Natural Fly Control

Hi everyone! Well it's officially hot here in Texas and once again the presence of flies on our property is bad. My torts don't seem to mind them, but I know they must be getting bitten. Are they any ways to naturally get rid of these flies? I have seen some yard sprays but this won't work as the torts eat the yard. Has anyone ever put any fly spray on the torts shells to keep them off the torts? We clean poop out of the enclosure at least twice a day, have no standing water expect their water bowl and keep the yard trimmed and cleaned up. Thoughts?

Do bats eat flies? Maybe put up some bat houses? Just a guess though

Yep I got bat houses at my facilities on 3 acres. Pitcher plants in the building where the pens are inside. And the ponds in the big guys pen are loaded with frogs. Also lots od bird houses to attract birds to eat them. I'm seeing more butterflies and bees then flies because of the occasional fruit feedings.

My girlfriend rides horses, and as you can imagine, the flies are terrible. But she sprays an equestrian fly spray on her horse everytime she takes him out and the flies disappear from the horse. I have no idea of how it would do with torts, or how long it really lasts, but you may want to check into that.

TLC Home "7 Herbs That Deter Flies Naturally!"

Sticky fly strips or plastic pop bottle, half filled with water and some raw meat. Put small holes, just big enough for flies to get in. They come for the rotting meat and can't leave because they can't get back out of the hole and they drown. You can also use a glass jar with metal lid. Punch holes in the lid.

I hate the chemical stuff and won't use it near any of my animals. Last year I bought about 30 mantis egg cases to see if that would help. I didn't. Still looking for something that works. I shoo the roadrunners away to keep the lizard population high and I leave the spiders alone.

fly traps... use the stinky ones, hang them away from the house and the flies go to them... they also have screened cage type things that you bait and the flies get in and cant get out.

flies are out during the day for the most part, so bats wont work for them. they eat lots of mosquitos tho!

Thanks. Do you think a horse fly spray on their shell could harm them? Not sure if a chemical could go through the shell into their bodies. Not sure I want to test that....

Here are a couple traps that I use and they all work fairly well, the one in the package is the best but it has a very strong odor so it has to be put somewhere that wont bother people,the little cap on the milk jug i got at tractor supply, it comes with bait also but doesn't smell as strong as the first one, the glass jug is made to catch wasp but I use it for flies, it has a hole on the bottom that they go in, I put a piece of banana in it yesterday. the wind has blown all day so not many flies today.

They are driving me crazy also... Last week removed all the torts... Cleaned all the pens... Closed everything up and set off 10 pest spray bombs... Let it set for a few hrs... Aired out the rooms scrubbed the floors, walls and ceiling with a wet cloth to remove any residue... Put in some fresh hay...The next day place loaded with flies again... They have to be coming in with the hay... I even have those lg fly zappers in every room... I swear the flies avoid it

if they are inside.. they are hatching inside, or coming in thru a window or other crack or opening..

Laura said:

fly traps... use the stinky ones, hang them away from the house and the flies go to them... they also have screened cage type things that you bait and the flies get in and cant get out.

flies are out during the day for the most part, so bats wont work for them. they eat lots of mosquitos tho!

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I use both of these and they work great for the flies that congregate on the poop, but they don't attract the biting flies or the flies that go for the tears in the corners of my animals eyes.