Flies are a nuisance, but worse than that, they carry disease. Commercial chemical fly sprays aren't safe to use around your chicken coop, barn or animals, and those sticky fly strips - while effective - aren't the most attractive things, so I decided to make a cute natural fly catcher bunting for our chicken coop.

I was inspired by an idea that I saw in the latest issue of Hobby Farm magazine by former editor Stephanie Stanton.

She uses heavy stock paper  to make a cute bunting which she treats with a mix of honey, sugar and water. I decided to use my own recipe from when I made my own fly strips  and also use fabric instead of paper.

A trip to the local thrift store yielded me several gingham shirts for just a few dollars that I cut up for this project.

Other than the fabric, all you need is some twine (get my cute twine caddy here), and basic sewing skills.

Since these are basically disposable (although I suppose you could rinse them out once they're full of flies, let them dry and re-dip them) the sewing doesn't have to be perfect.

I whipped this bunting up in just minutes. It would also make a great project for a child who is just getting started sewing - and can even be sewn by hand.

What you Need |

Six 6" rectangles cut out of fabric

Five feet of twine

1//2 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons beer

To Make your Bunting | Hem two sides of each triangle. Fold the remaining side over 1/2" and sew along the inner edge, creating a space wide enough to thread your twine through. Thread each triangle onto your length of twine and tie each end into a loop (for hanging later).

Heat the honey, sugar and beer over medium-low heat in a shallow saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. Dip the triangles into the solution, covering each one completely, front and back, and then set on the parchment to dry.

Hang your bunting in your coop or run area to lure flies away from the feeding area, at least several feet off the ground so the chickens don't get stuck in it. Or hang over the door of your coop or horse stalls, or on your back patio, porch or fence for your next barbeque or picnic.

If you don't have a fly problem, just skip the dip and hang the bunting as coop or patio decor! And remember - be a Good Samaritan and if you see any ladybugs, bees or other 'good' bugs stuck in your bunting, carefully unstick them and send them on their way!