Hi  bird friends-

I have recently put down a  ground feeder for the  mourning doves that
visit my patio--and I am inundated with flies.  I put up a couple of
non-toxic flypaper strips, but those  pesky flies stick to the
groundfeeder mostly so the flypaper doesn't work.  A few of the
smaller birds, house wrens mostly , also feed from the groundfeeder.
Is there any safe way to get rid of the flies --maybe there is a
product they can't stand the smell of which wouldn't bother birds.

Your advice will be greatly appreciated.

TIA
 --
  deet

In article
0225b70b-58b2-4ae5-a6d4-9902267eb... at (no spam) m44g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>,
 Robert Cohen <robtco... at (no spam) msn.com> wrote:

Birds don't dine on flies too?

Of course they do. There's a whole family called (...wait for it...)
Flycatchers.

We won't use poisons anywhere in our yard. As a result, we have more
birds than anyone in the neighborhood, because there's more for them to
eat here. We also have the greenest yard. We don't fool with plants that
have pest problems--too many better choices, and life is too short to
waste on losing wars with insects.

As for why so many flies: perhaps the birdseed was full of fly eggs or
maggots? I'd throw the lot out and try a different source for seed.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO

Hi bird friends-

I have recently put down a ground feeder for the mourning doves that
visit my patio--and I am inundated with flies. I put up a couple of
non-toxic flypaper strips, but those pesky flies stick to the
groundfeeder mostly so the flypaper doesn't work. A few of the
smaller birds, house wrens mostly , also feed from the groundfeeder.
Is there any safe way to get rid of the flies --maybe there is a
product they can't stand the smell of which wouldn't bother birds.

Your advice will be greatly appreciated.

TIA
--
deet

Birds don't dine on flies too?

I would think you've got natural fly predators, which is surely the
best kind

Birds don't dine on flies too?

Robert Cohen wrote:

Birds don't dine on flies too?

I would think you've got natural fly predators, which is surely the
best kind

I've been trying to work out what it is about bird-feeding that attracts
flies.
I dunno. May be standing water? We have a beautiful Orange tree, and

As for why so many flies: perhaps the birdseed was full of fly eggs or
maggots? I'd throw the lot out and try a different source for seed.

I've been trying to work out what it is about bird-feeding that
attracts flies.

Laurence Sheldon <lfsheldon at (no spam) gmail.com> wrote:

I've been trying to work out what it is about bird-feeding that
attracts flies.

Bird droppings maybe?

Ray wrote:


I've been trying to work out what it is about bird-feeding that
attracts flies.

(snip)

We have all sorts of flies, including some that seem bigger (and way
nastier) than some of the birds.

(We sometimes put food scraps on the platform (snip)

On Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:23:52 -0700 (PDT), Robert Cohen
robtcohen at (no spam) msn.com> wrote:


How about Shell "No Pest Strips?"
I used them hanging nearby and the flies just stick to the
groundfeeder. Maybe I will try lying a few on the ground.

I would think you've got natural fly predators, which is surely the
best kind.
I haven't seen any birds going after flies--they just go to the off
ground tube and hopper feeders and eat merrily away, Maybe they like
the food I feed them too much- Sunflower Seed Hearts.

Thanks for taking your time on my problem

On Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:46:32 -0500, Laurence Sheldon
lfsheldon at (no spam) gmail.com> wrote:

Ray wrote:


I've been trying to work out what it is about bird-feeding that
attracts flies.

(snip)

We have all sorts of flies, including some that seem bigger (and way
nastier) than some of the birds.

(We sometimes put food scraps on the platform (snip)

Hi Ray:

Thanks for the idea of food scraps. Gonna put out some baked beans
drenched in tabasco sauce. Wish me luck.

--
deet

Wilson wrote:

We won't use poisons anywhere in our yard. As a result, we have more
birds than anyone in the neighborhood, because there's more for them to
eat here. We also have the greenest yard. We don't fool with plants that
have pest problems--too many better choices, and life is too short to
waste on losing wars with insects.

Exactly! Same goes for waging war on dandelions We've got to pick our
battles.

As for why so many flies: perhaps the birdseed was full of fly eggs or
maggots? I'd throw the lot out and try a different source for seed.

Kinda like the question "What do we do about the squirrels?!??".

Our answer: "Learn to like squirrels."

Adding hot pepper works on some squirrels, but not all of them.

Next year, you might want to put out some hummingbird feeders.
The hummingbirds use the energy from sugar water to nectar to
go after insects. I don't know if they like insects that size, though.