How to keep pesky flies away from your BBQ

Its summer and the perfect BBQ weather. Who doesn't like BBQ pork ribs or some grilled steak?? Nevertheless, one thing everybody hates are those stupid flies that fly around your face and land on your food. You can buy expensive bug zappers but why when you could take the safe and humane approach?? Just by taking 5 minutes, you will have a fly free BBQ.

Step 1: What you will need

What you will need:
A clear plastic sandwich bag (you can get these at wal-mart or any other grocery store).
2 1/2 cups of water.
A bottle of lime juice.
2 teaspoons of salt.
Two or three paper clips
And some shiny pennies.

You will also need a bowl and a spoon which is are not in the picture.

You should have these things around your house. Therefore, they should not be that hard to come by.

Comments

[Evilrick]

People have been taping zip-lock bags to house doors for years for the same reason. Never heard of putting the salt, lime, and pennies in the bag. I know it works without them.

[ede566]

Ingedients are to water not putrefy i think

[stickmop]

Up in Newfoundland (and I think in parts of the South), they tape or pin inflated paper sacks over the screen door. Seems to work. Same theory as mentioned here - flies apparently think it's a hornet or wasp nest.

[vthibault]

I thought mythbusters had busted that one for good...

[georion]

mythbusters aside---the bag is FULL--i first heard of this with bag HALF FULL--i think if anyone is interested they should try several diff amts of water to give it a FAIR tesr.

[lvardalzin]

I saw that episode, and to me it looked like they didn't give the files anywhere else to go, and they also used more rotting meat than the average person could accumulate in a month. I think the attraction of that overwhelming amount of food overrode whatever effect the bags had on the flies.

[mazelady]

I would like to see the rotating cylinder idea expanded to be able to attach to something like a dumpster. In the summer, flies get into the garbage and by the time we roll it to the front for pickup maggots are everywhere. I mean outside around the trash can too.

I'll try hanging a bag of water over the trash can to see if that helps.

[slaughter]

i heard this works cuz fly's land on it and see their reflection and get scared and leave i have heard you could use it with the pennies also but i guess the more shiny it is would be better

[mmartin7]

Then you could hang a mirror or even glass would scare em away.

[nibbler125]

now for the water to be ripe it needs to be aged in direct sunlight for atleast 72 hours or else it will taste bitter

[pyrorower]

I grew up in southern Alabama, and we always did this with just water in the bag. However, I was always told it repels flies because they think it's a wasp nest or beehive. I think though that the movement theory is more probable than mine though.

[64runners]

Hm...Interesting....Does this work with Bees and Mosquitos?? <-- Think I spelt that wrong.

[georion]

One more comment for your collection !!!! i first heaed of same thing---just 1/2 full of water--nothing else--and works also!!!(light defraction messing up the flies?????????)  gonna use you recipe now..

[bounty1012]

Thanks for the instructable, the flies are really irritating and then the little candles that are supposed to keep them away do not work. 5/5

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Yeah, And the best part is that this is almost free.

[S1L3N7 SWAT]

That's interesting. Makes sense though, flies are quite skittish and will avoid any movement, and the water magnifies those movements. I wonder if the same result can be achieved by something as simple as a rotating paper cylinder with alternating black and white sections. Since the transitions from light to dark would alert the flies they may feel inclined to stay away.

[Sandy44444]

nerd

[S1L3N7 SWAT]

Yeah.......................

[Benjoe96]

That really is brilliant

[Pizzapie500]

Would lemon juice work too? Im all out of lime juice.

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Yes it would work.

[lemonie]

I tend to find that smoke works pretty well, but I'll take from this that you know how to run a BBQ properly (without geet-big clouds of smoke) - good stuff. L

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Yes I do know how to run a BBQ. Smoke does work well but it is easier and more safe to hang this over your BBQ.

[knexguy]

The right way involves a ten foot pole and a load of lighter fluid, right? ;)

[Sandy44444]

when my dad was in colege(1970's) he gust put a mound of charcoalle and douced it with lighter fluid and tossed a match in.

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Ha Ha. Fun!!!!!

[lemonie]

I thought so, but I've attended enough were people don't know how to do these things right....

L

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Trust me I know.

[knexguy]

Great prank to shoot one of these with an airsoft rifle and douse someone's barbeque... I tried it AFTER all the food had been removed.

[Killer~SafeCracker]

I couldn't get an airsoft gun to bust it.

[Sandy44444]

my frends lead pellet gun or 23 or my other freinds magnum would do it easy

[knexguy]

I was using weaker bags than you use in this 'ible.

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Ok.

[Danny_Payne]

what if the bag splits and you ribs get soaked?

[Sandy44444]

dont hang it over the grill

[rawknexstuff]

I bet it could happen.

[EagleDude]

toatally

[Killer~SafeCracker]

I doubt that would happen

[EagleDude]

it probobly would!

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Who said it had to be right over the BBQ.