The Secret Advantage to Having a Disco Ball Outside Your House (It’s Brilliant!)

Now that summer is underway, I’m spending a lot more time outside on my patio — and constantly swatting away stubborn flies and mosquitos. Not only are these buzzing pests annoying, but they can also potentially contaminate your food or drinks with bacteria and parasites. As someone who’s vigilantly invested in fly swatters, homemade ant killer, and citronella candles over the years with mixed results, I did a double take when I stumbled across a zero-effort solution that repels flies from summer barbecue spreads and punch bowls. The hack? Hanging disco balls.

Disco balls aren’t just a whimsical, retro-inspired way to add some extra sparkle to your home — Instagrammers and Redditors alike have figured out that hanging up disco balls is one of the best tricks for getting rid of flies outside while also providing a decorative accent people will love.

According to Rentokil, a pest management services company, reflective light rays are one of the best-kept secrets for keeping flies away. It appears that the refraction of light confuses flies — who have light-sensitive eyes — and makes them less likely to land when they see changing light patterns. 

That’s why hanging up a disco ball is the perfect fly repellent solution, but you could also use spinning CDs hung up over your food offerings, which is what these open-air food vendors do. You could also use other reflective surfaces, like spinning “bags of water” to keep bugs and birds away.

Putting up a disco ball is a much easier (and significantly more aesthetically fun) fly repellent that also doubles as outdoor decor. You can find one online at Amazon that’s currently on sale for $15.99, or even check out your local Dollar Store or a party supply shop for a glittering orb of your choosing.

Once you hang up the disco balls, you can rest easy knowing that flies aren’t going to be landing in your drinks or on your charcuterie plate. However, keep in mind that your fun party-themed decor won’t actually get rid of any of these bugs permanently — it just repels them. If you want to exterminate these pests, you’ll want to grab fly traps and other solutions to ensure a fly-free space this summer.