Introduction
Flies can be a huge nuisance at outdoor parties, buzzing around food and guests. While you can’t keep them away completely, there are many effective strategies you can use to minimize the number of flies that show up and disrupt the fun.
Planning ahead is key when hosting an outdoor party. Consider the time of day, location, and food you’ll be serving to make your party less appealing to flies. Setting up fly deterrents like fans, traps, and natural repellents is also important. During the party, stay vigilant in keeping food covered as much as possible.
With some thoughtful preparation and diligent maintenance, you can host a fly-free outdoor party your guests will enjoy. This article outlines useful tips and methods for keeping flies away from your next outdoor gathering.
Choose an Open, Breezy Location
One of the best ways to prevent flies from congregating at your party is to choose an open, breezy location. Flies prefer still, humid areas, so opt for an outdoor spot with plenty of air circulation.
Consider These Factors:
- Hold your party in an open backyard rather than on an enclosed patio or right next to your house. Flies will have a harder time landing on food and guests without a wall or building backing them up.
- Pick a spot that gets a good amount of wind or cross breeze. The more air movement, the less likely flies will be able to land and bite.
- Avoid areas with dense trees, bushes, or vegetation that provide flies with humid shelter. Open lawns or fields are ideal.
- If you can, choose a space that gets plenty of direct sunlight. Flies detest the heat and will stay away.
- Make sure there aren’t any stagnant water sources like birdbaths or ponds nearby that might be breeding grounds for flies.
Set Up Fans for Air Circulation
Place outdoor standing or oscillating fans around the party space to keep air moving. The more breezy it feels, the less appetizing the area will be for flies.
Aim fans to blow over food tables, seating areas, and other spots guests will congregate. Use extension cords and surge protector strips if needed to safely power multiple fans.
Avoid Humid Areas
Humidity is a big fly attractant. Avoid throwing parties on muggy days or scheduling outdoor events in the evening when humidity levels rise.
If possible, move festivities to a drier area like a deck, pavement, gravel, or sand rather than having people sit directly in grass, which can feel humid.
Pick Fly-Free Dates
Research when fly seasons peak in your area and avoid scheduling outdoor parties during those times if possible. Late summer and early fall are notorious for bad fly problems in many regions.
Spring and winter parties will likely have fewer flies, though weather may be more unpredictable. Check regional bug forecasts and patterns when choosing party dates.
Time Your Party Carefully
Along with location, the time of day you schedule your event can make a difference in how many flies show up.
Avoid Early Evening Hours
Flies are most active at dawn and dusk when the air is cooler. Avoid starting festivities too early in the evening when flies will be out in full force looking for food.
Schedule your party to really get going later at night when it’s dark and flies are less likely to be buzzing around lights.
Hold An Afternoon Party Instead
Afternoon parties are less prone to flies than evenings, as flies tend to be less active during the hot midday hours.
Make sure there is adequate shade and breezes if holding an afternoon outdoor event in warm weather. Provide plenty of cold beverages to keep guests refreshed.
Pay Attention to Sunset Times
If holding an evening party, note when the sun sets and try to start festivities as late as possible after dusk. This allows flies to settle down before guests arrive.
Serving food right at sunset is the worst timing, as flies will be out in full force. Delay food service until well after dark if you can.
Carefully Select Foods and Drinks
Some types of food and drinks are more attractive to flies than others. Avoid or limit these items whenever possible.
Say No to Sweet Items
Flies have a sweet tooth, homing in on sugary foods and drinks. Leave sweet desserts, fruits, sodas, lemonade, and icy sweet tea off the menu.
Stick to savory appetizers, entrees, and side dishes instead. Skip sugary mixes for cocktails as well.
No Smelly Foods
Flies locate food largely by smell. Pungent foods like cheeses, seafood, and roasted meat can really draw them in.
Offer milder snacks and dishes that won’t produce strong odors. Stay away from serving fish or shellfish especially.
Skip the Fruit Punch
Fruit juices and punch give off a fruity aroma that flies hone in on quickly.
Stick to non-juice beverages like iced tea, water, soda, beer, or wine that won’t attract flies with sugary fruit smells.
Keep Food Covered
Flies are much less likely to land on food they can’t directly access. Keep appetizers and dishes covered whenever possible, only uncovering to serve each portion.
Use cloche covers, plastic wrap, foil, or other tight lids rather than loose cheesecloth or mesh which flies can still get through.
Offer Sealed Drinks
For beverages, select cans, bottles, and sealed juice boxes which flies can’t get into over open fruit punch bowls and soda cans.
Provide guests with reusable water bottles they can refill at filtered water stations as needed.
Make Your Space Less Inviting
There are some easy environmental tweaks you can make to deter flies beyond food selection and breezy locations.
Hang Fly Paper
Strip fly paper hung around the party works to trap flies and signals it’s not a fly-friendly zone.
Hang strips near trash cans, compost piles, pet areas, and other fly hot spots but not directly over food tables.
Use Citronella Candles
Place citronella candles around the yard to deter flies with their strong scent. Use torpedo style yard stakes for easy placement along paths and around seating.
Combine with tiki torches and lanterns to light up the space after sunset while keeping flies away.
Set Out Dish Soap
Add drops of blue unscented dish soap to water-filled cups and place around tables and food stations. The soap attracts flies to the water, causing them to drown.
Refresh soap water cups every couple of hours to maintain effectiveness as more flies are trapped.
Paint Surfaces Yellow
Flies don’t like landing on the color yellow. Use yellow tablecloths and paint fences, railings, poles, and other surfaces yellow.
This discourages flies from clinging there and limits the number of ideal resting spots.
Keep Things Clean
Flies need filth to breed in. Make sure there’s no animal waste, compost piles, overflowing trash cans, or other grossness they can lay eggs in.
Maintain a spotless party area and grounds to send the signal it’s not a fly paradise. Take garbage away promptly.
Use Fans for Fly Control
Stationary and oscillating outdoor fans serve a dual purpose of improving air flow and blowing flies away.
Fan Food Tables
Aim large fans directly at food tables and serving areas to disrupt flies from being able to land. They won’t be able to fight the wind.
Angle fans to blow down the length of tables rather than from just one direction for best coverage.
Fan Seating Areas
Set up oscillating fans behind seating groups and aim them to oscillate back and forth over the chairs. The intermittent wind keeps flies from flying or landing near people.
Try using tower fans on poles that blow air down from above if guests will be seated at tables.
Fan Entryways
Position fans near entryways and doors to blow incoming flies away as people arrive. Point the breeze so it blows incoming flies away from party areas.
This creates a fly-free buffer zone between entryways and food/seating areas.
Use High-Velocity Fans
Splurge on a few heavy-duty high-velocity fans that pack a more powerful wind speed.
They are pricier but do a better job keeping flies at bay than regular fan models. The stronger gusts blow flies far away.
Use Natural Fly Repellents
There are a number of natural scents and substances that flies don’t like. Use these to create a repellent perimeter around party zones.
Essential Oils
Place cotton balls soaked with peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass and citronella oils around tables and hang areas. The smell repels flies.
Use oils notwater-based sprays so the scent lingers longer. Reapply oils every few hours as needed.
Basil and Mint
Grow pots of mint and basil around seating areas. Brush up against the plants periodically to release their natural fly-repelling essential oils.
You can also snip some mint and basil leaves to crush and rub directly onto table surfaces.
Lemon and Lime Peels
Rub lemon and lime peels onto tables, railings, poles, and fences. The citrus smell is repugnant to flies.
For longer-lasting effects, poke holes in peels and place them in water-filled cups with a drop of dish soap to trap flies.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Pour apple cider vinegar into small saucers and place around tables. The pungent aroma attracts and drowns flies.
Add a drop of dish soap to break surface tension so flies sink.
Scented Garbage Cans
Sprinkle eucalyptus or mint leaves around trash receptacles to deter flies from lingering. You can also tape scented dryer sheets around cans.
Take trash out often so smells don’t grow too strong despite repellents.
Provide Fly Traps and Zappers
Traps and zappers help eliminate flies that do show up without the mess of swatting.
Bug Zappers
Plug in electronic bug zapper lights around party areas. Zappers lure flies in with UV light and zap them with an electric charge.
Position out of reach of guests and away from seating areas to prevent noise from being disruptive.
Trap Lanterns
Use lanterns designed with fly trapping chambers. Flies follow the light in but can’t escape and die in the chamber.
Hang trap lanterns from trees, posts, or hooks around seating circles to control flies discreetly.
Bait Stations
Set out smelly bait stations made with fly attractants. When flies enter the traps through small holes, they become trapped.
Look for non-toxic baits safe for outdoor use. Place them far from food tables but within the party area perimeter.
Bottle Traps
Cut the tops off plastic bottles, invert them, and fill with sugary water or cider vinegar. Flies enter but can’t figure out how to exit.
Hang traps from trees and poles or set them on stakes around the yard where guests won’t disturb them.
Fly Strips
Though unsightly, sticky fly strips mounted to stakes or hung from branches do effectively trap flies. Use them as last resorts in fly problem areas.
Place them on party perimeters facing outward. Never hang strips directly above food.
Keep Food Covered
This bears repeating – keep food covered as much as possible! Uncovered food is a fly free-for-all.
Use Serving Domes and Lids
Cover platters and dishes with cloche domes, acrylic lids, foil, mesh food covers, and plastic wrap to keep flies off.
Serve individual portions out rather than leaving dishes sitting out uncovered for long periods of time.
Keep Containers Sealed
Transfer snacks like chips, pretzels, and popcorn to sealable plastic vessels rather than leaving them in fly-accessible bags and bowls.
Use containers with screw lids, snap lids, or plastic wrap to keep contents enclosed.
Don’t Leave Out Perishables
Avoid leaving dairy, meat, and other perishable items sitting out too long. Flies detect spoiling food scents fast.
Stick to non-perishables for self-serve appetizer stations that may stay uncovered awhile. Monitor closely.
Provide Covered Trash Cans
Use trash bins with flip lids or foot pedals that remain closed when not in use. Never use open bins without lids.
Empty frequently to prevent smells from attracting flies overtaking the area.
Check for Fly Eggs and Larvae
If you’re dealing with a fly infestation, check for and destroy breeding sources.
Inspect Vegetation
Flies lay eggs on fruits, vegetables, and plants. Examine any produce and rip out infested garden plants right away.
Removing breeding spots eliminates future generations of flies from invading later.
Check Animal Waste
Flies breed in pet, livestock, and wild animal feces. Clean up all animal droppings promptly to destroy larvae.
Use fly traps and repellents liberally around pet rest areas and homes.
Look in Mulch
Flies lay eggs in moist mulch and soil. Rake up and refresh landscaping mulch to disrupt maggots.
Sprinkle parasitic nematodes to kill larvae without using harsh insecticides.
Check the Garbage
Inspect trash cans for maggots or fly eggs along the insides, tops, and rims. Use disinfecting cleansers to scrub cans inside and out.
Take household trash out more frequently to avoid it becoming a fly breeding spot.
Stay Vigilant Shooing Flies Away
During the party, you’ll need to be actively shooing flies away as much as possible. Don’t let your guard down!
Flap Hands or Towels
Keep fly shooing implements like small towels or fly swatters handy. Gently flap around food and guests to scare flies away if they persist in swarming.
Flapping sends signals that they aren’t welcome even if you don’t smash any.
Use Fly Swatters Humanely
Only use fly swatters directly on flies landing on surfaces, not in midair. Quickly dispatch them so they don’t suffer.
Clean swatters regularly so killed fly stench doesn’t attract more. Never leave swatters sitting out.
Don’t Swat Near Food
Do not attempt to swat flies directly on or above food tables. Only use fans and gentle flapping in dining areas to avoid contamination.
Politely ask guests not to swat near communal dishes for everyone’s health and safety. Provide extra fans.
Designate Fly Monitors
Assign children or very eager helpers the task of being “fly monitors” to walk around gently fanning or flicking flies away from guests with towels as they mingle.
Give them fun fly patrol tools like decorative fly swat paddles. Check that they aren’t getting overzealous near food!
Seat Guests Away from Light
Seat guests away from light sources that attract flies if outdoors at night. Table lighting draws in bugs.
Use low voltage string lights and citronella candles to provide minimal mood lighting.
Be Ready to Relocate Indoors
No matter how careful you are, flies may still overwhelm outdoor festivities. Have a back-up plan in place to move the fun inside if they get intolerable.
Have An Indoor Alternative
When planning any outdoor meal or party, think through back-up indoor space options in case of bad weather or pests.
Make sure there’s enough room inside for all guests, tables, and activities. Have folding tables and chairs ready to set up.
Check the Forecast
Monitor weather forecasts leading up to the event and relocate indoors at the first sign of storms.
Gusty thunderstorms also whip up flies and send them scurrying for shelter on food and people.
Note Fly Population Shifts
Keep an eye out for sudden fly swarms blooming at dusk. Be ready to quickly pack up food and shoo guests inside.
Bring citronella candles, fans, and fly swatters indoors to continue deterrents. Keep indoor lights dim.
Remain Positive
If an indoor pivot is needed, stay upbeat so guests don’t feel disappointed. Pass out fly swatters and make an impromptu game of zapping any flies that followed you in.
Turn up the music and continue enjoying the party as the flies look on enviously from outside!
Frequently Asked Questions About Deterring Flies at Outdoor Parties
What time of day are flies most active?
Flies are most active during the cooler hours around dawn and dusk. Scheduling outdoor parties to start later at night or in the afternoon avoids peak fly times.
What scents repel flies?
Strong citrus, mint, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint scents naturally repel flies. Use pure oils instead of scented sprays for longer lasting effects.
Where should fans go at an outdoor party?
Aim fans to blow down the length of food tables, behind seating areas, and near entryways. Oscillating fans work best to cover a wide area intermittently.
Which foods and drinks attract flies most?
Flies target sweet and smelly foods like fruit, cheese, meat, fish, and sugary drinks. Stick to blander snacks like chips and breads and bottled beverages.
Should I switch my outdoor party to indoor if it gets fly-infested?
If flies become intolerable outdoors, absolutely move festivities inside if possible. Have back-up space ready and guests will understand, especially if you keep spirits upbeat.
What natural remedies deter flies?
Natural fly deterrents include essential oils, herbs like mint and basil, citrus peels, vinegar traps, scent-baited traps, beneficial nemat