Need to know
An expert has shared a simple method to prevent flies breeding in wheelie bins
Keep Flies Out Of Your Wheelie Bin: All You Need To Know
- Wheelie bins become ideal breeding grounds for flies and maggots during the warmer spring and summer months. This occurs when temperatures rise above 15°C, creating warm and damp conditions inside the bin.
- Food waste often contains significant moisture that seeps through plastic bags, collecting at the bottom of the bin. These pools of waste are highly attractive to pests, leading to infestations.
- Expert Dean Botham suggests a simple, effective method to combat this problem: placing cardboard at the base of the bin. This layer is crucial for absorbing moisture and eliminating the liquid waste.
- The action of keeping the bin dry makes the environment far less hospitable for flies to lay eggs. This simple step ensures that maggots cannot thrive in the bin throughout the year.
- Cardboard is recommended over other materials like newspaper because its thickness allows it to maintain its structure. This quality is important as it prevents the absorbent layer from turning into a soggy pulp.
- Homeowners can easily source the necessary cardboard from common household packaging. Suitable materials include flattened online parcels, cereal packets, or frozen food boxes.
- Dean suggests double-bagging all rubbish before placing it in the bin to minimize odours. Homeowners should also expel all air from the bags to further reduce scent leakage.
- To maintain a clean environment, the absorbent layer must be replaced every time the bin is emptied. Furthermore, placing the bin in a shaded area, rather than direct sunlight, prevents heat from intensifying smells.
