How To Get Rid Of Botflies In Your Yard

Nobody wants to spend too much time in their yard if they are constantly under attack from bugs. Botflies are some of the worst offenders, and their larvae are equally unnerving. That’s why you may understandably wonder how to get rid of botflies in your yard. 

Remove debris and fallen leaves from your yard and pick up dog droppings to keep botflies away from your house. Set up fly traps, clean your roof, and trim tall branches, so male botflies cannot easily find females to mate with. You can also discourage botflies if you cover your compost bin and get rid of manure in your yard. 

Check your pets for traces of botflies each time you take them outside. Follow along as we explore how to get rid of botflies in your yard. 

How To Keep Botflies Out Of Your Yard

1. Discard Dog Waste

It’s easy to fall behind on picking up dog waste in your yard, especially after a long day at work. However, animal waste can attract botflies to your yard. They are drawn to many types of decaying organic matter, and that includes dog waste. 

Dog droppings can attract other types of insects as well, so it’s best to get rid of it quickly. Make a habit of cleaning your yard a few times per week to ensure no dog waste remains. Otherwise, you can take a bag outside with you and remove waste when you take your dogs out. 

2. Clean Your Yard

Botflies love messy yards because it offers the perfect environment for them to breed. That’s especially true if your yard is full of dead leaves, twigs, sticks, and pine cones. You may not see the botflies, but there’s a strong chance that they’re hiding in the pile. 

It’s worth taking the time to rake the leaves and debris in your yard a few times per week. This can encourage the botflies to move on and pick another location to breed. Otherwise, the problem can quickly get out of control. 

3. Get Rid Of Manure

Manure is infinitely valuable to many gardeners and homeowners. However, it can also attract botflies and other common insects. It’s worth getting rid of the manure in your yard and switching to a better alternative that won’t attract botflies. 

For example, compost doesn’t necessarily attract botflies if you’re careful enough. Compost that doesn’t contain many food scraps is unlikely to attract botflies. You can also bury food scraps deep within compost to make it less appealing to botflies. 

Botflies hate the scent and taste of citrus, so you can use that to your advantage. Throw some orange peels in your compost and mix them in evenly. That way, the scent will deter botflies and you can use compost instead of manure in your yard. 

4. Deter Animals

Botflies use many animals as hosts for their larvae. Such host animals include rabbits, squirrels, and even stray dogs and cats that enter your yard. One way to deter botflies is to keep animals out of your yard that botflies could use as hosts. 

For example, you can use ultrasonic devices to discourage animals from entering your yard. These devices emit high-frequency sounds that many animals, like deer and rabbits, hate. It’s also a great idea to build chicken wire fences around your vegetables to keep potential host animals from grazing. 

You must also be careful when you let your pets outside, as botflies may target them. It’s a great idea to stay outside with your pets to swat botflies away as needed. Check their fur for botflies and larvae before you bring them back inside your house. 

5. Set Up Fly Traps

Fly traps may not be visually appealing, but they’re necessary if you have a botfly problem. Today, you can find many types of fly traps, such as sticky fly strips and bug zappers. Sticky traps are especially useful for catching botflies and other insects as they attract them with a scent. 

However, some homeowners avoid sticky traps because they look fairly unnerving. They offer an easy solution to catch a lot of botflies and other insects at once. Ideally, you should set your fly traps at a high point in your yard.

That’s because male botflies typically stick around high points in yards, so they can look for female botflies to mate with. You can also find disposable fly traps that trap botflies in a small container, so you don’t have to see them. 

6. Trim Tall Branches

You can find botflies nearly anywhere in your yard. However, many male botflies like to scope out your yard from tall places, such as overhanging branches. They perch on tall points in backyards and watch out for female botflies to come into their view.

This becomes much harder if they don’t have many tall places to hide out. Trim tall branches, which can also help protect your roof and windows. It’s also a great idea to remove debris and leaves from your roof.

Not only can botflies hide in such debris, but they can also use it to mate. You can also help keep botflies away from your house if you routinely clean your gutters. This can also protect your foundation as water will be less likely to pool near it. 

7. Cover Your Compost

You should cover your compost for many reasons, such as keeping botflies away from it. Covering your compost can also ensure it retains heat and moisture. The process also goes by much faster if you cover your compost bin as it speeds up the decomposition. 

Covering your compost can keep botflies out of it, among other pests, like mice and raccoons. This is also a great idea if you’re not a fan of the smell of your compost pile. You can cover a compost pile with everything from burlap and mesh screens to store-bought compost lids. 

Summing It Up

The easiest way to get rid of botflies in your yard is to discard dog droppings and remove fallen leaves and sticks. You can also help eradicate botflies if you get rid of manure and trim tall branches that attract male botflies. It’s also a great idea to use ultrasonic devices to deter animals that attract botflies, like squirrels and rabbits. 

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