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Homemade Fly Trap

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Did you know that you could make your own fly trap using some simple ingredients? Well, you could! In this article I will be going over how to make a fly trap using milk, black pepper and a paper bag.

In addition, I will also cover other ingredients that you can add to increase your chances of making your fly trap work even better!

Flies and many other insects are attracted to both well-lit areas and dark corners so placing the traps in these locations should allow for effective results. The idea behind the fly trap is pretty simple: it lures flies onto a sticky fly paper and then they get stuck and can’t get away!
homemade fly paper

Using the right kind of bait is key in entrapping flies so think about what might attract them before choosing where to place the traps.

Fly Paper Recipe

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Brown paper bags, cut into strips

Bring all ingredients except paper bag strips to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat, Simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer, until thickened, and then cool.

Carefully Wind the brown paper strips into a tight roll and drop them into the mixture until saturated. Carefully rewind the strips and allow them air dry on a cookie sheet until they are just tacky to the touch.

To use, suspend the strips with a thumbtack wherever flies are a problem.

Caution: Keep this away from pets and children.

What about adding other ingredients to the milk mixture? -There are a number of other items you can add to make your fly trap even more effective:

– Apple cider vinegar – Red wine – Garlic oil – Petroleum jelly – Almond extract

In addition, these traps will only work as well as you keep them clean. Make sure that you check your traps on a regular basis and dispose of any dead insects inside. Instead of discarding the water, leave it until it has evaporated – this will give off an even stronger scent which will attract the next line of flies. If your fly trap is looking a bit worse for wear, you can always make another one to replace it.

What Attracts Flies to FlyPaper

One of the most common reasons that flies are attracted to fly paper is because it is made with acidic components. The natural pH of flies’ feet is between four and six, which is also the pH range of fly paper.

Flies are obviously drawn to other flies, so if one lands on a trap, its acidic feet will leave behind trace amounts of formic acid (a known attractant) which encourages the other flies to do the same.

A fly paper recipe can also contain sugars like maltose or fructose in order to offer another way for the insects to be lured in. However, this does make it more difficult for non-insects (e.g., spiders) to be able to prey upon them because these sugars provide uncomfortable footing.

On average, each night an adult housefly can lay up to 500 eggs that hatch into maggots within 48 hours; therefore, they quickly become an one popular recipe for homemade flypaper , you will need 2 teaspoons each of brown sugar and molasses mixed with 1 overwhelming nuisance when they start multiplying.

Since it is impossible to stop a fly from laying eggs without killing it, the best way to control their population is by using pesticide sprays and traps. Unfortunately, pesticides can be toxic to other insects as well as humans and pets, which is why many people prefer a natural approach that uses homemade fly paper .

Melissa 'Liss' Burnell, Founder of Budget101

👩‍🍳 About the Author

Melissa "Liss" Burnell started Budget101.com in 2001 because she needed it to exist — not because she saw a market opportunity. She was feeding a family of four on under $200 a month, and people kept asking how, so she started writing everything down.

That turned into 25 years of recipes, debt-busting strategies, and DIY content — including figuring out how to make 128 loads of laundry detergent for less than $2. Millions of families have quietly used this site to stretch a dollar without feeling like they're sacrificing anything. She's also the author of two bestselling budget cooking ebooks, available on Amazon.

📚 More on the About page, or find her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

2 thoughts on “Homemade Fly Trap”

  1. The best way to know if a homemade fly paper recipe is working is by counting the number of dead flies that are on the trap. A few hours after it has been applied, many of them should already be stuck onto it. Regardless of whether or not the fly paper recipe is effective, it is important to refresh it every few weeks to make sure that there are always new flies sticking themselves on it.

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    I live in an old house and for some reason, it seems to be a magnet for flies. No matter how often I clean, there always seems to be a few buzzing around. A few weeks ago, I decided enough was enough and I set out to find a Homemade Fly Trap that would put an end to my fly problem once and for all. After doing some research online, I found a recipe for a Homemade Fly Trap that uses a plastic bottle, some sugar water, and a piece of raw meat. I followed the instructions and within a few hours, I had my very own fly trap. And let me tell you, it works like a charm!

    How to make a Homemade Fly Trap that uses a plastic bottle, some sugar water, and a piece of raw meat.

    You will need:
    A plastic bottle
    Sugar water
    A piece of raw meat

    Instructions:
    1. Cut the top off of the plastic bottle.
    2. Invert the top of the bottle and insert it into the bottom half of the bottle.
    3. Tape the two halves of the bottle together.
    4. Poke a few holes in the top half of the bottle.
    5. Fill the bottom half of the bottle with sugar water.
    6. Place the piece of raw meat in the top half of the bottle.7. Hang your fly trap near where you’ve seen flies.

    The flies will be attracted to the sugar water and the raw meat. They will crawl into the top half of the bottle and won’t be able to get out. Eventually, they will drown in the sugar water.

    You can empty and clean your flytrap as often as you need to. Just be sure to add more sugar water and raw meat each time you do.

    Reply

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