Apr 28th, 2024 at 11:53am
(Moderators: Nigel, cactus jack)
‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Send TopicPrint
10 bloody flies (Read 5027 times)
kennymack
Ex Member


bloody flies
Nov 7th, 2007 at 5:29pm
Print Post  
can anyone please help,we are suffering our first season of flies,they are everywhere,we cant even go outside without getting bombarded by them.this is no way to live,we have red topped traps that are full.but  can we buy a spray or chemical of some sort to keep them away from the house?
IS THIS NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR,WE NEVER HAD THEM ALL SUMMER,BUT NOW ITS FRIGHTENING.any advice received gratefully
Thanks .
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Nobrot the Great
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #1 - Nov 7th, 2007 at 6:13pm
Print Post  
I think the secret is to keep your land clean. Strim like crazy and keep the grass and weeds at bay. You should see a big difference.

Also, we were over last week and took some American Pitcher Plants with us and within a few minutes of them being out on the patio area you should have seen the flies crowding round them. Great investment, then just place them around the patio or close to the house and hope that they get attract the flies before they get to you.

If you don't know they are long trumpet shaped and in the sun they turn red on the ends and produce a sticky appetising glue type substance that the flies are attracted to and when they land on the plant and get encouraged to travel down inside the trumpets the plant has the little buggers in it's grip as inside there are tiny hairs pointing downwards and the flies cannot escape,  and we get fat plants........
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
flintstones
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #2 - Nov 7th, 2007 at 7:15pm
Print Post  
never mind pitcher plants.....why aren't you packing....????????????
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Nobrot the Great
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #3 - Nov 7th, 2007 at 8:13pm
Print Post  
Liz

You slave driver, we all need a break now and again and I have finished my book so I have to read something.

More to the point why arn't you picking, trimming and burning.....???????
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
jools
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #4 - Nov 8th, 2007 at 12:11am
Print Post  
I honestly dont think it has anything to do with living in the countryside, we have a large town house in a village and have lived here now for over three and a half years. I think it is just an English "thing" with the flies, as most Spanish people i know have just learned to live with them.

I have a lovely outdoor patio area of over 90 m2, which is pretty rare in a traditional old stone village house, but to be honest, have only used it for a BBQ twice during the whole Summer because of the flies.

I could never understand why most villages looked deserted and not lived in when i first came to live here..............but now i know why!

The blinds are down permanently, not only to keep out the heat, but more likely to keep out the flies.

My elderly parents returned to the UK yesterday, and could not believe that we are still bombarded with flies in November. It was a family joke in the Summer when my Father used to take the fly swatter down to the local swimming pool, just so he could keep the "buggers" from going in his beer glass, or swarming around his feet.

Before next Summer, i am going to have a huge netted area constructed over the patio, then maybe we can enjoy eating "al fresco".

Jools
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Pondgirl
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #5 - Nov 8th, 2007 at 3:05pm
Print Post  
Well the Spanish clearly do have a 'thing' about  flies otherwise they wouldn't be keeping their blinds down and deserting the streets!!  Roll Eyes

Fly screens at the windows and netted outdoor areas are the only solution as far as I can see and as Nob said keep the ground a clear as possible.

PG
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
kennymack
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #6 - Nov 8th, 2007 at 5:53pm
Print Post  
Many thanks folks,havent given up yet,there must be something to keep them away,i will experiment and let you know.

Kenny
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Debbie
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #7 - Nov 9th, 2007 at 11:58am
Print Post  
If you find anything to keep them away you will make a fortune!

But make sure you let us know first

Good Luck

Debbie
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
viking
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #8 - Nov 9th, 2007 at 12:58pm
Print Post  
I saw an advert in English and Spanish on the 'brighterspain' site, I think it was in the 'whats on section'. Something about being effective for 3 months without water, whatever that means. Might be worth getting more info. about this, I think the person had a web site so when I get a moment I will have a look. Failing that you could try getting hold of nobtots pitcher plant and wave it at them, that would be enough to scare off anything living I imagine!!!!!!!!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Tony
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #9 - Nov 9th, 2007 at 6:21pm
Print Post  
Why bother with Nobrot's pticher plant ?  Nobrot himself would be use as effective !!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
HazeandAlan
Ex Member


Re: bloody flies
Reply #10 - Nov 9th, 2007 at 8:18pm
Print Post  
While in our finca in the hills of Tortosa in September poor Alan was being plagued by the black flies. There weren't really many
of them around but 1 is too many for him! I found I had packed some spray on insect repellent which I had left over from our holiday
in the Dominican Republic.  After spraying his arms and legs the flies decided that he definitely did not have the lynx effect and made
their way to me. It's called 'bugproof insect repellent" made by nomadmedical.  It has 50% deet.  We will definitely experiment some
more with it next time when we are down and I have already ordered a few litres of it!
Cheers, Haze
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
PlanesPete
Senior Member
****
Offline


In the Pink....

Posts: 458
Location: el Perello
Joined: Jun 9th, 2006
Gender: Male
Re: bloody flies
Reply #11 - Nov 13th, 2007 at 12:00am
Print Post  
The life cycle of the olive fly is interesting. The fly lays eggs in the olive leaving a little scar. If you look at your olives on the trees and see most of them scarred then you know what to look forward to.
When the olive falls to the ground, the grub leaves the olive and burrows into the ground. The new adult fly emerges eventually from the ground.
The only way to keep the flies from reproducing is to clear all olives from the trees and collect any on the ground in the hope the grub hasn't already left. If your land is clean then you might a thorough raking under the trees during the winter.

My personal experience of trying to stop them reproducing has been abject failure. Our land isn't clean so olives drop everywhere. If next doors land isn't clean then you will get their flies anyway.

The other approach, capturing and killing flies has been much more successful. We use the plastic dome traps and bait them with some meat & water. It takes a few days to go off and make a good stink and then the flies home in. Sufficient traps (we use 4) carefully placed about 30 feet from the patio keep all but a very few away from us. The totally gross thing is.... Once the traps are in full production, we just empty about 3/4 of the dead flies out into a plastic bag, top up the water and carry on. It seems that dead flies are the best attractant.

Anyone looking for bulk supplies of netting might try these guys in the US. They shipped to me in the UK for $47.63 paid by Paypal.
http://www.chiarmy.com/IBS/SimpleCat/Product/asp/product-id/672385.html

Finally, my pal tells me that the flies hate Chlorine. He keeps his pool well topped up and the area is completely clear. Anyone else found this?
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send TopicPrint
‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›
 
  « Board Index ‹ Board  ^Top   

Tortosa Area Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.6.0!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2024. All Rights Reserved.

Valid RSS Valid XHTML Valid CSS Powered by Perl Source Forge