Flies no more!! Found the perfect fly repellent.

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I think I might have read this on a thread here, but wanted to shout it from the barn top. We were having a horrible time with flies and nothing seemed to help much, including the stinky fly traps.

I bought several packages of vanilla scented "christmas trees" like you put in your car. I hung one in each pen, one on the back porch and one on the front porch of the house....and we don't have anymore flies. I thought maybe it was a fluke so I didn't post right away...but it's been over 2 weeks now and still no flies.

We do use DE and Stall Dry in the coops in addition to the vanilla air fresheners. I guess the flies hate the smell of it as much as I do.

I'm not crazy about vanilla scented stuff but I'll sure tolerate it if it keeps the flies away.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
Well, I swear I think I read it on a thread here on BYC about fly problems. I'll search it so I can give proper credit

I decided that they are certainly cheap and the stinky fly traps we had put up were catching quite a few....but we still had flies buzzing around in the coops.

I can't stand the smell of them but since our coops are open air, I knew it wouldn't be too bad.

I'm going to replace them today because they've started losing their smell.

Apparently it works on people too... http://www.ehow.com/how_2257484_make-insect-repellent-vanilla-extract.html

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

When my son was a baby (he's 18 now). We were at a county fair/rodeo. The bugs & mosquitos were really biting and swarming around him as he selpt in his stroller. I had no bug spray and wasn't sure I wanted to use something that could be considered dangerous on him anyway - did I? I walked through the exhibits and found a Watkins dealer, as in spices. I asked if she had anything to keep mosquitos off my baby. She sold me a roll on applicator of vanilla - esp. made to repell bug & mosquitos. It worked and I felt good about using it on my infant son's skin.

 

[helloroe]

I went out and got the vanilla trees after reading this on July 4 because our fly population was getting out of control with all the rains we had. The flys are not completely gone but drastically reduced. I even put one in our kitchen because with the door there I was getting them inside and I HATE them inside. It worked there as well to cut numbers drastically to one every few days and the swatter got them quick. So it may not be a cure but it sure did help.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I got them at my local Walgreens but you can probably get them all auto parts stores...plus I'm sure Wal-Mart has them. I swear it's like a miracle!

 

[dee88]

I've always heard (and seen) people with fly problems use water filled ziploc or some other clear bags hung up. I think the flies see their own reflection and then fly away!!!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

We have the plastic bag fly traps hanging up and they do work pretty well. There is some stinking stuff in them, though and they will just about make you gag. But we still had flies inside the pens/coops until we hung up the air fresheners.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Come to think of it, I don't remember hearing any mosquitoes buzzing around when I was out in the coops.

BUT, my DH calls me "sweet meat" because they swarm all over me, eating me up when they leave him alone. So, I usually put insect repellent on before I go out outside at all in the warm weather.

 

[featherbaby]

Thank you so much for sharing this. You know you just started a nationwide "run" on these air fresheners don't you? HA!!!!

As for Mosquitos, I am the sacrificial bait for my coops. All I do is walk past them and I gather all the mosquitos in a half mile area.

 

[TheRanch]

I tried it too after reading it on another thread here on BYC and it didn't irradicate them but I don't see near as many - maybe I just need to get some more up!! Great to see others feedback on this - i can definately live with vanilla!!!!