Flies, gnats and mosquitoes oh my!

We spent all of the hot, dry summer without a few pesky insects that are normally very prevalent in our neck of the woods. I have to tell you that I did not miss them. I did not miss the millions of grasshoppers that eat my plants, or the crickets that cover the sides of buildings at night. I REALLY did not miss getting dined upon by vampire mosquitoes, or buzzed by flies and gnats.

Today though... with a beautiful 87 degree day and an inch or so of rain from two weeks ago, and the BUGS HAVE RETURNED. Hatched from their dry, patient clutches...just waiting for temps and moisture to become more pleasant... The bugs have invaded.

I have a mosquito bite on my knee that itches to high heaven and the house is FULL of flies. It does not help that the lovely temperatures have led me to open up the house and turn off the A/C... or that to create a breeze I opened up the back door where there is no screen...

So, by self infliction... I am fly infested.

I just read about a natural fly trap involving a wine bottle and something sweet like fruit... that by putting fruit peels into an empty wine bottle you can trap the flies inside. Without an empty wine bottle in sight, I improvised with three empty plastic water bottles and sacrificed a slightly mushy strawberry with hopes that the flies would fly on in.

The verdict is still out on the fly trap, but I will let you know.

In the meantime, help a sister out. What are your favorite ways to keep the flies away, or catch them if you have them? Do share!!!!