Author Topic: ziplock bag filled with water trick (Read 249 times)

Gunslinger · « **on:** August 29, 2004, 02:54:04 PM »

Anyone ever hear of this for getting rid of flies?

Last time I was in Texas I went to a BBq and they were filling up plastic bags w/ water and putting them on the tables. They did this to keep the flies away and it actually worked for the most part.

Anyone know why this might work or even hear of it?

ra · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2004, 03:55:16 PM »

The flies are probably afraid you'll throw the bags at them.

rpm · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2004, 03:57:30 PM »

Not only have I heard of it, it works. Go to a large chicken farm and you will see them everywhere there is an outside door.

I have no idea what the theory is behind it. Maybe they think it's raining.

vorticon · « **Reply #3 on:** August 29, 2004, 04:08:03 PM »

Dear Straight Dope:

What is the deal with the bags of water hanging in restaurants? In the past month I've been enjoying beers on the outdoor patio of various restaurants and noticed large ziplock bags filled with water hanging from the ceiling. A friend told me it is supposed to keep away flies. I really couldn't imagine what difference bags of water would make to a fly but I've seen this enough to make me wonder. Is there some truth to this or is a myth perpetuated by the sandwich bag industry? --Jason

SDSTAFF Doug replies:

Apparently the water bags do drive houseflies away. Not mosquitoes, not no-see-ums, not spiders, not roaches, not yellowjacket wasps, just houseflies. Evidently, houseflies, being highly edible and defenseless, are nervous types, and don't like to sit still when they see something moving nearby, because it could be a predator. The water bag acts a bit like a lens--try it some time--in which the movements of people in the area are reflected. Even if the fly is too far from the action to see it directly, it can see a shifting of light and dark in the water bag, which it interprets as nearby movement, and it will fly away from the bag. The reason it doesn't work on any other insects is that the other insects listed don't have eyesight worth a plugged nickel.

Leslie · « **Reply #4 on:** August 29, 2004, 04:14:39 PM »

Or they could have been bags of malathion.

Leslie · « **Reply #5 on:** August 29, 2004, 04:30:43 PM »

I know what bees like. Stop-out varnish. Shelack with red dye. Denatured alcohol is sweeter to the bees than sugar. A good opportuity to see a bee around. Not the kind that sting, the meat bees. They look like yellow jackets, but aren't agressive.

They must think it's meat, but it's really denatured alcohol, and has a very sweet smell.

Les