# Any remedies for flies when outside?



## scott lambert (Apr 18, 2017)

I do a lot of BBQ gigs that serve outside. Nothing more annoying/disgusting than flies swarming around the food while people are coming through the line. Anybody have ideas of ways to keep the flies away?


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## STEPHEN WOODARD (Aug 13, 2019)

Go the day before and put out fly tech or fly bait, kinda stuff they use around chicken houses. you can get it at the feed store. put in cans around the area.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Cut lemons in half and stick cloves in them. Place them in bowls in and around your service area and on your tables. You can also put herbs in vases such as rosemary, cinnamon, basil, lavender etc and place them around your service area as well. 

Try to avoid fly traps and strips, especially those where the flies can be seen stuck to the trap. Not very appetizing. 

Cheers!


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## fatcook (Apr 25, 2017)

Battery powered fans.


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## scott lambert (Apr 18, 2017)

sgsvirgil said:


> Cut lemons in half and stick cloves in them. Place them in bowls in and around your service area and on your tables. You can also put herbs in vases such as rosemary, cinnamon, basil, lavender etc and place them around your service area as well.
> 
> Try to avoid fly traps and strips, especially those where the flies can be seen stuck to the trap. Not very appetizing.
> 
> Cheers!


I put a couple clove stuffed lemons at the table my wife was sitting at for a test. She said there was a fly crawling on the lemons, so I think that may be a fail.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

https://www.abellpestcontrol.com/en...g lemons and cloves to,a plate near your meal.

Interesting. Did the fly stick around? Was it the only fly? How long were the lemon halves left out?

You're serving food outside that includes things flies love. You're not going to find a magic bullet that keeps 100% of the flies away 100% of the time.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

I've been using the lemon and clove technique to ward off mosquitos. The flies don't seem to mind and it seems partially effective with mosquitos. I use ground clove, though, in an attempt to make the smell emanate more quickly. Also adding some cumin and ground red pepper to the mix in today's experiment. The whole concept seems to hinge on quantity and freshness. Slices of lemon didn't work but halved lemons do work. As the lemon dries the effectiveness seems to wane.










For both flies and mosquitos,,, fans!


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