I saw a bag of water hanging outside a friend’s window, and when asked why, she replied it was to keep the flies away. When I asked her how it worked, she had no idea, just saying it was an old wives tale. The bag is completely sealed, and just hangs from the roof swinging in the breeze. So what are it’s magical properties?
The sunlight passing through the bag causes the illusion of movement and keeps the flies at bay.
There was a staff report on the subject.
Did your friend say whether or not it has successfully kept away the flies?
I’m going to try this method. We have a problem with flies hanging around our front porch. I’ve tried keeping potted basil plants out there, but that never worked, even though someone told me flies don’t like basil.
Actually basil oil keeps flies away, not the basil plants. Cite.
Well, I read that to keep mosquitos away during a barbequr, place a large chunk of dry ice in a far away corner where no one will go. Mosquitos are attracted to CO[sub]2[/sub], and will all flock to the dry ice, and not you. Plus, some may try ot land on it and freezt themselves dead in the process.
Okay, I have prepared and hung five baggies of water from the railing of my front porch. I will check later and all this week to see if the flies are still a problem out there.
Five bags might be overkill, but I am tired of seeing flies out there.
Oooh Fairy, please do report back on what happens!
It may be too soon to tell, but just now I stepped out to see. I saw only two flies. Usually there are way more than that. I’ll check again tomorrow.
It might also help if I hang some water-filled baggies from higher up. Currently the five baggies are waist-level hanging from the porch railing.
This side of the house gets the late afternoon and evening sun. That’s when I’ll notice any real difference, such as now.
Has anyone else heard the dry ice trick for skeeters? I’d like to try that one…
Of course, with my luck, someone’s kid will climb up to where ever I put it, and burn their little fingers, and there will be accusations and unpleasantness all around.
How did it go Fairy?
I’ve never heard of it before, j.c., but I’m going to give it a shot the next time we do something outside
Yep it works but you do not need to use bags. We have been doing this for years on our front porch. It makes eating outside very easy…
Here’s what we do. Have you ever seen those glass spheres for sale, sometimes they are colored, sometimes they are clear? Buy a few clear ones. They look like this and this . I live near the ocean so they are all over the touristy places down here.
Anyway we cut a small hole in them with my dremmel and added some water. We see nary a fly all summer 
Oh I learned it when I was in Arizona, they have them all over the place in outdoor restaurants.
So far it seems to only work when the sun it up and shining on those baggies. But later when that wasn’t the case, I could see a whole bunch of flies buzzing around my porch.
:smack:
I meant when the sun is up! Darn. Should have previewed.
Do you have a light you can shine on the bags after the sun goes down ? It might work.
OOPS! or maybe a light at night would attract other unwanted insects. Oh well…
Are these fishing floats you’re referring to?
If so, I thought I’d add: Be sure to not drill any you may have found and look old, for instance; these are sometimes collectible, depending on size, and are thus worth varying amounts of money.
You could buy one of those jar tops that traps flies when they smell the sweet liquid you put in the jar, and they can’t get back out. That would certainly reduce the number of flies in the immediate vicinity.