Do clear plastic water bags repel flies?
When Mike Stringham, professor of entomology at North Carolina State University, investigated the use of clear plastic water bags as a fly deterrent, he encountered just such a situation. Stringham conducted a 13-week field trial by installing commercial, water-based optical fly repellents on two egg farms.
Does a penny in a bag of water keep flies away?
This is kind of freaking me out-but in a good way. I kept seeing this thing about a penny in a bag of water to keep flies away last summer on the Internet, but it looked kind of complicated, so I stayed away from it. This year, I decided to analyze it a bit further.
Do Baggies really keep flies away?
The bags were half filled with water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped shut. Naturally we were curious! Ms Sweety told us that these baggies kept the flies away! So naturally we were even more curious! We actually watched some flies come in the open window, stand around on the window sill, and then fly out again.
Do water bags really keep houseflies away?
While some supporters claim water bags keep all kinds of flying insects away, most report success with complex-eyed insects, like houseflies. We were unable to dig up any specifics on exactly how much water the bags need to contain, how many bags are needed and where the bags need to be hung to be most effective.
Do bags of water keep flies away Mythbusters?
Bags of water hung from the ceiling can repel flies. The Build Team made a rig consisting of three chambers separated by trap doors. The first chamber would hold the flies, the second would hold some rotten meat, and the third would hold both rotten meat and a bag of water.
Why does a plastic bag of water repel flies?
The fly bases his movement by light and the refracted light coming through the water in the plastic bag confuses the fly causing him to move on to a place that is easier on the eyes.
Why do people hang bags of water outside their house?
Purpose. Clear, water-filled, sandwich- or gallon-sized bags are hung, especially where food is frequently present, in an attempt to deter flies and other insects without using pesticides.
What does a bag of water do to flies?
So, when light hits the bag of water filled with shiny pennies — or even pieces of aluminum foil, in some cases — it refracts and confuses the insects. Overwhelmed, they fly away and hang around somewhere else.
How to get rid of flies in a ziploc bag?
Fill a sandwich-size Ziploc bag about half full of water. Tape the top of the bag to the outside of your door. Replenish the water as needed. It is not clear why these water bags repel flies, but they do.
What episode of Mythbusters did flies find rotten meat?
A December 2010 episode of Mythbusters found no significant difference between the number of flies attracted to a chamber holding both rotten meat and a plastic bag of water (without coins) and one which held only rotten meat.
Do flies shy away from water?
(Again, though, flies don’t seem to shy away from other types of surfaces that reflect and/or magnify their images.)
Do preventive bags deter flies?
As to whether this method works, some swear by it, while others who have tried it assert that such preventives don’t de ter the flies one whit. Theories abound as to why such a practice might work. Some practitioners claim that flies perceive such bags as the surface of a large body of water and therefore avoid them.
Not a fan of loose change? In the South, some people swear by using change in a bag of water to keep bugs at bay!
Not a fan of loose change? In the South, some people swear by using change in a bag of water to keep bugs at bay!
Why Do People Hang Pennies in a Bag of Water?
According to Wide Open Country, zip-top bags filled with water and a few pennies adorn many restaurants, porches and doorways in the South to keep flies away.
Does It Work?
This is up for debate all over the internet. Some people swear by it, sharing success stories on blogs and Facebook, while Snopes says that scientific experiments show it may not make a difference.
Popular Videos
Hannah is a writer and content creator based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a passion for all things food, health, community and lifestyle. She is a journalism graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a previous dining and drink contributor for Madison Magazine.
