...you notice not only the flies swarming to it:
...but giant buzzards are coming by to check out what that
You should've seen the shadow this guy cast as he flew over our garden.
If you have animals, you're going to have flies, but this year has been particularly bad.
The traps have made a difference in the fly population, I'm happy to say. The smell around our property, though, because of the traps is a bit difficult to tolerate. The liquid inside the traps... I can hardly begin to describe it. Eau de dead thing is my best shot. Hits you right between the eyes, it does. Hot weather seems to make it even more potent, if that's possible. It's been hot here lately. Nasty, nasty stuff. Flies - and buzzards - adore it, though.
It's lovely here right now. You should really come by for a visit.
:-)
Well, at least it's doing it's job then.
ReplyDeleteWish I could hop on that Harley and head your way...even if it is stinky on your side of the world!!
ReplyDeleteDanni I find the fact that your 'Fly Trap' attracts buzzards bizzare, maybe it's because we don't have birds like this downunder. But Eau de Dead, is it as bad as Eau de Buck?
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you have updated, I was missing you :D
LiBBiE
We have had a horrible time with flies this year, especially the giant horse flies. The biting ones. Does it work on them as well? If so, I am off to get a few, smell-shmell.
ReplyDeleteYup, dead stink will definitely draw flies and vultures. Don't they make the same thing with pheromones instead of dead smelling stuff?
ReplyDeleteHa! It *is* lovely there right now. I know this because I did come by for a visit. I missed that big ol buzzard tho...Maybe Ill meet him next time.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, those fly attractants are for sure working. And they smell just lovely. Good thing the raspberry plants are right there(well near some of them anyway)...Mmmmm....the smell of fresh raspberries and fly yuck. I have to say it was a new combination for this nose of mine. :-)
Hmmmm...as long as it works, then I guess it's worth it. Although, your description of the stench isn't much of a selling point, I've gotta say. I mean, buzzard bait? That's gotta be pretty nasty stuff.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this weather awesome?!? I'm so loving it and doing my best not to make too many nose prints on my windows at work.
Happy Friday,
Carolynn
Great that the traps actually reduce the fly population! Too bad about the terrible smell though. That bird was quite something!
ReplyDeleteOh my! Those attractants sound horrible with that eau du death mixed with summertime heat...
ReplyDeleteHave you thought about getting a few Muscovy? They're lovely farm birds and will eat an ENORMOUS amount of flies, mosquitoes, what have you.
I love your site, by the way... you have such funny stories! Best of luck with those traps :)
I have the same contraptions "ode to rotted corpse" I even get to the point where I almost feel bad for the trapped flies.
ReplyDeleteHi Danni - My answer was to get Guinea fowl to keep the bug population down. So far our guineas are still pretty small and we haven't let them out of the chicken pen for fear that a fox or other preditor will snatch them up. But I know they do LOVE bugs. They spend all day chasing flies in the chicken pen. it's so funny to watch them chasing flies - they snatch them in midair. The first time I saw them I thought they were having spazz attacks, then I realized they were chasing and snatching flies from the air. When the guineas are bigger the plan is to let them loose to manage our bugs.
ReplyDelete~Lynn
Silly girl. Everyone knows you catch more flies with Peanuts.
ReplyDeleteDanni- from everything I've read you're supposed to let your chickens scratch through the poop and root out the larvae, which is a great source of protein for them, and cuts your fly population way down.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard of Joel Salatin and Polyface Farm?
So etwas habe ich noch nie gehoert ;-)
ReplyDelete....and then the real fun when you have to get close enough to handle it and dispose of it......ewwwwwww!
ReplyDeleteI read in some horsy mag somewhere about some little bitty flies that actually get rid of the population of biting flies and the little bitty ones don't bother the animals and people......
glad to see your post......miss you when you're "gone" :)
Great pics of the buzzard!
ReplyDeleteWonderful how those fly traps work. It's been so hot here that the last couple of days I swear even the flies took cover from the heat!
ewwwwww....who gets the job of removing those things and where do they go? the downside of farming!
ReplyDeleteOh Danni - I SO hear ya. Just yesterday I put up one of those giant tube thingies that you drizzle eau du death over. *gag* That is some nasty smelling stuff, isn't it? So good to hear you say it works though - otherwise that tube might have made it's way to the garbage today!
ReplyDeleteThe flies are horrible here too. Soooo annoying! Hope you're doing well otherwise!
ReplyDeleteI use those Fly Traps too. Geez, can't begin to describe that stank, but I think the traps to help.
ReplyDeleteHopefully I will be coming by for a visit soon..and I hope that sten..oh I mean delicious aroma is gone by then..hahah..actually..I don't care if it is..I just wanna see you and your farm..I hope you have some of that crusty hot..right out of the oven bread that day..I'll bring you an Illinos rock if you do!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThat trap is made by my sister and brother-in-law's company-Sterling. Pity my poor sister, who's deck has been the testing lab for all the attractants not to mention the very popular yellow jacket traps.
ReplyDeleteEeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuu! That's gotta stink! But if the flies are that bad ya gotta do something!
ReplyDeleteBefore moving to our place in the country, we used those traps, in spite of that awful smell. Your absolutely right about it growing worse in the hot weather and the disposing of them is not all that fun either. When we started using them, it seemed to me, through no scientific testing, that the problem grew worse, i.e., I'm convinced they attracted more flies from the surrounding area. It seemed like no matter how many we put up they'd fill up fast. So, we stopped using them and began using organic fly predators, which have worked for us.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried fly predators? I had planned on doing that at the Oregon farm. I'm thinking of doing that here in Georgia, but the flies haven't been bad here.
ReplyDelete