Tell me you're South African without telling me - flies!
Why are there so many flies? We expect them but there are just too many these days...
We've long had a hate-hate relationship with flies, as they always manage to come around at the wrong time, not that there is a right time to encounter them.
But many people around the country have been complaining about an overabundance of flies annoying them. Particularly people in Johannesburg, but Durbanites are having their fair share.
One young woman even called it a "global pandemic" and said that it is something that we all have in common as South Africans.
Watch her video from TikTok below.
@notnowsam a global pandemic I tell you 😭😭 #fyp #southafrica #flies #SAMA28 ♬ QKThr - Aphex Twin
The news team at eNCA addressed the problem, or supposed problem, last week when they chatted with Genevieve Theron, an entomologist at the Agricultural Research Council.
She didn't seem phased by what the residents are calling an infestation. Instead, she said, that the warmer weather paired with the heavy rains is the perfect breeding ground for flies.
"In Summer fly numbers naturally increase due to the warmer weather and the rain that we get in the Summer rainfall region. There's always going to be more flies in this season", said Theron.
She went on to say that flies are attracted to spaces where they can get food, so inevitably, this means they will migrate around residential areas. However, keeping our areas clean and hygienic, putting food away, disposing of our refuse properly, and placing physical barriers to our windows and doors could all help keep the flies away.
Flies aren't generally the source of major illness, but you cannot be sure where they have been before entering your home. So, it's best to ensure you are practising proper hygiene around your home to avoid any bacteria outbreak.
Johannesburg resident Prenesh shared his resolution to the fly problem - a fly bucket. Although it was disgusting to watch, it was also one of those pieces of content that you couldn't pull away from.
Check out his video below from TikTok.
@myboyandmejhb It maybe a awful to look at but it really does work. flies have reduced a ton #SAMA28 #fyp #tiktoksouthafrica #tiktoksa #johannesburg #flies ♬ original sound - Prenesh
Of course, this video resulted in people asking him how he disposed of the flies, so he did a follow-up video on TikTok. He showed how he started by covering the bucket's holes on the sides, then dug a hole in his garden, and disposed of them in the soil.
People were very curious as to where he got his contraption, which he said helped him reduce the amount of flies by 80%. We did a quick Google search and you can get this fly bucket from Takealot and Makro, but it pays to do your research first.
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