Shoo Fly

Close your eyes. No really it’s ok, no one is watching, go ahead and close them. Now picture this: It’s summer, the weather is perfect, the sun is shining, birds are singing and your sitting on your front porch with a tall cool glass of whatever makes you happiest. You smile to yourself thinking, this is what summer is all about as you lay back in your favorite porch chair/ swing/ reclining device. Someone brings you a piece of pie, and there it is. That familiar buzzing as a fly zooms in from out of no where and tries to land on your pie. That’s YOUR pie, and you don’t want to share it. It’s your summer pie! As you continue to try and shoo the fly away it’s friend’s are somehow alerted and also would like some pie, and your favorite beverage, and a place to rest on your nose, and arm and….oh forget it, just go inside and take a nap.

See how easy that was? That fly wrecked your summer memory. How many summer memories do you have over the years that have been wrecked by flies? Barbecues, picnics, graduations, you name it, if it involves food and summer time fun the flies show up.

If the flies are in your home, give us a call, we have ways we can take care of the flies for you. We even have safe and effective treatments specialized for commercial kitchens. If you have ever worked in a commercial kitchen in the middle of summer you know what a problem the flies can be! If you are heading outside however, here are a few tricks you can try, so that you can maybe finish that piece of pie.

1) Install ceiling fans on your porches, gazebos, or outdoor sitting areas. The ceiling fans generate wind, wind makes it difficult for flies to navigate, thus leaving you free to enjoy your time outside with those you love the most.

2) Flies are attracted to rotting things like compost, manure based fertilizers, and decaying fruit. Keeping fruit that has fallen off trees picked up and disposed of will help, also keep garbage and compost bins away from gathering areas. If you used manure based fertilizer in your gardening soil, place gardens away from picnic areas and porches to prevent flies from gathering there.

3) If you are enjoying food and sugary beverages outside consider using drinking containers with lids. For food that is left out for serving, check out the many varieties of mesh tents that are available to protect your buffet. Amazon has quite a variety if you can’t find them anywhere else.

There, now that the flies are gone you can go back to enjoying your cool beverage and some pie. Don’t have any pie? Try this recipe for Shoo Fly Pie. It is a Pennsylvania Dutch favorite, perfect for front porch sitting.