As the UK braces for a heatwave with temperatures potentially reaching 40C, experts are advising households to use a simple trick involving 1p and 2p coins to keep flies at bay. The method, which involves placing pennies in a glass of water, leverages the insects' aversion to copper and water reflections.
How the Coin Trick Works
Rob Chadwick, owner of CGC Interiors and Outdoor Lighting, recommends using a pint glass of tap water with three or four copper coins—either 1p or 2p. He explains: "The hack works for two main reasons. Flies naturally hate water and the colour of copper, which is why 1p and 2p coins will work far better than more valuable silver or gold coins."
Chadwick adds: "The coins and water together look far larger to flies thanks to their thousands of small, stationary eyes packed together—it's estimated each fly has between 3,000 and 6,000. The water and reflection combined with their eyes, create a large water mosaic, which they'd fly away from in nature."
Additional Uses for Copper Coins
TV doctor Amir Khan suggested on ITV's Lorraine that copper coins can also be used as an insect repellent on skin. "These copper coins, we've probably got jars of them in our homes. But if you rub that on your skin, the smell of copper repels wasps," he said.
Heatwave Temperatures and Warnings
The Met Office has issued a red weather warning for extreme heat covering an area from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham, effective from 9am Wednesday to 9pm Thursday. Temperatures are expected to surpass the June record set in Hampshire in 1976 and could approach the UK's all-time high of 40.3C recorded in July 2022.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge stated: "The Met Office is flagging 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday, most likely for somewhere in London or the South East. Forecast temperature values are indicative and are subject to a slight range either side." He added: "It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at the upper end of our narrow range."
