Flies can be a real nuisance in the kitchen at this time of year, but a simple sticky ceiling trap proved the most effective solution in a hands-on test, costing just 44p per strip. The trap cleared a kitchen of flies within 48 hours, outperforming a fly curtain and an electric racket.
Why Flies Are Worse in Summer
According to Aptive Pest Control, flies become considerably more active throughout the summer due to rising temperatures, elevated humidity, breeding patterns and more abundant food sources. They elaborated: "Summer heat creates ideal breeding conditions in organic waste, garbage, and decomposing matter where flies lay eggs. Warm, moist conditions accelerate egg hatching and larval development, reducing generation time from weeks to days in some species."
This rapid reproduction means small fly populations can explode into major infestations within short periods during peak summer weather.
Testing Three Fly Control Methods
Utterly exasperated by the fly invasion and tired of ineffective, noxious fly-killer sprays, a reporter put three different approaches to the test in her own kitchen: a fly-door curtain, an electric racket, and a sticky ceiling trap. One proved far superior to the others and, remarkably, the most successful option was also the least expensive.
1. Fly Curtain
A straightforward approach is to simply keep doors and windows shut to prevent flies from entering. However, given the sweltering heat, it would be unbearable not to allow in what little breeze is available. One popular remedy is a fly curtain, designed to hang across a doorway to keep flies and other insects at bay, while still allowing people to pass through and fresh air to flow freely.
Such curtains are available for as little as £10 at Argos or £10.99 at Amazon. At home, a long, black, snappy curtain hanging on the kitchen door leading to the garden can do the trick. However, the effectiveness of this solution is limited unless curtains are hung on every window and door, which can prove costly and may not be the most aesthetically pleasing addition to your home. For those with children, there's the added challenge of kids leaving the curtain open, inadvertently letting pests inside.
2. Electric Racket
For those who'd rather keep their windows and doors open without a curtain, an electric fly racket is a widely used alternative for tackling flies. An electric fly racket is a handheld gadget that eliminates flies and other small insects on contact via an electrified mesh. The JML Pest Reject Racket is available at Dunelm for £10, or at Argos for the same price.
The main drawback of this device is the need for speed and precision. According to Big Think, flies possess faster vision than humans, making swatting them considerably more challenging than one might expect. They explained: "Humans see about 60 flashes per second while flies see about 250, a full four times faster than humans."
While testing the racket, the reporter managed to zap one sluggish fly, though the bright flash and the sound of the insect being electrocuted proved rather unpleasant.
3. Ceiling Sticky Trap — Winner
A ceiling sticky trap is a suspended adhesive device that ensnares flies and other airborne insects when they make contact with its tacky surface and, truthfully, it's the superior solution. While this approach may take longer, it proves the most reliable. Simply suspend several strips from your ceiling, and the trap handles everything else. Within merely 48 hours, the strips were laden with the unwanted visitors.
One drawback is its unsightly appearance and the rather unpleasant sight of flies accumulating on the surface. Nevertheless, it remains the optimal choice if you're after something straightforward that operates discreetly and doesn't require chemical sprays throughout your home. A pack of 16 was bought for £6.99 on Amazon, working out at roughly 44p per strip.
