"Shoo fly don't bother me..."

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This one is a trip so hold on tight.

I recently visited family down south (Mississippi) and while at my aunt's house, I saw the bag of water outside her front door pictured above.

You may have seen it elsewhere yourself.

I was like, "Nope, not gonna do it. I'm not gonna ask. It's gonna be something insane."

And like the cat, my curiosity got the best of me.

I asked. She responded.

"It keeps the flies out of the house."

Come again? How does that bag of water outside of your front door do that?

It's the explanation for me.

My auntie told me that according to an old wives tale, the flies SEE THEMSELVES (their own reflections) in the bag of water. Upon doing so they get scared and fly the other way and thusly stay out of your house. That's why the bag is at the front door.

A blank stare ensues.

"Shut the front door," was my response and I'm cleaning it up because this is a family article.

You're kidding me Auntie and that can't be right.

So I head to Dr. Google to get quantitative proof and let her know just how wrong she was and that there was no way that this was anywhere near right.

Guess who was wrong and why?

Apparently, the bag of water outside your front door DOES work or help to keep flies from coming inside.

Here's why.

It's not entirely certain why the bags work, the Tennessee Farm Bureau speculates it's because the pennies appear magnified in the water, which irritates the flies, who have large, sensitive eyes.

"The fly bases his movement by light and the refracted light coming through the water in the plastic bag confuses the fly causing him to move on to a place that is easier on the eyes," the TFB website states. (tnfarmbureau)

Two things here.

  1. The flies don't see themselves and get scared. It's the refracted light going through the bag of water that does the trick. Allegedly
  2. My aunt was missing pennies in the bottom of the bag.

There are plenty of videos on YouTube that swear by this thing.

Have you heard of this? Have you tried it? Does it work? Message us on our station app and let us know.

SEE MORE: Beautiful Butterflies Captured Around The Country

 

SEE MORE: Beautiful Butterflies Captured Around The Country

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