Quote:
Originally Posted by oldE
I learned many years ago that slowly bringing both hands into position appropriately 6 inches on either side of the fly tends to confuse it as to which direction it should escape. A sudden hand clap about an inch over the fly usually dispatches the subject.
Handy (see what I did there) when your perforated fly swatter is out of reach.
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I never had a fly stick around long enough to get confused by hands. I swear genetics are at work in the insect empire. If you go get a swatter, even if just 10 feet away, you will find no flies in the vicinity where you saw one. I think they know. I believe I have experienced the same effect with mosquitos. When they notice you noticing their presence, they hit the road and sneak back when your attention turns elsewhere.
The exception with flies occurs with poo and garbage. I think they get drunk on intense smells and it's game on. Yes, if you have a pestering fly that keeps evading the swat, go find something really tasty that they are robotically attracted to. They do come to daddy if you have the candy.
Try not to hit the poo directly.
No, seriously, a cross swat over the mess has a really good chance of picking one off.
More fly science: set up a fly trap and you will be guaranteed more flies than you had before the trap was placed. You are doing your neighbors a favor.
If you live on a farm with animals all rules are null and void. Best you can do is invite birds. They are so much better at it. They don't call them "swallows" for nothing.