What to do against flies under your canopy? 10 tips

In the summer, you naturally want to enjoy the sun in your garden together with your friends or family, but unfortunately, unwanted guests can show up under your patio cover: flies. They make a buzzing noise, land on your food and drink, and some can even sting. Super annoying, but don't worry! This blog contains all the tips and tricks to drive flies away from under your patio cover. This way, you can enjoy outdoor living in your garden without unwanted guests.

#1 Clean up food scraps

The first tip to keep flies away under your patio cover is to clean up food scraps. Flies can basically eat anything that we humans eat as well. This is the reason why there are many flies under your patio cover, because plenty of food sources can be found here. The easiest way to deter flies under your patio cover is to remove the source that attracts them. So, clear the table immediately after eating, throw the leftovers in a closed trash can, and make sure that this remains clean.

Another useful tip that goes along with this is to cover food. Fly nets are usually not effective because the smell simply goes right through the net. What works better to keep flies away under your patio cover is to completely cover the food with a sturdy serving dish.

#2 Insect Lamp in the Canopy

One of the most common ways to ward off flies under your patio cover is an insect killer. The lamp attracts insects with UV light, after which they fly into the grid of the insect killer and are electrocuted or burned. An insect killer is an effective way to keep flies away under your patio cover.

#3 Tea Tree Oil

The oil of the Melaleuca alternifolia tree can be used when you are bothered by flies under your patio cover. This strong scent of tea tree oil is often unpleasant for flies and can help keep them at bay. You can dilute a few drops of tea tree oil in water and then put the mixture in a spray bottle to repel flies. Other options are to rub it on yourself or place a few drops in a diffuser under your patio cover.

#4 Fan

Flies hate wind, so placing a fan under your patio cover can be an effective solution. Not only does this help keep flies away under your patio cover, but it also provides cooling during the summer heat. This way, you can truly enjoy your patio cover.

#5 Don't let still water stand

Flies love standing water and often use it as a breeding ground for their eggs. Therefore, if there are puddles of standing water in or around your patio cover, flies will see this as an invitation and may reproduce there. It is therefore important to ensure that there is no unnecessary standing water near the patio cover, within a radius of about 30 meters. Also regularly check that water does not accumulate in gutters and planters.

If you have a rain barrel, it is best to place it more than 30 meters away from the canopy. If the rain barrel is connected to the drainage of the canopy, make sure it is properly and consistently sealed with a lid on top. This helps prevent flies from breeding in the water and spreading around your canopy.

#6 Glass Sliding Panels for Your Canopy

Do you have a patio cover without sliding walls? Then offer glass sliding doors an excellent solution. By having glass sliding walls installed, you can enjoy even more benefits from your patio cover. After all, it offers protection against insects such as mosquitoes. When night falls and you turn on the lamp under your patio cover, flies will be attracted to the light. A simple way to prevent flies from coming inside is by keeping the glass sliding walls closed. This allows you to effectively counteract the entry of flies.

#7 Fly Spray

A fly spray is a convenient tool to combat flies quickly and effectively. You can spray it directly onto the flies or onto surfaces where they are frequently found. It kills the flies and can also act as a repellent to keep them away. Just make sure to choose a fly spray that is safe for use in the environment where you are going to use it.

#8 Scents to Repel Flies

Troubled by flies under your canopy? Then use scent as a means to keep them at bay. Flies are namely exceptionally sensitive to scents. Although some scents actually attract flies, other scents can effectively keep them at distance. This has the additional advantage that other insects, such as mosquitoes and wasps, are also warded off. Below we have made a list of scents that are suitable for this:

1. Clove: cut an orange or lemon in half and push some cloves into it. Put that on a small plate and place it close to where you are sitting. The scent will keep the flies away from under your patio cover.
2. Vinegar: vinegar has an unpleasant odor and flies think the same way. Pour a small splash of vinegar into a small bowl and place it on the table. You can also put cloves in the vinegar, then it works twice as hard.
3. Lavender: the scent of lavender is pleasant to humans, but flies often find it unpleasant. Using lavender oil or lavender plants can help repel flies.
4. Basil: flies do not like the strong smell of basil. Place a plant under your canopy and the flies will stay away, plus you can also use it to season your food.

#9 Place a fly trap in your canopy

You can easily carry out this tip at home yourself to lure flies into a trap. The trap uses a mixture of different (sweet) liquids to attract and trap mosquitoes. The flies are attracted by the sweet scent created when yeast and sugar react with each other. The step-by-step guide to making your own fly trap:

1. Take an empty soda bottle and cut it into two parts.
2. Fill the bottom part of the bottle with something sweet: squash, lemonade, or beer.
3. Place the top part of the plastic bottle, without the cap, upside down in the bottom part.
4. Your trap is now ready to catch all the flies under your patio cover.
5. Place the trap under your patio cover and enjoy a fly-free area!

#10 Keep Gaps Closed

In a canopy with sidewalls often have doors and windows. Flies and other small insects often need only a small opening to get inside. So make sure to keep cracks tightly sealed. The more open spaces, holes, or cracks, the greater the chance that flies will enter!

Hopefully, thanks to our tips and tricks, you now know exactly what to do against flies under your patio canopy. Good luck keeping flies away from your patio canopy, and we wish you many pleasant summer evenings – without unwanted guests – under your patio canopy!

Did you find this blog interesting? Then also read: garden ideas for a small garden with a canopy.