Home made fly trap ingredients?

Hi all, I recently bought a fly trap from the hardware store, it came with some little sachets of something stinky (I think it might be fishmeal or blood & bone or something like that) that you mix with water & dishwashing liquid. Mixed it up, seemed to be working ok until yesterday - first really hot day since we've had it - *gag* peeeeyooooweee! Stinkaroma central, and I suspect actually attracting flies from miles around instead of just collecting those from the immediate surrounds. :(

So, thought I'd try again with a fresh batch, just wondering if anyone else has used a fly trap and what you put in it that's not too stinky? Something the flies will like. Found one recipe with vinegar, sugar and banana peel but wondering if that might attract fruit flies and wasps more than regular house flies??

They are stanky aren't they MD?! I want to get some for our place, we have a bazillion flies here!
Looking forward to seeing the responses!

Actually I'm hoping someone will pop up and say something really simple like beer or vegemite mixed in water. :crossfingers:

Yes, that would be great! Anything to avoid "the stench".

I realised too late, you can make one yourself with a softdrink bottle, either cut the funnel top off and invert it, or leave it as it is. The amish I believe just use bottles or jars with a few holes poked in the lid. Apparently the lower oxygen level inside the bottle works quite well to ensure no escapees.

BTW - I"m not a mass-insect murderer, usually try to leave them to their own devices, but we had a sewage incident in our yard earlier this year and the flies all flock to that area even though the soil has been dug out and replaced...I am treating the area with enzymes but they will take time to work and I just can't let go of the idea the flies could be tracking poo fragments everywhere in our outdoor eating area, etc.

DH the other day left a beer bottle with a little bit of beer in the bottle, and the flies were attracted to it! Unfortunately he forgot about it for a couple of days and then there were maggots and other flies in it. Needless to say, he had to chuck it out! So, it must be a once-a-day kinda fly trap.

We got a venus fly trap and the flies here seem to stay away from it! :(

Oh wow MD, I must be missing my brain tonight :rofl:
Hmmm, will have to try the soft drink bottle idea. Will try and get googling tomorrow and see what I can find.

I just found a similar recipe MD. Going to give it a go now, so will update when I have an idea.
Says it takes up to a week to ferment. Wish me luck!

I was watching a program the other night - I think it was How Clean Is Your House? Anyway the lady spread some honey onto some packing tape and stuck it to the windows! It was amazing the amount of flies stuck to it! Then you can just peel it off the windows and put new sheets up.

Ok, no need to wait!! Yesterday after only having had the bottle up for a couple of hours, there were 3 flies, 1 mozzie and 1 bug! DH scoffed at me when he saw it and when he had a look in there he couldn't believe there were insects in there already! A few more have gone in there today too!

Bring on the fermentation!!!

Enchanted, what is your recipe? I've checked mine nearly a week later and all we've got in there are some gnatty looking things and some ??fruitflies?? No actual flies.
My recipe was 1/2 cup each of sugar and cider vinegar, and a cup of water with half a banana peel in it.

Dying to know what your secret ingredient was...

I used a 1.25lt soft drink bottle and added...

1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 banana peel

Then fill the bottle up until it's 2/3rds full and give it a shake. Then take the lid off and hang it from a tree, they said it will take around 1 week to ferment. Ours has SO many flies in it and no smell :)

Maybe I didn't put enough banana in? Hmmm, will tweak and see what happens.

I saw that honey one too - am going to try it ;)