I picked up a 'fly trap' at Bunnings a week ago, thinking it might be a way to reduce numbers of the pest around the house.....
Its a suspended container, holes in top, nice malty concoction inside that attracts them and they presumably drown.... nice....
Worked really well - too well infact - the massive numbers of trapped flies turned the concoction into fly mash, which spawned a maggot horde and a stench to behold.... very unsavoury.....
in the bin now.....
When I have a problem with blowies I do this and it works.
Take one 1.25 litre empty plastic softdrink bottle.
Punch two holes a little bit thicker than a pencil in the neck.
Fill with 3 inches of water.
Remove cap, chuck in chop bone, chicken wing part or similar. You want flesh on bone, it lasts longer.
Screw on top.
Place away from the house.
Works like a charm. Costs nothing.
Top up with water and bait as required or toss in the bin and begin again.
No maggots ever. You see yours was in the shade, nice and cool. Put mine in the sun and it gets too hot in there for the flys to live or lay eggs. Darken the bottle for added effect.
I think I'll stick to screens now and the odd spray! These attractant methods seem to catch heaps, but also attracts heaps more than what I would normally see - probably helps the neighbours more!
Lee, you could start a business with a few of those. I jest not.
One of my great uncles used to have a maggot farm (well, it was part of his farm business). Mind you, he had properly screened enclosures with 'air locks' for entry and in which were pits full of fish heads - presumably from the local co-op. He harvested the maggots (never did understand how - probably just as well) and a certain percentage were dyed various colours.
They were then put into large trays and sold by the handful. Whilst you might find it odd, they were as clean as a whistle and quite plump and lively. Who'd buy maggots you ask? Anglers.
I used to breed finches - you can set up the same sort of thing to feed them too.... never did though.... I think they used to call the maggots "gentles".... nice euphemism that!
Get a fly farm from Bunnings!
