Why Does a Bag of Water Keep Flies Away?
WouterMany people believe that a bag filled with water will keep flies away. They often hang bags of water in public places, including parks, and some even put pennies or slivers of foil in them. Others add a tablespoon of oil to the water. The idea is that the reflective properties of the water in the bag will scare off flies. They also believe that the bag will distort the flies’ sense of direction.
There is little scientific evidence that the use of a water bag will keep flies away, but this simple trick still works. A small plastic bag filled with water is highly visible to a fly, and its size is enough to fool the insect. Also, the string tied to the bag’s handle makes it look like multiple bags of water.
Flies are attracted to light, and if they see a bag of water, they will naturally steer clear of it. They can’t focus on their flying when they see water reflected back at them. This method also works without using chemicals, bug zappers, or even pennies. In fact, pennies have been known to drive flies away!
Another method to keep flies away is using a food tent. These tents keep flies away from food by creating a barrier between the food and the environment. Moreover, food tents will allow the food to breathe but will keep flies from landing on it.
