... the free choice experiment, the highest numbers of resting flies were found on dark blue and white, both were statistically at par, followed by sky blue and red, while yellow and black were least preferred colors.
Flies and mosquitoes, on the other hand, are attracted to blue tones and repelled by warm tones like yellow and orange. They prefer dark colors because they use their heat receptors to locate warm bodies to feed on.
Flies are one of the only bugs that are actively affected by colors. While designing more effective fly traps, researchers from the University of Florida found that flies are attracted to blue tones and repelled by warm tones like yellow. More studies confirmed the correlation between blue lights and fly attraction.
A key to making the device effective was the discovery that flies are three times more attracted to the color blue than to yellow and that yellow actually seemed to repel flies.
Well studies have shown that the color yellow is the number one color that repels flies. Unfortunately you would need to completely surround your home in yellow light bulbs for it to have any real effect.
Bright colors, however, can also attract these insects. Red is very appealing to mosquitoes, as are similar hues, such as pinks, purples, and oranges. You should also avoid wearing colorful floral prints.
Red bulbs are even less attractive to insects than yellow, but red provides little visible light to humans and it carries an “undesirable” social stigma from decades ago. In addition to the color or wavelength of light, insects are also attracted to the brightness and to the heat from lights.
Cinnamon – use cinnamon as an air freshner, as flies hate the smell! Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils – Not only will spraying these oils around the house create a beautiful aroma, but they will also deter those pesky flies too.
Flies cannot fly off at an angle and have to fly straight upwards before being able to head off in another direction. This leaves them vulnerable for the first few inches of their flight and easier to trap. Another weakness is the fly's inability to respond when confronted with two threats at the same time.
Researchers have made two unexpected discoveries. First, they found that, given a choice, fruit flies are drawn to green light early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when they are most active, and to red, or dim light, in midday, when like many humans, they slow down to eat and perhaps take a siesta.
A scientific report, that researchers at Tohoku University wrote, found that certain species of insects were killed by wavelengths of visible light. For example, blue light at a wavelength of 467 nm was nearly 100% lethal to fruit fly pupae, while ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 378 nm was only 40% lethal.
Wear the Right Stuff
Black flies are often attracted to dark clothing, much like the shade or darker areas. To ward these pests away, try wearing bright colors or white clothes when you head out. Not only will this help deter them, but it will also make them easier to spot should they land on you.
Common house flies are attracted to decaying organic filth such as feces and rotting meat, whereas fruit flies seek sugary substances and feed more commonly on overripe fruit, spilled soda, and alcohol.
Fill up a few large, clear glasses with water. Then, place some pennies at the bottom of the glasses. Then, place these glasses of water around your table and even among the plates of food. You'll notice fewer flies buzzing around your food and your head!
So, if you're looking to avoid the itchy bites, researchers at the University of Washington say to avoid colors like cyan, orange, red and black. Instead, you should focus on wearing colors mosquitoes ignore like white, blue, green and purple.
How to get rid of flies indoors. Troyano says you want to prevent flies from entering your home in the first place, so it's important to keep doors and windows closed when possible, cover food, clear away food debris, and keep trash in tightly sealed lids.
Afraid of shadows
The flies looked startled and, if flying, increased their speed. Occasionally the flies froze in place, a defensive behaviour also observed in the fear responses of rodents. The shadows even caused hungry flies to leave a food source, when that was presented during another phase of the experiment.
Things Flies Hate
Basil, bay leaf, cedar, cinnamon, citrus, citronella, cloves, cucumber slices or peels, lavender, marigolds, mint, peppermint, pine, rosemary, and vanilla oils and air fresheners are a few popular choices for fly repellents.
There are many smells that flies hate, and we will be describing the benefits of the most notable scents that repel flies. These include peppermint, basil, pine, rosemary, rue, lavender, eucalyptus, and bay leaves.
What attracts flies to sit on humans? Flies are attracted to carbon dioxide which human beings breathe out. Flies feed on dead cells and open wounds. Oily hair is an attractant.
One of the most common predators of flies, including fruit flies, is the frog. Although frogs eat a diverse diet, they feed on flies as often as they can. The spider is also a common predator of the fruit fly. These arachnids spin their webs as traps for flies.
Generally speaking, flies represent something that is annoying or bothersome. They might represent a problem that you are trying to ignore or something that is causing you stress. Alternatively, flies might symbolize something that is rotting or decaying. This could be a situation in which you feel trapped or stagnant.
First, they found that, given a choice, fruit flies are drawn to green light early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when they are most active, and to red, or dim light, in midday, when like many humans, they slow down to eat and perhaps take a siesta.
Yellow and amber LED lights will attract the fewest number of insects and bugs. White and blue LED lights attract the most amount of bugs, with ultraviolet and green LED lights also attracting bugs. Red LED lights are the least appealing to bugs—but unfortunately can be less useful for human use.
Second, flies can't see red, so it's clear that their movements aren't due to any visual attraction.