Compost Bin - How do we get rid of Flies ?

[allthedoyles]

Like most people , we have 3 x wheelie bins :

1. Waste Bin
2. Re-Cycling Bin
3. Compost Bin

We have a huge problem with flies in the Compost Bin - 1,000's of the little creatures generated every day .
Opening the bin releases them and many of them head straight into our living room , even though the bin is kept a fair distance away from the back door .

Does anyone else have thos problem and know an easy way to cure this ?

 

[pudds]

Yeah a right pain.....same prob here and our brown bin (waste bin) is just outside back door, midgets more a prob than bluebottles....

Emptying the bin often in Summer is your best bet. Here our bins are emptied every 3 weeks but during the Summer there are extra days alloted for the brown bin when we can put that out on the same day as our black bin collection..

Keeping your brown bin emptied regulary in warm weather is really the only answer.

I don't mind the flies so much but when you see the white larvae crawling all over the bin it's not a pretty site.

 

[Petal]

I have a lot of uneaten cat-food (very picky cats!), so I've resorted to keeping a compostable bag in the feezer into which I empty that kind of stuff and then throw into the bin on day of collection, but of course that only works for small quantities...

 

[allthedoyles]

I have a lot of uneaten cat-food (very picky cats!), so I've resorted to keeping a compostable bag in the feezer into which I empty that kind of stuff and then throw into the bin on day of collection, but of course that only works for small quantities...[/QUOTE

You cannot put cat food in a compost bin

 

[scuby]

I have a lot of uneaten cat-food (very picky cats!),

very picky ? let em starve a little, prob too well fed

 

[VOR]

[You cannot put cat food in a compost bin

You can if it is a brown bin for food.

I only use this bin for dairy, meat and cooked foods. All other food goes in to my composter.

 

[MaryBe]

Yeah a right pain.....same prob here and our brown bin (waste bin) is just outside back door, midgets more a prob than bluebottles....

We moved our bin FROM the back door to a sheltered area in the back garden. The flies have reduced considerably and I don't have the smell.

 

[salaried]

flies on bins

Hi,i had a look at shopping.com and typed in wheelie bin storage,look at the second one on the list.It is a plastic storage unit for wheelie bins,it looks very compact and secure.I think the point of these is that you do not have to look out your back and see two or three bins,but they might keep the flies away as well.I am thinking of getting one myself.Worth a look anyway.

 

[ACA]

Next time your bin is emptied give it a thorough clean inside and out, leave upside down to dry, then use a bio-bag that fits your bin. I use pedal bin size bio bags too and have no problems with flies at all.

We did have an issue with flies recently but they turned out to be coming from the guttering, water had pooled in one area and had slightly stagnated...the flies were VERY happy there! A good power hosing sorted that out

 

[cod1]

Good solution

My wife has been collecting spiders from the house and dropping them in - they work a treat... No flies anymore

 

[pudds]

My wife has been collecting spiders from the house and dropping them in - they work a treat... No flies anymore

If your serious thats cooooooooooooooooooooool nature at its best

 

[dubgem]

Emptying the bin often in Summer is your best bet. Here our bins are emptied every 3 weeks but during the Summer there are extra days alloted for the brown bin when we can put that out on the same day as our black bin collection..

Keeping your brown bin emptied regulary in warm weather is really the only answer.

Problem with that is you're charged for every lift (at least you are where I live)

 

[rgfuller]

South Dublin County Council have a suggestion in their FAQ on the brown bins as follows:

"How do get rid of the fruit flies in and around my brown bin?
Air out the bin by leaving the lid open for a while, but make sure all food waste is wrapped in and covered by newspaper or card and the lid kept closed.

Will the brown bin attract vermin?
Vermin will not be encouraged, providing all waste is put in the wheelie bin and not left around the outside of it.

Will my brown bin attract flies?
Flies may be attracted to your bin, but this would be the same as for your black bin. By wrapping food waste in newspaper and covering with a paper layer e.g. shredded paper or cardboard this should be minimised. If you do get flies these are usually fruit flies, attracted by fruit or vegetable peelings and can be easily gotten rid of by leaving the lid of the compost bin open for a short while and making sure all food waste is wrapped in and covered with newspaper or card.

Why can’t I put magazines or large quantities of newspaper into the brown bin?
Magazines contain shiny paper, which does not compost properly and so cannot be accepted into the brown bin. Telephone directories can also NOT be accepted in the brown bin. Newspaper is fine in small amounts e.g. to wrap food in and cover it, but it is better to put it into the green bin, along with magazines, for recycling."

FAQ here: [broken link removed]

 

[sophie]

flies in compost bin

I put a shake of cayenne pepper on top of contents and this seems to be doing the trick. It is worth a try!