Flies – whether that be house flies, fruit flies or blue bottles – are a nuisance when the weather heats up. The pesky insects invade your home through open doors or windows and infest drains, food and bins.
While fly tape and traps can catch the insects once they’re inside, prevention is key. Luckily, there are some natural methods to ward off flies without resorting to harsh chemicals. According to Amber Noyes from Gardening Chores, you can place herbs and plants around your home that flies dislike the scent of. Common household ingredients like basil, mint, and lavender can be incredibly effective at repelling flies, all of which can be grown in pots indoors.
Basil
Basil truly “worked wonders” for repelling flies, Amber told The Spruce.
The smell of basil is actually highly unfavourable to some of the most common garden pests such as flies. The essential oils in basil – especially linalool and estragole – interfere with a fly’s ability to detect food and breeding sites.
Flies steer clear of areas with basil because the scent disrupts their senses and masks the smell of decaying organic matter they’re attracted to.
Luckily, basil can easily be grown in pots indoors and strategically placed by windows.
Mint
Mint contains high levels of menthol, which produces a cooling, sharp scent that flies find extremely irritating. Its strong aroma overpowers the odours that normally lure bluebottles, like rubbish or meat scraps.
Whether it’s spearmint, peppermint, or wild mint, flies will usually avoid spaces where the plant is growing or crushed mint leaves are placed.
Lavender
Lavender’s calming floral scent is a favorite for humans, but it’s a total turn-off for flies, accoridng to the expert. That’s because lavender contains linalool-a natural compound that repels many insects, including blue bottles or fruit flies.
Whether you use it fresh, dried, or as an essential oil, lavender masks the smells flies love and helps keep them out of your home.
Rosemary
Rosemary isn’t just a kitchen herb, it’s also a powerful deterrent against flies, says Amber.
Its intense fragrance overwhelms the senses of flies and drives them away. A pot of rosemary on your windowsill or near your bin can help stop blue bottles from buzzing around.
Carniverous plants
It may seem obvious, but carnivorous plants are an effective choice.
Venus flytraps, sundews, and pitcher plants all attract flies with sweet-smelling nectar, then trap and digest them.
Bluebottle flies, being large and slow to escape, are easy prey, making them both a deterrent and a deadly trap.
Sage
Sage has a strong, earthy aroma that acts as a natural insect repellent. The oils in sage disrupt a fly’s olfactory system, making it harder for them to sniff out food and breeding grounds.
Burning dried sage (like a smudge stick) can also help clear the air of unwanted bugs, and the plant does well in containers.
