Shooing flying insects

[Glen] · July 2023

Bees, ants, flies, butterflies, dragonflies - if it is native to the UK then my kitchen has it

Following months of careful observation I have discovered the bugs simply fly towards the sun. They enter through a heavily shaded south-west facing patio door and travel into a north-east facing wall of glass. I am not sure why they go from south to north but they do.

If I leave the furthest window open (in the north-east corner) then insects fly straight through and none become trapped. If I close that window they become trapped and die surprisingly quickly in the sunlight - hundreds of them! When I bought the house the window cill was caked in thousands of bug corpses.

The patio door is often open because the dog and children are in and out all day. How do I stop the insects getting to the patio door in the first place?

My hypothesis is that I could plant a wall of insect repelling herbs, and I have read this article: https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/diy/how-to-create-a-living-wall/

However, which plants are small enough to live in such a wall and effectively repel insects?

Can you provide any alternative suggestions please?

plant pauper · July 2023

You can buy mesh screens with magnets in them. My SIL has them and the dog marches in and out happily. The magnets snap shut and hold the mesh in position.
It might help a bit.

SalixGold · July 2023

A screen door sounds like the way forward - common in many other countries but not yet in the UK

Fairygirl · July 2023

My daughter uses those magnet screens on her windows. They're very effective on the whole, but don't stop the wasps getting into the eaves outside them via the filters under the eaves, and finding their way into her bedroom in a different way

StephenSouthwest · July 2023

I wonder about those hanging down lines of thingamebobs (or are they doubrifertuls?)that you can walk through, but deter insects...?

Shooing flying insects

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