How to Get Rid of Flies in New Zealand: The Complete Guide
The complete NZ guide to getting rid of house flies and blowflies — identification, traps, bait and prevention, built for Kiwi homes and businesses.
Why flies are a bigger problem in New Zealand than you think
From the first warm day of spring through to late autumn, house flies and blowflies explode across New Zealand. Our mild climate, outdoor lifestyle and booming BBQ season give flies exactly what they need: warmth, moisture and food scraps. The result? Kitchens, cafés, farms and food-prep areas invaded fast.
This is the complete GotchaPest guide to getting rid of flies in NZ — identification, traps, bait recipes, prevention and seasonal timing. Everything here is built around our NZ-made, UV-tough, reusable fly traps, available at Mitre 10, Kings Plant Barn and right here at gotchapest.co.nz.
Step 1: Know your fly
- House fly — small, grey, loves kitchens and bins.
- Blowfly — larger, metallic green/blue, drawn to meat and pet waste.
- Fruit fly — tiny, hovers around ripe fruit and compost (see our fruit fly guide).
Step 2: Trap them — the reusable way
The single most effective, chemical-free step is a well-placed reusable fly trap. The GotchaPest Reusable Fly Trap uses a simple screw-on bottle design with everyday household bait. It's NZ-made, UV-stable and designed to last season after season — not the throwaway plastic you'll find elsewhere.
Step 3: Use a bait that actually works
Flies are drawn to fermenting protein and sugar. Tried-and-true NZ baits include a splash of fish sauce + sugar water, or rotting fruit for fruit flies. See our fly bait recipe guide for exact ratios.
Step 4: Cut off the source
- Keep bins sealed and empty weekly.
- Rinse recycling — residue attracts flies.
- Pick up pet waste daily.
- Fix dripping taps (flies need water).
Step 5: Track activity with the GotchaPest app
Register your traps in the GotchaPest Pest Tracker app, log your catches and watch the NZ-wide pest heat map light up. You'll see when fly pressure peaks in your region so you can act early.
Need help? Ask Buzzy 🐝
Stuck on placement or bait? Ask Buzzy — the world's first AI Trap Buddy — for instant, NZ-accurate advice grounded in our verified data.
Not sure which pest you're dealing with?
Snap a photo and — our NZ-made AI pest assistant will identify it from our verified species database and recommend the right trap. Free, honest, and grounded in real Kiwi catch data.
GotchaPest Team
NZ-made pest control, designed in Aotearoa for Kiwi conditions. Our traps are UV-tough, reusable and bee-safe — paired with the world's first AI Trap Buddy and the GotchaPest community pest tracker. Available at Mitre 10, Kings Plant Barn and right here online.
Recommended traps for this guide
NZ-made, UV-tough and built to last. Available at Mitre 10, Kings Plant Barn and right here.
Screw-On Bottle Trap — NZ-made, reusable fly control for homes, cafés, farms and food prep areas.
Trap smarter with GotchaPest
UV-tough, NZ-made traps paired with the app and Buzzy — the first ever AI Trap Buddy.