Traps for wasps and flies

How to eliminate flying insects in the garden

In hardware stores and large shopping centers we can find traps of various types, but in general, they are containers with holes in the lid inside which you add water and a few spoonfuls of attractant bait sold separately in the same establishment as the trap. The baits have pheromones and hydrolyzed proteins that successfully attract flying insects.

Once the insect enters attracted by the bait, it can no longer leave because it will crash against the wall where it thinks it will find the exit without succeeding. The insect insists and insists, gets exhausted and falls into the water where it drowns. For this reason, most fly and wasp traps are transparent containers, although there are also those in bright colors such as green or yellow, which are very attractive to wasps, for example.

The bait maintains its effect for about two weeks, losing effectiveness in the following days, when it will have to be removed very carefully because live insects that may sting us may remain in the water.

Once the bait, water and trapped insects have been removed, wash the trap with soap and water and rinse it thoroughly. Once the trap is dry, it is ready for another use.

For its correct operation, the trap must be hung on a high surface in those places where flies or wasps pass through or where there is a daily influx of them. It not only works outdoors in gardens, patios and terraces, but we can also place it in indoor green spaces where these insects are attracted by a cooler environment and the smell of vegetation. In the latter cases, place the plants near windows and doors.

One of the factors that guarantee the good functioning of the trap is the sun, since it is necessary for the water to warm up a little so that the pheromones spread in the environment in the form of vapors. Therefore, look for a suitable place that meets this and the previous requirements.

If we observe that the trap is not effective, we have to study the possible problems, which can range from an inadequate installation site to poor bait quality. Change the trap location and buy a different bait to determine the cause of the malfunction and be able to solve it.

Although the baits of these traps are not insecticides and therefore this idea is not toxic for people or pets, it is necessary to be cautious and keep it away from children because insects such as wasps or bees are dangerous, even if they are stunned by the bait before they die.

The traps are quite inexpensive and a wide variety are available for sale, from small plastic bags to larger containers made of more resistant materials. If your problems are only flies, go for fly traps, which work with a system based on the natural behavior of flies, which are attracted by the brightness of the tape and the patterns of the wider rolls and, when they get closer, they get stuck. These traps are also hung in high areas.