I have outside dogs in a grass floored compound. I have a serious fly problem. I've tried sticky fly traps. Are there any natural ways to treat the ground to deter flies, but not hurt dogs?
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Diatomaceous earth. It's ground up prehistoric diatoms, and it's basically just calcium and other minerals. It can be used topically or internally. Works great as a natural wormer, as it is totally nontoxic. It works mechanically against pests, no chemicals or poisons. Make sure you buy the food grade, not the industrial grade (sold by pool supply companies). My best source is a feed store. Good luck!
Try planting sage around the area, flies hate the smell of the stuff and steer well clear, I grow it in my kitchen for that reason, and if a fly should accidentally come it, it is comical watching it try to get out again as fast as possible!
I have a lot of luck with a simple solution- clear plastic bags filled with water hanging a few feet off the ground. I first saw this in the out door resturants in Mexico- they hang bags of clear or colored water around the perimiter of the area to keep the flies out. Something about the reflections in the flies multi-faceted eyes scares them away. I hang one every year by the door to my kitchen that my dogs come in and out all day and I have not had but two flies in my house in the three years.
Just make sure after the dog eats to sweep whatever mess he/she made while eating. Also, we put tacky tapes (those long gold things) around the patio..Then we got our garage fan and plugged it in on the outside to where all those flies are.. we still get a few but not like before..now at least we can eat outside without having flies around us..our fan is a big square one.
Good luck!
Bonnie
My mom always told me to wash the porch down with Lemon scented Dawn dish soap. Flies don't like the smell.
Misty :)
Be sure to wear a face mask when working with the diatomaceous earth. It's silica, not calcium, and under the microscope they look like little triangles and other shapes, with sharp edges. But if you feel the powder between your thumb and finger, it's not sharp even with hard pressure. The main thing is, don't get it into your lungs, it can cause silicosis if there's enough, it is never cleared out if it gets far enough down into the lungs.
I'd move the dog to another area while you then rinse everything with a solution of 1/3 cup bleach, 1 teaspoon Lemon Joy or equivelent, 1 tablespoon Les-toil concentrate, mixed in a gallon jug of HOT water, spraying it on everything in sight and letting it air dry, without rinsing. Then, put newspaper down fresh everytime you feed your dog, washing/wiping his bowls out with SOAP , rinsing well, and keeping the dog as clean as possible. Look around for any food source the flies have laid eggs in, that you could eliminate.
If necessary, use a bigger dog bowl, rather than take a chance on more flies breeding. There are biting flies that really hurt and irritate pets and humans, if you haven't discovered that there.
Flies are attracted to meats, foods of any kind, bird and pet feces, rotting things, garbage, grease, and
even tiny crumbs, even certain plants actually attract flies, such as the Star cactus, I believe.
The bleach/lestoil solution above should discourage and/or eliminate your problem, but it will continue unless you are a successful detective and change things FAST. Even koolaid, spilled soft drinks/sugared coffee, used napkins, food containers, etc. will attract a fly, but meats are their favorites, if I remember correctly. Good luck and God bless you. : )
There has to be a source for the flies to be there. The dog feces and food. After you wash every thing down like everyone says, the Diatomaceous earth is the best and safest thing to use. A FAN is great if you can get one out there.
Where do you buy food grade Diatomaceous earth? The last time I gave my 11 month old dachshund Frontline Plus for fleas he was "wheezing". I don't want to give it to him again. Will Diatomaceous earth ward off the fleas?
Remedy for dogs that have itchy skin; after you bathe them, rinse with clean water. Add few drops of coconut oil, baby oil or tea tree oil to a bucket of warm water and rinse them with that water and dry.
Most insects, flies, fleas ,ticks breathe in grass and difficult to get rid of them. I know salt, lemon, Jeyes fluid all work well.
Get Fly Predators - an all natural solution. These tiny insects eat fly larvae and reduce the fly population naturally. Spalding Labs is one source for them.
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