You’re probably unwillingly cohabiting with quite a few flies in your house at the moment, right?
It’s only natural that as the warmer months set in and the temperatures begin to rise, flies will do their best to make their way into your home for a number of reasons.
Most common house flies will enter to feed on rubbish or moisture, as they are attracted to decaying organic matter such as rotting meat. Fruit flies are on the look-out for sugary substances and tend to feed more commonly on over-ripened fruit and veg, spilled fizzy drinks and alcohol. Drain flies require moist climates and organic materials, so will be attracted to drains and kitchen sinks – where they will also lay their eggs.
There’s no denying that flies tend to become a nuisance in the house, and although they may seem harmless in small numbers, if not dealt with, this could lead to a larger infestation which isn’t great news considering they can spread bacteria such as Salmonella, typhoid and E-Coli.
Getting rid of flies can feel impossible at times – but there are a few simple hacks for doing so.
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Most common house flies will enter your home to feed on rubbish or moisture / Credit: Pixabay
Remove incentives and clean thoroughly
This one probably goes without saying and may seem a little self-explanatory rather than a hack, but removing each of the aforementioned incentives for each type of fly from your home should always be the first step to tackling the problem.
Enhanced, frequent, thorough cleaning can also eradicate fly breeding spots too.
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Red wine
Red wine isn’t necessarily everyone’s choice of summer drink and it may actually sound like a bit of a waste too if you’re a wine enthusiast, but as bizarre as it seems, this rich tipple actually does a great job at getting rid of flies from your home.
Simply leave a container with a bit of red wine in the bottom – and watch the flies drop in.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar – which is a vinegar made from fermented apple juice – has numerous benefits, is extremely versatile, and can be used for multiple different things, including the eradication of flies from your home.
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All you’ll need to do is take the cap off a bottle of ACV and leave it around the house, wherever your fly problem is most severe.
The flies will then be able to get into the cap, but will become trapped and can’t get back out.
Milk, sugar & pepper mixture
As mentioned, a lot of common house flies love the taste of sweet mixtures, so if you combine a pint of milk, raw sugar and two ounces of ground pepper into a saucepan and then simmer for 10 minutes, that should do the trick.
Then pop this mixture into a bottle to attract the flies, so you can once again trap them and stop them from getting back out.
Getting rid of flies can feel impossible at times – but there are a few simple hacks for doing so / Credit: Flickr
If any of these natural remedies just don’t seem to be working for you, and your fly infestation looks to be getting more substantial and potentially out of hand, then you may need to call in experts to help.
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There are a number of pest control companies in Greater Manchester available to contact.
Once you have successfully managed to eradicate the flies from your home, it’s essential to keep the area clean.
You’ll want to make sure your wheelie bin is clean and all rubbish is bagged correctly, as well keeping the lid of the kitchen bin down and tight at all times, especially during the warmer summer months.
Although not ideal from a waste perspective, when temperatures really start to soar, it’s advised that you aim to change your bin more regularly – sometimes up to twice a day – and if you think that flies are especially attracted to your bin, you can even sprinkle baking soda on top of it as this will kill any larvae and remove odours.
And last but not least, if you’re a pet owner, you may want to remember to dispose of any food left in your animal’s bowl, as this is also a popular contributor to fly infestations.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Tailgaters and middle lane hoggers warned to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style
Emily Sergeant
A warning has been issued to tailgaters and motorway middle lane hoggers urging them to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style.
Do you find yourself guilty of two of the biggest driving sins from time to time?
Well, according to the latest figures released by National Highways, one in three motorists have admitted to middle lane hogging in their lives, while one in four have committed acts of tailgating on some of the UK’s fastest roads.
These shocking survey findings – which were released back in early March as the Government-owned road management company launched a new campaign – showed that lane hogging was among the behaviours that are most likely to cause motorists and passengers to feel ‘frustrated’, and tailgating was most likely to cause feelings of unease, stress, and anxiety.
Nearly a third (32%) of drivers admitted to lane hogging ‘at least occasionally’ while driving on England’s motorways and major A roads, according to the survey – which polled 2,500 adults between the ages of 16-75.
On top of this, almost seven in ten adults in England (67%) said close following or tailgating is a ‘serious problem’ on these types of roads, but nearly a quarter (23%) admitted to doing it from time to time.
Tut-tut.
Tailgaters and middle lane hoggers have been warned to change their ‘dangerous’ driving style (Credit: IPTC/Ronald Hudson)
It’s these very statistics which have led National Highways to issue an urgent warning that calls on these motorists to “carefully consider” their driving habits, as “little changes can change everything”.
Lane hogging and tailgating both fall under the offence of ‘careless driving’ in England, with the country’s police forces having the power to hand out on-the-spot fines of £100 and three penalty points to those who commit such offences.
“Middle lane hogging and tailgating are far more than mere annoyances for drivers,” warned RAC road safety spokesperson, Rod Dennis, adding that these actions “put everyone on the roads at risk.”
If you’re too close to the vehicle in front, you’re tailgating. This is very dangerous and could lead to a collision. Always leave at least a two-second gap and make sure you follow the advice from The Highway Code.
He continued in his reaction to the release of the latest National Highways figures: “Closely following another motorist could easily result in a serious collision should the driver ahead need to brake sharply for any reason, so the fact nearly one in four drivers admitted to doing so on some of England’s fastest and busiest roads is frightening”.
Mr Dennis said he understands that offenders “might find these habits hard to kick”, but that’s why the urgent calls for motorists to make changes are “so important”.
“By understanding that how we choose to drive affects others, we can each make a real difference to the safety of our roads,” he concluded.
Paddy McGuinness admits he thinks Bolton is ‘still in Lancashire’ not Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Paddy McGuinness has admitted that he believes “Bolton still falls under Lancashire” and not Greater Manchester.
The famous comedian and TV presenter – who was born and raised in Farnworth in 1973, back when it genuinely was still categorised as Lancashire – made the somewhat controversial declaration to his millions of followers on Instagram this week as he shared some pictures of himself that are currently featuring as part of a photography exhibition.
McGuinness is one of dozens of local famous faces forming part of the ‘Greater Mancunians’ project by The Manchester College.
150 students have participated in the landmark photography project – which is currently on display down at Manchester Central Library’s Main Exhibition Hall – and it features images of some of Manchester’s most famous and influential people shot at numerous locations across the city.
Noel Gallagher, Johnny Marr, Ricky Hatton, Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, Maxine Peake, Jonathan Warburton, and Professor Erinma Bell MBE are among the 100 contributors featured in the project, alongside McGuinness.
The 50-year-old, who is most well-known for his acting and presenting roles in Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy’s Road To Nowhere, Take Me Out, and Top Gear, says it was “a real honour” to be featured in the exhibition.
McGuinness wrote on Instagram: “It was a real honour to take part in the Greater Mancunians project with the students at The Manchester College. The exhibition is full of people from music, comedy, politics, poetry, television, medicine and beyond.”
He then said it’s “well worth popping in if you’re in town”, before dropping the final Bolton-related bombshell: “PS, I’m still saying Bolton falls under Lancashire.”
In case you’re unfamiliar with the borough’s history, Bolton was considered to be a part of Lancashire until Greater Manchester was formally established all the way back on 1 April 1974 – but still to this day, the town is located within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire.
Paddy McGuinness admits he thinks Bolton is ‘still in Lancashire’, not Greater Manchester (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
After making the bold claim about Bolton’s geographical location, McGuinness has been met with praise and has received hundreds of comments from other Bolton and wider Greater Manchester residents agreeing with him and sharing their similar opinions under the post.
“I think they should redefine Lancashire back to its old borders, it would bring unity to the area and create a northern powerhouse,” one person commented.
Another fan wrote: “Bolton will always be in Lancashire for me”, while a third commented: “ALWAYS Lancashire. Can’t move land boundaries, they’re not pieces of paper,” a fourth shared a similar sentiment: “They can tell us we’re Greater Manchester, but I know Im a Lancashire lass,” and a fifth added: “Lancashire all the way lad.”
“BOLTON WILL ALWAYS BE LANCASHIRE,” another clearly strong-viewed comment reads.
Emily Sergeant -
14th June 2021 
