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Killing Flies
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Direct questions and answers, this room is not for general discussion please
Direct questions and answers, this room is not for general discussion please
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- Lemon Slice
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Killing Flies
DAK why smaller and medium sized flies seem immune to fly spray?
I use two different types and just reaching for a can makes the B52 variety start to say their prayers because they know their end is nigh.
The smaller flies are energised by a thorough drenching in “quick action” fly spray. They are costing me in fly spray and probably evolving into superflies on it.
I use two different types and just reaching for a can makes the B52 variety start to say their prayers because they know their end is nigh.
The smaller flies are energised by a thorough drenching in “quick action” fly spray. They are costing me in fly spray and probably evolving into superflies on it.
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- The full Lemon
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Re: Killing Flies
I still do what my dad did - roll up a newspaper and whack them.
My wife would never allow me to use those sprays in the house anyway, although she doesn't seem to mind me gleefully bludgeoning bugs.
My wife would never allow me to use those sprays in the house anyway, although she doesn't seem to mind me gleefully bludgeoning bugs.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
No fly sprays allowed at Kiloran Castle either, so I bash them with a fly swat.
But why won't they keep still so that I can bash them? The smaller flies especially seem to be able to fly continuously for ages, apparently converting food calories into mechanical energy at an efficiency of over 500%. Or are they solar powered?
--kiloran
But why won't they keep still so that I can bash them? The smaller flies especially seem to be able to fly continuously for ages, apparently converting food calories into mechanical energy at an efficiency of over 500%. Or are they solar powered?
--kiloran
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- Lemon Slice
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Re: Killing Flies
No fly sprays here as well. I've come to the conclusion that the easiest way is to get the Dyson out and have a purge once a day. My wife prefers to swat them on the windows - but annoys me by leaving the smear on the glass "as a warning to the others" !!
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- The full Lemon
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Re: Killing Flies
Redmires wrote: My wife prefers to swat them on the windows - but annoys me by leaving the smear on the glass "as a warning to the others" !!
I also take the "pour discourager les autres" approach and leave smeared fly entrails on the window panes. I cannot confirm that it works with flies, but it definitely does not work with ants, who will cheerfully march past thousands of their dead colleagues, presumably programmed to go on a suicide mission for the Queen.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
Flypaper is used here (sorry little chaps); around 20p a roll.
It also forestalls the small blobs (flypoo?) that flies leave on window panes.
It also forestalls the small blobs (flypoo?) that flies leave on window panes.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
Haven't used fly spray for years, indoors, due to allergic reactions.
I do have an electric tennis racket like swatter that is very effective. One touch with it while the button is depressed and they drop for easy collection.
It also works well as a mechanical swat for the larger ones.
Slarti
I do have an electric tennis racket like swatter that is very effective. One touch with it while the button is depressed and they drop for easy collection.
It also works well as a mechanical swat for the larger ones.
Slarti
Re: Killing Flies
Yes, the electronic device does indeed work well, with a satisfying buzz! Other than that, I tend to use a cloth. Whisked fast enough, and they can't get out of the way, so they are either stunned or killed. Either way, a piece of toilet tissue ensures the desired result.
ten0rman
ten0rman
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- Lemon Half
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Re: Killing Flies
DAK the answer to the OP's "DAK why smaller and medium sized flies seem immune to fly spray?"?
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
dragnips wrote:'electric tennis racket' - also good for giving fingers a painful zap!
No, the PP3 battery isn't that powerful
Slarti
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
PinkDalek wrote:DAK the answer to the OP's "DAK why smaller and medium sized flies seem immune to fly spray?"?
The droplets issued by the spray are too big to get in through the fly's breathing apparatus?
It is specifically a House Fly spray and the other flies are not House Flys?
They are small enough to fly between the droplets?
Slarti
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- Lemon Slice
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Re: Killing Flies
DAK why smaller and medium sized flies seem immune to fly spray?
Not bought new fly spray for years (maybe 15?) but I had the impression that both the Vapona and Raid sprays at the time were very effective on any size fly or mozzie but didn’t bother clothes moths. The moths would spiral down most pleasingly, only to fly off seconds later if not jumped up and down on immediately.
Some sort of defence mechanism to get out of trouble fast, I suppose.
But Fly sprays of old were not much cop, but the later ones were much better. I wonder if the more effective active ingredients turned out to be harmful enough to the environment to have since been banned?
The Raid contained Tetramethrin 0.32% and d-phenothrin 0.07%
Vapona had the same active ingredients but slightly lower concentration at 0.25% and 0.05% respectively.
I don’t have a new can to compare with.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
Slarti wrote:dragnips wrote:'electric tennis racket' - also good for giving fingers a painful zap!
No, the PP3 battery isn't that powerful
Slarti
I will not bother (intentionally) testing your theory.
Julian F. G. W.
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- Lemon Half
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Re: Killing Flies
Conventional cheapo fly swatters, with very long handles and enough air gaps in the business end of the thing. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingfisher-Pac ... B006UD22KM. Newspapers will never be as good, because the airflow simply swooshes the fly to one side as it approaches - which isn't the ideal thing at all.
We once bought my brother in law one of these fly swatter guns (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mayhem-Fly-Gun ... B07C98KP3D), where you fire the swatter at the fly. A captive nylon thread stops it (theoretically) from demolishing the house. It was intended as a joke, but it quickly proved devastatingly effective.
BJ
We once bought my brother in law one of these fly swatter guns (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mayhem-Fly-Gun ... B07C98KP3D), where you fire the swatter at the fly. A captive nylon thread stops it (theoretically) from demolishing the house. It was intended as a joke, but it quickly proved devastatingly effective.
BJ
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
jfgw wrote:Slarti wrote:dragnips wrote:'electric tennis racket' - also good for giving fingers a painful zap!
No, the PP3 battery isn't that powerful
Slarti
I will not bother (intentionally) testing your theory.
Julian F. G. W.
Having done the tongue test across the terminals of a PP3, when a young and foolish boy, I know that they don't hurt.
And I can't use tens machines as they do hurt me, even on the lowest setting.
Slarti
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
Fly sprays are nerve agents. They don't need to breathe them in, contact is sufficient. Yes, they are targeted at the very specific group of flies that tend to bother us the most. Houseflies, Horseflies and others of similar shape and appearance. They are (deliberately) pretty much harmless to people(*), bees, aphids, etc.
Gryff
(*) I don't recommend testing this. I doubt either the nerve agent nor the aerosol propellant will actually do you much good. But it has nowhere near the effect it has on a fly!
Gryff
(*) I don't recommend testing this. I doubt either the nerve agent nor the aerosol propellant will actually do you much good. But it has nowhere near the effect it has on a fly!
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- Lemon Slice
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Re: Killing Flies
An old deterrent from 100 years ago was to have bouquets of mint in water as they don`t like the aroma. People stopped using them when fly sprays became available.
Ants , by the way , don`t like human sweat and won`t cross it. On learning this , I tested on the trunk of a plum tree, where the ants were going up and down like motorway traffic. I wiped my forehead with my thumb and drew a ring round the trunk, leaving a narrow gap. The resultant confusion and logjam was very amusing.
Ants , by the way , don`t like human sweat and won`t cross it. On learning this , I tested on the trunk of a plum tree, where the ants were going up and down like motorway traffic. I wiped my forehead with my thumb and drew a ring round the trunk, leaving a narrow gap. The resultant confusion and logjam was very amusing.
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
At the risk of veering off-topic, I bet when you stuck your tongue there you didn't have a diode pump between the battery and your tongue. I strongly suspect that these "Exterminator" style swatters have just such a device, which chops the 9V (or whatever) on and off, then "pumps" this up to many hundreds of volts.Slarti wrote:Having done the tongue test across the terminals of a PP3, when a young and foolish boy, I know that they don't hurt.
I have one, might get the scope on it later if I have time. What I don't recommend is sticking your tongue on one!
Regards,
Chris
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- Lemon Quarter
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Re: Killing Flies
Just a quick follow-up. I stuck my oscilloscope on my "Exterminator" fly swat and pushed the button. I saw a cyclic waveform with an amplitude of just over 10000V with a period of about 150µs. Each cycle consisted of a voltage spike followed by a rapid decay.csearle wrote:I have one, might get the scope on it later if I have time. What I don't recommend is sticking your tongue on one!Slarti wrote:Having done the tongue test across the terminals of a PP3, when a young and foolish boy, I know that they don't hurt.
Regards,
Chris
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