Homemade fly traps are one of the best ways to catch flies. Although, these days market is full of commercially available fly traps, but you can also come up with your own homemade versions. A homemade fly trap, when compared to a commercially available fly trap is equally effective against flies.

The best part about these traps is that they don’t have any bad effect on environment and are a cheap but effective solution for fly infestation. These traps can be used both indoors and outdoors.

Now, before we learn how to make a fly trap, let’s see how a fly trap works:

A basic homemade fly trap works on two facts:

• Flies get attracted to food by their sense of smell, they are 10 million times more sensitive to sugar than human tongue.
• Flies have compound eyes, this means that they have a very bad vision but they can detect movements and changing light patterns very well.

Based on the above facts, a fly trap basically consists of a container containing a fly attractant with a small hole on the top. The attractant attracts the flies and following the scent flies enter into the container through the hole. Once they are inside the container, they cannot move out as they have a poor eyesight and thus are trapped inside the container.

Now, let’s see how you can create your own fly traps.

To make this fly trap you need following items:

• Wide mouth jar
• Sugar + Water
• Paper cone

First, cut a small hole of around 1 cm diameter at the apex of the paper cone.

Next, pour the sugar syrup in the jar, and then place the cone in the jar upside down as shown in the below image.

Make sure that the cone is not touching the liquid. You can also apply some cellophane tape on the sides of the jar so that it can hold the cone firmly.

Now, due to the sweet liquid inside the jar flies will get attracted to it and will go down through the cone into the jar. Once they are inside, they won’t be able to fly outside and are drowned in the liquid.

This one is very similar to the one that we have seen above, with the only difference that, it is more robust and can be reused.

To make this housefly trap we need following items:

• An empty plastic bottle (soda bottle or water bottle)
• A sharp knife
• Cellophane Tape
• Sugar Syrup

After you have collected all the items, take the knife and cut the plastic bottle as shown in the below image.

Next, drill a 1 cm hole in the cap of the bottle.

After this, pore the syrup in the lower part of the bottle and place the upper part upside down as shown.

Apply the cellophane tape on the edges to fix them properly.

This home-based fly trap is very easy to make and it can be made quickly. Below is the list of items that you need to make this one.

• A tumbler
• Sugar Syrup
• A plastic sheet
• A rubber band

Take the tumbler and pour the sugar syrup in it. Cover it with the plastic sheet and tie it with the rubber band as shown.

Next, poke some holes into the plastic sheet and your home made fly trap is ready.

Note: If instead of houseflies you are dealing with any other type of flies, then for effective results you can simply change the attractant. Attractant should be such a material to which flies get attracted – For instance house flies are attracted to sugar syrup, flesh flies to rotten flesh, fruit flies to apple cider vinegar, etc.