.”
- Sticky flycatchers. Stuck in the sticky substance, the insect dies of starvation.
There are craftsmen who make homemade “electric shockers” for flies, but this device can hardly be made without certain professional skills.
From a plastic bottle
The easiest way to make a primitive fly trap is from an ordinary plastic bottle. The essence of the device is that the design allows the insect to move in only one direction - inside the container. There is no turning back. And so that the fly wants to penetrate there, they prepare bait with an attractive smell.
The bottle must be cut in half. The lower part is a container for bait. The upper inverted half is a funnel through the narrow neck of which the insect enters the trap. The ratio of the height of the lower and upper parts is 2:1, the funnel must be tightly secured with tape or a stapler.
Advice! The funnel itself should not come into contact with the bait, or contain drops of sweet liquid or other food, otherwise the insect will have no reason to climb inside; it will “have lunch” on approach.
How to catch and guide a fly into a trap placed in a certain part of the room? For this, the following compositions are used.
- Sweet liquid - rare jam, sugar syrup, honey, Coca-Cola.
- Fermented liquid. It is easy to obtain if you add a drop of dry yeast to the sweet filling.
- Flies fly well on red wine and beer.
- If you add ground pepper (black) or a granular insecticide, such as Agita, to a sweet liquid, the insects will not only be trapped, but will also die.
Advice! It is better to use meat or fish as bait outdoors. Flies and I have different ideas about pleasant smells - what they like irritates our sense of smell.
The final touch is to place the traps in the places most attractive to insects. On window sills - flies tend to the light, the kitchen table, next to the trash can, the toilet.
From a glass jar
You can make a fly trap with your own hands from glass jar and funnels suitable size.
Overripe fruits with a sweet taste are placed at the bottom of the dish - apples, bananas, peaches, apricots. It’s good if they start to rot and wander. Instead of a lid, insert a funnel and securely fasten it so that there are no gaps between it and the wall of the jar - wrap the trap around the circumference of the neck with tape or tape.
From a plastic container
To make a small, neat flytrap, take any transparent container - a glass, a plastic container. Place a little honey, sweet fruits, jam on the bottom, cover with cling film, in which 1-3 small holes are made. The operating principle of the device is the same as described above.
Advice! When using a homemade trap, do not forget to periodically dispose of any insects you encounter, wash the container, and renew the bait. Don't let the flytrap become a source of unsanitary conditions.
Duct tape
Another type of DIY fly trap is homemade duct tape. Numerous videos on how to make a sticky substance from honey and sugar do not stand up to criticism. This coating will dry quickly, God willing, if you manage to catch a few insects. To get Velcro similar to store-bought ones, use the following composition.
- 2 parts pine resin (rosin), melted on a burner or water bath;
- 1 part castor or flaxseed oil;
- a little (“for taste”) honey, sugar syrup.
The result is a truly sticky substance that maintains a viscous consistency for a long time. Ribbons are cut from durable kraft paper, parchment, and oilcloth.
Advice! If you have ALT glue, which is used for small rodent control, you can use it for sticky tape.
Homemade traps: pros and cons
Having looked at how you can make a fly trap from a plastic bottle or other transparent container, let’s analyze whether the device is worth the time spent.
Arguments for":
- safe, environmentally friendly device;
- easy and quick to do;
- available materials;
- several flies fall into the trap per day;
- no need to pay money.
Disadvantages of a homemade device:
- does not provide a 100% guarantee of insect destruction;
- does not always look aesthetically pleasing;
Conclusion. There are still more advantages. It definitely has an effect if there are few flies. The game is worth the candle if other options (fumigator, insecticides) are unavailable for some reason.
We wouldn't bother with homemade adhesive tape unless absolutely necessary. It is inexpensive, in addition, the purchased analogue has an undeniable advantage - the sticky substance contains an attractant - a pheromone, which attracts insects.
Insect trap from a bottle:
Take an empty soda bottle. You can use an unnecessary bottle or buy a new one on purpose. Make sure there is no liquid left in the bottle and rinse it with warm water.
Cut off the top of the bottle. For this you will need scissors. Pierce a hole in the bottle with the tip of the scissors (closer to the middle).
- After making a hole, insert scissors into it and cut the bottle crosswise. Cut off the top completely so you are left with two pieces - the top with the lid and the long bottom part.
- Try to cut as evenly as possible, otherwise the neck won't hold up when you turn it over.
- You can remove the top with a sharp knife, but try not to cut yourself. If you are making a trap with children, it is better to use scissors.
Turn the bottle over. Insert the inverted neck inside. If you cut it carefully, it will fit completely inside.
Connect the edges. The easiest way is to do this with a stapler 3-4 times along the entire diameter, leaving approximately the same distance between the staples.
- If you are making the trap with children, use a stapler to connect the two parts yourself. If you don't have a stapler, there are two other ways to join the edges.
- You can use tape or duct tape, but the material must be waterproof. Wrap the edges with tape 3-4 times.
- You can also use superglue or regular glue, but it should also be water-repellent. First, apply a little glue to the edges of the bottle, and then insert the upside-down neck inside. Use your fingers to push it down and press the edges. Keep the edges connected until the glue dries.
Make a mixture of sugar and water. Place five tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan. Place the pan on the stove. Spread the sugar evenly until it completely covers the bottom.
- Pour in enough water to cover the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Mix the mixture well. When the sugar dissolves in the water, you get a sweet liquid, but if the water boils, you get a syrup, which is a more concentrated bait. Let the liquid cool slightly.
Use a spoon to pour the liquid into the neck of the bottle. Try to coat the edges of the neck so that flies stick to the sugar right at the entrance to the bottle.
Use other baits. You can cut the apple and push the pieces into the neck. A piece of meat or a few spoons of aged wine will also work. You can simply mix water with sugar or honey.
Add vinegar. If you decide to use liquid bait, add a few tablespoons of vinegar, preferably white. This will repel bees and other unwanted insects.
Place the bottle in the sun. This will speed up the decomposition of the meat and make the bait more attractive to flies. This will also allow the liquid to evaporate, creating a substance that will attract insects. Praise yourself for the work you've done.
The service has now reached such a level that in the store you can buy, right before fishing, fresh worms, fresh maggots, any maggot and everything you want, except for live flies. But everyone knows well that dung (or green) fly is the best bait for catching fish such as rudd, roach, bleak, chub and others.
Live fly fishing
FlyFly fishing is a very, very promising activity, aimed mainly at catching surface fish. A fly placed correctly on a hook is capable of swimming independently, thereby attracting attention large quantities fish In addition, you can fish with a live fly, including using simple fly fishing gear, and you can be sure that in this case even the most cautious fish will bite.
Nevertheless, in most cases, the simplest fishing rod, about 4-6 meters long, equipped with a non-sinking line and a hook commensurate with the bait, is suitable for fly fishing. Here, in fact, such a simple tackle, equipped with a necessarily floating (non-sinking) fishing line, will allow us to successfully catch almost any fish that lives in the surface layers of water with a live fly.
Putting a fly on a hook
Every angler can attach a live fly for fishing, as it is done very simply. The fly must be placed on several small hooks at once and not just one, but two or three flies at once. But this must be done in such a way as to hide the sting in the middle of the legs.
Catching flies for fishing
Most easy way, thanks to which you can easily catch live flies, the next one.
Take a glass jar, put leftover food or a piece of rotten fish or meat into it, and when the flies begin to fly, quickly cover the jar with any piece of cloth and pour water into the jar. Then collect the flies that were caught in the container, tear off their wings and place them in a small box, for example, a box containing matches will do. Cover it with paper on top so that it does not move out, and make a small hole in the corner.
Storing flies
Fishing bait such as a live fly is stored for only a few days, and the insect must be periodically refrigerated. Therefore, first of all, you need to find out the temperature at which the insect will be stored so that this does not happen later. And best of all, before you go fishing, take fresh and live flies with you, thanks to this bait you will not only enjoy the active process of fishing, but also the result of an excellent catch.
One of the most annoying and ubiquitous insects is the fly, which often flies into our homes. Sitting on various surfaces and food, she carries on her paws a lot of pathogenic bacteria that can harm human health. The intrusive buzzing of an uninvited guest often irritates us. However, not everyone can destroy a fast and agile fly with a fly swatter. In this case, simple and convenient fly traps will come to the rescue, which you can make yourself.
Simple homemade flytraps
Before you start hunting flies, you need to determine what attracts them to our homes. First of all, these are products that are the optimal environment for reproduction and a source of nutrition. Slightly spoiled meat and fragrant fish will instantly attract the attention of flies trying to lay their eggs. It is for this reason that most often we cannot do without such baits.
There are simple fly traps that can be made from scrap materials without any special skills:
- traps operating on the basis of baits;
- traps with poisonous baits;
- sticky traps;
- electric shock flytrap.
However, the process of creating an electric shock flytrap is not simple and requires certain experience and professional skills.
Trapped by their plastic bottle
It is easy to make a flytrap from an ordinary plastic bottle. To attract insects, an edible bait with a fragrant odor is used:
- liquid jam;
- Coca Cola;
- any sugar-containing liquid that has undergone a fermentation process. For this purpose, you can add a little yeast to sweetened water;
- wine;
- beer;
- rotten fruits.
Advice. You should not use meat and fish products as bait; the stench will quickly spread throughout the room.
To make a trap you will need:
- Cut the plastic bottle into two equal parts.
- Turn the top part of the bottle, resembling a funnel, upside down and place it in the lower part. In this case, the neck of the bottle should not touch its bottom. For achievement best result Please note that the ratio of the height of the top and bottom of the bottle should be 1:2.
- To ensure structural strength, secure the funnel using a stapler or tape.
- Pour liquid bait into the bottom of the bottle.
- Place the trap in areas where insects are most concentrated.
Advice. If you add ground pepper or any granular insecticidal preparation to a sweet liquid, it will turn into a poisonous bait for flies caught in the trap.
Video: making a trap from a plastic bottle
Glass jar trap
A similar trap can be made from a glass jar and a plastic funnel:
- Take a jar of a suitable size and place slightly rotten sweet fruits at the bottom.
- Turn the funnel over with the narrow end down and place it on the jar as a makeshift lid.
- Secure the funnel with tape or tape, trying to seal all the cracks.
The jar can be placed near the trash can or on the windowsill, because flies always fly towards the light.
With this trap you can catch not only flies, but also wasps and mosquitoes.
Plastic container trap
To make a simple and reliable fly trap, a small transparent plastic container can be useful. For this purpose you can use plastic cups or special containers for food products:
- Place edible bait at the bottom of the container.
- Cover the top of the container with cling film, making small holes in it with a knife.
The fly, sensing the smell of food, will try to penetrate the plastic container through the holes in the film, however, the insect will no longer be able to escape to freedom.
Important! Try to dispose of the contents of traps from time to time by removing captured insects and changing baits. Otherwise, such structures will become sources of unsanitary conditions.
Duct tape
Sticky tapes are especially popular among fly hunters.
Prepare a composition of the following components:
- rosin or pine resin, pre-melted in a water bath - 2 parts;
- linseed or castor oil - 1 part;
- sugar syrup or honey - a small amount for taste.
Actions:
- Mix all the indicated ingredients.
- Using parchment, craft paper or oilcloth, cut ribbons 3-4 cm thick.
- Apply adhesive to the paper strips.
- Hang ribbons in areas where insects are most concentrated.
Video: sticky fly trap “mittens”
Advice. As an adhesive, you can also use specialized ALT glue, intended for rodent control.
"Folk" repellers for flies - plastic bags with water
Another means to repel flies from your home are ordinary plastic bags with water, hung near doors and open windows. The inventor of this method is a Swedish citizen named Sten Lindqvist, who claims that the effectiveness of this method is comparable to the effectiveness mosquito nets.
To create this bleach you will need:
- transparent plastic bag;
- pure water;
- a few coins.
Actions:
- Pour water into the bag.
- Drop shiny small coins into the bag.
- Tie the bag tightly.
- Hang it on the street side near front door or an open window.
The principle of operation of such a device is based on the specifics of insect vision. Perhaps the sunlight falling on the coins through the water column blinds the flies, making your house invisible to them.
Video: the most harmless way to get rid of flies
However, reviews about the effectiveness of such a repeller are very contradictory.
Over the weekend I was hunting with a friend on his estate, a huge wooden building(rounded timber) many rooms and living rooms. So, entering the living room, he butted his forehead against a transparent plastic bag with water tied to the ceiling. In response to a silent question, a friend’s wife explained that this repels flies, of which there are countless numbers this winter. She spied this in Spain in butcher shops where they sell jamon. So what happened next showed that in the rooms with the bags there were no flies, in others (without the bags) they were flying sluggishly in sufficient numbers.
https://forum.auto.ru/housing/2126241/
Mythbusters in season 10 (episode 157) refuted the myth that hanging a transparent bag of water repels flies. They conducted a test, and it turned out that the package, on the contrary, lures!
https://www.forumhouse.ru/threads/5889/page-6
CD Trap
As another option homemade trap is a device made from a regular CD and an adhesive base. To make it you will need:
- CD;
- A small piece of rope;
- Honey or any other sticky and edible adhesive that can attract flies.
Actions:
- Thread a string through the hole in the CD and tie it in a loop. With this loop you can hang the trap anywhere.
- Apply honey or any other insect-attracting adhesive to the CD on both sides.
- Place the CD in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- After the sticky layer freezes, hang the trap in areas where flies congregate.
Advice. If the room temperature is high enough that the sticky mixture begins to melt too much, place the CD back in the freezer.
How to make an electric fly trap
With certain technical skills, you can create more complex efficient designs traps at home. Using such devices, you can catch various flying insects both indoors and outdoors.
Electric net
An electric net is a homemade device in which the light emanating from a light bulb acts as bait, and the insect itself is drawn inside thanks to the operation of a fan.
To create such a trap you will need:
- a small electric motor with a power of 10–20 W (for example, from any Class III electric player);
- light bulb with socket;
- two tin cans of different diameters;
- aluminum plate 20x100 mm;
- two thick plastic washers;
- epoxy adhesive;
- two strips of metal;
- screws;
- M4 screws;
- round wooden base;
- a trap bag made of nylon stocking;
- rubber ring;
- a power source, which can be a battery.
Electric net design diagram: 1 - rubber ring, 2 - electric motor, 3 - housing, 4 - fan, 5 - cover, 6 - suspension, 7 - bracket strip, 8 - M4 screw, 9 - washers, 10 - nylon bag
Actions:
- Using an aluminum plate measuring 20x100 mm, cut out several fan blades. Make a hole in the center of the plate corresponding to the diameter of the motor shaft.
- Then install an improvised propeller made of two plastic washers onto the shaft, while bending the fan blades at an angle of 45 degrees.
- For reliability, it is recommended to secure the “hub” using epoxy glue.
- Securely fix the lamp socket with screws on a round wooden base.
- Then connect it with a pair of metal bracket strips to the electric motor starter. Please note that the length of the strips should allow a gap of 50 mm to form between the motor shaft and the bottom point of the light bulb.
- We install the resulting structure in a tin can, fixing it with M4 screws so that the fan itself is approximately 15 mm below the edge of the can.
- The base of the lamp socket is covered with a lid made from a second can. In this case, a gap of 50 mm should remain between the edges of the main body of the device and the cover. Thanks to it, the insect will see the bright part of the structure, which acts as a light bait.
- Using a nylon stocking, make a trap bag by placing it on the lower part of the body. A rubber ring can be used as a retainer.
- Connect the light bulb and motor to a power source by placing the device near the ceiling of the room.
Electric Shock Flycatcher
To kill flies indoors, you can also use a homemade electric shock flytrap. To create such a device you will need:
- housekeeper light bulb;
- high voltage module;
- finger battery.
Actions:
- Initially, you should disassemble the light bulb, which may not be working. Leave the glass part of the lamp and the plastic cap.
- Drill two holes on the sides of the plastic base of the light bulb, one opposite the other.
- First, insert a soft aluminum wire and carefully wind it around the light bulb in one hole, and then in the second - the same wire in the same way.
- One of the wires coming out of the neon light bulb must be connected to one of the aluminum rods.
- The remaining two outputs that are free from each other must be connected to the high-voltage module.
- For ease of use of the device, it is advisable to connect the high-voltage module to the power source via a switch. To do this, make a rectangular hole in the plastic cap remaining after disassembling the light bulb using a sharp utility knife. Install a button in it, after which you can insert the high-voltage module into the lid, soldering all the necessary wiring.
- Then you need to solder the battery to the high-voltage module, securely wrapping it with electrical tape.
- To ensure more reliable fixation, it is necessary to glue the high-voltage module to the plastic case using hot-melt adhesive.
- Then put the neon tab with a high-voltage winding on the high-voltage module so that the two wires located in the product body and in the light bulb touch each other.
- To prevent dead insects from falling on the floor, you can attach a plastic cap to the top of the light bulb using hot-melt adhesive.
- When you turn on the device, the neon light will light up, attracting a flying insect. When lightly touched, the fly will be shocked by an electric shock.
Video: the process of creating an electric shock flytrap
With a minimum of effort and money, it turns out that anyone can rid their home of annoying flies. Although the only disadvantage of such designs may be the lack of a guarantee of one hundred percent results, as well as an unaesthetic appearance.
