With the summer heatwave showing no signs of abating, many of us will have had doors and windows almost permanently open over the last few weeks in a bid to keep cool.
However, letting in fresh air can also be an invitation for flies to pay you an unwanted visit and buzz around for hours as they try unsuccessfully to find their way back out.
A pest control expert has revealed his top tips for keeping flies at bay - without resorting to expensive products or unpleasant chemicals.
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“House flies, fruit flies and drain flies are the three types of flies most commonly seen inside houses" Jordan Foster from Fantastic Pest Control told The Express.
“Fruit flies are smaller, measuring about 3-4mm, while house flies are larger, usually around 6-7mm. The body of fruit flies is tan to brownish with red eyes, while the body of house flies is grey with red eyes.
“Fermenting and decaying fruits and vegetables attract fruit flies. It is common to find them near overripe fruits. House flies are drawn to organic materials, which include food scraps, garbage, and faeces."
He said house flies often lingered inside properties 'due to food sources and organic materials commonly found indoors' and that they breed in moist environments and are 'attracted to standing water, leaky pipes, and drains.'
Yet according to Jordan, a simple hack could alleviate them invading your home. "The strong scent of essential oils such as peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, and citronella repels flies,”he said.
“Using these oils in diffusers, sprays, or soaking cotton balls and placing them in areas where flies are a nuisance will help eliminate them.
“Using vinegar as a repellent for flies can be effective. Spraying a mixture of water and white vinegar around the house or using it to clean surfaces will discourage flies from lingering. Some herbs and spices, including basil, mint, rosemary, and cloves, repel flies with their strong aromas.”
Any households plagued by flies can also do some strategic gardening to keep the unwanted visitors out of the house. Jordan suggested: "Flies are repelled by the sweet scent of lavender.
"By planting lavender bushes or placing dried lavender sachets near windows and doors, flies can be discouraged from entering. Marigolds have a characteristic smell that makes flies avoid them; they can be planted in garden beds and used in pots near entrances to deter flies."
Or, if you're short on planting space, you can pick up a herb plant next time you visit the supermarket and stick it by the door or on the windowsill. "Flies tend to avoid mint because of its strong scent, particularly spearmint and peppermint," Jordan said.
He went on: "A rosemary plant's aromatic scent can repel flies. In pots or as part of your landscaping, rosemary plants can serve as natural insect deterrents."
