Genius plastic bag hack will keep flies out of your home during heatwave

Following a sun-drenched heatwave in the UK, it's not just the temperature that's been rising as homes nationwide have been besieged by hordes of flies.

The flying nuisances are drawn to the heat, bringing their irritating buzz and frightening germs right into people's personal spaces - and it's safe to say they're keen to get rid of them, pronto.

House flies act as carriers, picking up pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and parasites from unsanitary environments such as waste and decaying matter.

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These threats can be transferred to food, surfaces, and even people after the flies land and feed. Of course, there are many tried and tested methods to keep them at bay, but there's one lesser-known trick that is incredibly effective, plus it doesn't involve any harmful chemicals, and is extremely simple to follow.

Plus you may already have what you need in your kitchen, reports the Express.

All you require is a plastic ziplock food bag, water and a few pennies. Actually, any type of coin will do the job.

Ziplock bags filled with water with a few coins resting at the bottom should be hung in your porch, or around any open windows and doors and then flies will give you a wide berth.

The theory behind this is that it deters the insects due to the reflected and refracted light that comes from the pennies, with the water confusing the flies' eyes, leading them to fly away.

Howstuffworks.com explains the science behind a popular pest control method, stating: "Flies have many small lenses in their eyes that are sensitive to light changes, and the distorted light from the bag is thought to disrupt their vision."

This technique is widely used internationally, particularly in eateries to deter flies from food. You might have noticed these water-filled bags during your holidays in various settings like outdoor dining areas, residential properties, commercial establishments, and even barns.

Howstuffworks.com provides insight into different variations of this method, noting: "various takes on the water-bag practice exist. Some advocates insist the bag must have flakes of floating tin foil; others say a penny or two. A couple of industrious websites even offer commercial takes on the concept, selling specially designed water bags to be used as repellents."

The website further clarifies the phenomenon of refraction, which occurs when an object like a glass or a water bag alters the path and speed of light, causing it to bend and leading to optical illusions such as mirages that can confuse humans and insects alike.

It adds: "This effect is responsible for some optical illusions, such as mirages, that occasionally baffle humans as well."

Specifically, for houseflies with their highly sensitive compound eyes, the theory suggests that refraction could be particularly disorienting, as Howstuffworks.com elaborates: "In theory, refraction can be just as confusing for some species of insect, especially the housefly. It boasts a highly sensitive array of eyes that allow it to see in multiple directions at once."

Despite the scepticism, don't just take the Daily Express' word for it – TikTok users have been sharing videos of this simple trick, with many comments praising its effectiveness.

"Don't know why, but I've been doing it for years, I lay the bags flat on the table where the food is and no fly in sight" penned one.

Another exclaimed: "That's wild!" while another chimed in: "I've been doing it for years, it works!".