We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Home Products The 6 Best Fly Traps of 2024 Get flies to bug off with these convenient and effective traps. By L. Daniela Alvarez Updated on July 01, 2024 Fact checked by Emily Estep Fact checked by Emily Estep Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics that range from film and beauty to science and the automobile industry. Her plant biology degree has a focus on sustainable agriculture, and she’s an expert on growing your own food, environmental sciences, and all topics relating to houseplants. Our Fact-Checking Process In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Final Verdict How to Shop FAQs Take Our Word for It Photo: Real Simple / Brian Kopinski Warm weather and insects usually go together like a beach ball and sand, but dealing with flies is nowhere near as fun. When fungus gnats, fruit flies, moths, or mosquitoes congregate in and around your home, mitigating an infestation is essential to stress-free days. For a simple, hands-free solution, set up a trap or two and give your fly swatter a break. To find the best fly traps, we researched numerous top-rated products and evaluated them based on their type, placement, and ease of use. We also consulted Allan Bossel, operations expert at BBE Bed Bug Exterminator, for expert insight on what to look for when choosing the right fly trap for your home. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Zevo Flying Insect Trap at Amazon $20 Jump to Review Best Budget: Kensizer Dual-Sided Yellow Sticky Gnat Traps at Amazon $13 Jump to Review Best for Outdoors: SALE GooTop Outdoor Mosquito Zapper at Amazon $60 $36 Jump to Review Best Reusable: SALE BugBane Reusable Outdoor Fly Traps at Amazon $35 $27 Jump to Review Best for Windows: SALE Catchmaster Window Fly Traps at Amazon $21 $11 Jump to Review Best for Fruit Flies: SALE Safer Home Indoor Fly Trap at Amazon $18 $15 Jump to Review Best Overall Zevo Flying Insect Trap PHOTO: Amazon $20 at Amazon $20 at Target $20 at Walmart What Stands Out It has a curved design to keep bugs out of view, and it doesn’t really look like a fly trap. What Could Be Improved It’s not as effective for house flies. Small flying bugs such as fruit flies, gnats, and mosquitoes can definitely be a nuisance around the home, and it’s kind of gross when you can see them. The Zevo Flying Insect Trap is beloved for its curved design that keeps bugs out of view—it looks more like a sleek night light than anything. This fly trap emits a soft blue UV light to attract bugs and then catch them on the sticky cartridge, which can be disposed of and refilled once there’s no space left. It’s especially convenient where these insects are most common, including the kitchen, near houseplants, in the garage, and near any outdoor entrances. Despite the label claiming to be effective against house flies, these sticky traps are best at catching smaller and lighter-weight flies. It’s also important to note that you may have to buy additional devices if you have a more severe infestation. However, we still think this trap is the best option for anyone looking for a reliable, mess-free, and effective indoor fly trap. Type: Plug in | Targeted Species: Fruit flies, gnats, mosquitoes | Use: Indoor | Dimensions: 7.56 by 7 by 9.37 inches Best Budget Kensizer Dual-Sided Yellow Sticky Gnat Traps PHOTO: Amazon $13 at Amazon $16 at Walmart View on Kensizer.com What Stands Out You can cut the sticky trap sheet into whatever shape you want. What Could Be Improved The glue can easily stick to your fingers or other surfaces. If you’d rather not buy several plug-in or electric fly traps but still want to keep a bunch around your home, we recommend the Kensizer Yellow Sticky Fruit Fly Trap. For less than half the price of a plug-in or electric trap, you get 10 yellow sticky sheets, which can be cut to whatever shape you want. They also come with twist ties for hanging in fruit trees and with wooden skewers so you can stick them in plants throughout your home (see you later, pesky fungus gnats). Unlike electric traps, these can be placed in various places both inside and outside. When handling these sticky traps, be cautious to avoid excess glue on your fingers or dropping it on the floor or a painted surface that could cause peeling. With care and patience, these are easy to apply and will work efficiently for small pests such as gnats, whiteflies, aphids, and more. Type: Sticky trap | Targeted Species: Fungus gnats, whiteflies, aphids, leaf miners | Use: Indoor/outdoor | Dimensions: 0.55 by 8.15 by 6.14 inches Best for Outdoors GooTop Outdoor Mosquito Zapper PHOTO: Amazon $36 at Amazon View on Walmart $148 at Home Depot What Stands Out It’s easy to set up and works on most flying insects. What Could Be Improved It can be a nuisance to clean. Enjoying a warm summer night on your patio can easily be ruined by the unsightly arrival of mosquitoes, wasps, and other flying bugs. We love the GOOTOP Outdoor Bug Zapper for its easy set up (simply hang it up and plug it in), and it works on most flying insects by attracting them with the blue violet light and zapping them quickly with 4,200 volts. The exterior is made of fire-proof plastic, and the bulb is replaceable. While we do appreciate that this fly trap comes with a brush to clean the device once there are too many bugs in the removable tray, it can still be a gross task. As the zapper is killing the bugs, there can also be a faint burning smell, which is why it’s important to keep it outdoors and a decent distance away from where you’ll be hanging out. Despite these setbacks, we still think this is the best fly trap for enjoying the great outdoors in peace. Type: Electric/bulb operated | Targeted Species: Most flying insects | Use: Outdoor | Dimensions: 7.5 by 6.7 by 12 inches Best Reusable BugBane Reusable Outdoor Fly Traps PHOTO: Amazon $27 at Amazon View on Sears.com View on Kmart.com What Stands Out The bait is made of natural ingredients. What Could Be Improved Cleaning the bottle and replacing the bait can be messy. For those with sustainability in mind, the BugBane Reusable Outdoor Fly Traps are an excellent option since you can keep reusing the plastic bottle and only buy the bait refills. We like that the bait is made of natural ingredients—fish, egg, and bran—so you don’t have to worry about your pet ingesting toxic chemicals if they can somehow get to it. You can hang this on a branch, on a hook by a window, or on a garden stake to trap all common flies and stop them from entering your home. Cleaning the bottle full of flies is not exactly a pleasant task, and it can get a bit messy and sticky when cleaning the bait residue out of the trap. That said, we think the reusability factor, natural ingredients, and ease of use of this trap make it worth the extra cleaning. Type: Bait | Targeted Species: All common flies | Use: Outdoor | Dimensions: 3 by 3 by 9 inches Best for Windows Catchmaster Window Fly Traps PHOTO: Amazon $11 at Amazon $16 at Walmart View on Catchmaster.com What Stands Out They can last for up to a year. What Could Be Improved They can be difficult to remove due to the strong adhesive. Opening a window or door on a warm day can feel like one of those small luxuries in life, but when a fly gets in, it can throw a wrench in your day trying to hunt it down. We love the Catchmaster Window Fly Traps for their convenient adhesive application on the top corners of glass windows and doors. These inconspicuous traps are disposable, non-toxic, and waterproof, so they can be used any time of year. In normal conditions, these traps can last up to 12 months before needing to be replaced. Despite being a bit difficult to remove, particularly due to the strong viscosity adhesive, we still think these are the best fly traps for windows. Since they’re long-lasting and effective, you’ll be able to trap various flying insects with ease and without a mess. Type: Sticky trap | Targeted Species: Flies, mosquitoes, gnats, moths | Use: Indoor/outdoor | Dimensions: 8.25 by 2.88 by 0.16 inches Best for Fruit Flies Safer Home Indoor Fly Trap PHOTO: Amazon $15 at Amazon $16 at Target $20 at Walmart What Stands Out It has a simple design that fits in anywhere in the home. What Could Be Improved The design isn’t curved, so the light is exposed from the sides. Fruit flies are commonly found around fruit baskets, kitchen trash cans, drains, and household plants. To keep them at bay, we recommend the Safer Home Indoor Plug-In Fly Trap. This simple yet sleek plug-in fly trap can be placed in one of your kitchen outlets or near a collection of various houseplants, luring fruit flies and fungus gnats with the blue UV light and trapping them in the glue cards. Refills for the glue cards can be purchased separately, and you’ll only need to replace them once they’re completely full of bugs. Unlike our best overall fly trap pick, this one doesn’t have a curved design, which means the bright light is exposed and can be annoying for some. However, this doesn’t take away from the quality and effectiveness of the trap, especially when it comes to trapping fruit flies and fungus gnats. Type: Plug in | Targeted Species: Fruit flies, gnats, moths | Use: Indoors | Dimensions: 2.25 by 3.2 by 5.8 inches Final Verdict Our top pick is the Zevo Flying Insect Trap for its sleek, curved design and effectiveness on small flying bugs. If you’re looking for something more budget friendly and versatile that can be used both indoors and outdoors, we recommend the Kensizer Yellow Sticky Fruit Fly Trap. How to Shop for Fly Traps Like a Pro Type “The kind of fly trap you get should be right for its target species of flies since different ones work better on house flies than fruit flies or gnats,” Bossel says. While each individual product will specify which bugs it’s best for, common types of traps include: Plug in: Also categorized as electric, these fly traps are plugged into outlets and have a UV blue light to attract flies. Some have an attached glue card to trap bugs while others may have a suction or zapping mechanism. Bait: Bait fly traps typically contain a liquid bait that lures flies and traps them in the container. Some bait traps are reusable or refillable while others are disposable.Sticky Trap: These usually have a glue card or an adhesive paper. Sticky traps do not visually hide flies but are a simple and reliable method that are also usually disposable. Zapper: These traps are also electric but use high voltage to electrify and kill bugs as they are attracted to the UV light. Zappers typically work best outdoors and at night. Placement Bossel says that proper positioning of a fly trap can greatly improve its efficiency, so it’s best to consider and strategize their placement in and outside your home. For example, if you frequently get fruit flies, a sticky trap in a fruit basket or a plug-in trap in a kitchen outlet may do the trick. On the other hand, if you enjoy spending time on your patio, an electric zapper placed high above and to the side of your patio seating will kill mosquitoes and other insects before they reach you. Ease of Use If you want to save time and effort, an easy-to-setup, low-maintenance, and clean fly trap is a must. “Some traps will need regular attention, such as glue board replacement or emptying catch trays, in contrast to other, more hands-off types,” Bossel says. “Choosing a trap that suits your preferred maintenance guarantees consistent use and efficiency.” Questions You Might Ask Which types of fly traps are safest for kids and pets? According to Bossel, sticky traps are the safest to have around children and pets since they don’t use electricity or chemicals. “Sticky traps are the safest option for kids and pets since they only use an adhesive surface to trap flies,” he says. “Baited fly traps are also safe because they use non-toxic bait to lure insects into a container. Electric fly zappers may be dangerous to kids or pets that can touch them.” Where should you place fly traps? You may think that fly traps will do best near a door or window, but sometimes there are more strategic placements such as near drains, fruit baskets and food, plants, and kitchen trash cans. However, Bossel also recommends placing them near entryways where flying bugs can pass through. “Outdoor traps should be hung up high next to garbage cans or slightly off from high-traffic areas and crowds,” he adds. How long will fly traps remain effective? The time frame over which a fly trap remains effective varies depending on various factors. Bossel says the type of trap and environmental conditions can affect how long it lasts. “Sticky traps almost always stay useful until they’re filled with insects or if they lose their stickiness,” he says. “Baiting types might need refreshing when the bait dries up or becomes expired. Electric traps might require battery and bulb replacement or recharging for them to still be useful, but these devices can work for years if they are cleaned regularly.” Take Our Word for It This article was written by L. Daniela Alvarez, a contributing writer for Real Simple with three years of experience writing about lifestyle content and product reviews. To compile this list, she spent hours researching top-rated fly traps and reading customer reviews. For expert insights, she reached out to Allan Bossel, operations expert at BBE Bed Bug Exterminator.