Does it really work[seen on recumbent ride]

[Bill B]

I do alot of rides in the rural country side. I also stop at most
small country stores. This past summer while stopping at some of these
stores I would see a zip lock baggy filled with water hanging on the
front door.After seeing these water filled bags ride after ride
curiosity finally got me and i broke down and asked one of the store
owners about the bags.The owner said the water filled bags keep the
flies away because the light reflecting off or through the bag looks
like a spider web[to the fly]!!!! I rode away wondering if it really
works. I would try this but my friends and family already think I'm
nuts. Any one else seen this?:-)

[a&b]

Bill B,
Well at least I now know why it works.
I pulled up to a mom and pop place a couple of years ago and spotted the
baggies stapled to the rafters and was standing there staring at 'em. Pop
comes out and asks if I know what they're for. I'm thinking guppies gone
bad, but reply "No". He says, "Keeps the flies away". I reply, "Oh really,
How does that work?" He says, "Well, we don't know, but Earl, our son, has
the BarBQue down by the lake and ever since he's started using 'em he
ain't had no flies.
Since then I've consulted with several of my salt of the earth type
friends re the etiology of the ZipLock thing and none know where it came
from.
bill g

Bill B wrote:

> I do alot of rides in the rural country side. I also stop at most
> small country stores. This past summer while stopping at some of these
> stores I would see a zip lock baggy filled with water hanging on the
> front door.After seeing these water filled bags ride after ride
> curiosity finally got me and i broke down and asked one of the store
> owners about the bags.The owner said the water filled bags keep the
> flies away because the light reflecting off or through the bag looks
> like a spider web[to the fly]!!!! I rode away wondering if it really
> works. I would try this but my friends and family already think I'm
> nuts. Any one else seen this?:-)

[pjclarkesq]

> Since then I've consulted with several of my salt of the earth type
> friends re the etiology of the ZipLock thing and none know where it came
> from.

Sometimes wisdom just spontaneously self concieves. Tho not so far, I'm
sorry to say, in my case.

Phil

[rorschandt]

a&b > wrote in :

> Bill B,
> Well at least I now know why it works.
> I pulled up to a mom and pop place a couple of years ago and spotted
> the baggies stapled to the rafters and was standing there staring at
> 'em. Pop comes out and asks if I know what they're for. I'm thinking
> guppies gone bad, but reply "No". He says, "Keeps the flies away". I
> reply, "Oh really, How does that work?" He says, "Well, we don't know,
> but Earl, our son, has the BarBQue down by the lake and ever since
> he's started using 'em he ain't had no flies.
> Since then I've consulted with several of my salt of the earth type
> friends re the etiology of the ZipLock thing and none know where it
> came from.
> bill g
>
> Bill B wrote:
>

I first saw this used at a truck stop in Guatemala about 10 years ago. The
Reason given was that the flies would be frightened by their own magnified
reflection. I thought at the time, "That's very unlikely", but there were
no flies about. The restaurant at this truck stop had a "cooking gridle"
that was a large thin rock propped up with a wood fire underneath.

[Truestorys]

(Bill B) wrote in message >...

This past summer while stopping at some of these
stores I would see a zip lock baggy filled with water hanging

I would try this but my friends and family already think I'm
> nuts. Any one else seen this?:-)


Yes, I've seen this at my favorite Bar-B-Que. joint. And I think it
works.
Ruby's Bar-B-Q has a whole bunch of gallon sized plastic bags hanging
in the rafters.

At first we thought it was a Red Neck fire extinguisher system, but
when we asked we were told it keeps the flies away.

Here is the theory:

When a fly lands on the bag full of water he sees a reflection of
himself in the bag, except this reflection is about 100 times larger
than he is!

So he fly's away in fear for his life from the larger fly.

Don

[[email protected]]

Bill B > had this to say...:
: I do alot of rides in the rural country side. I also stop at most
: small country stores. This past summer while stopping at some of these
: stores I would see a zip lock baggy filled with water hanging on the
: front door.After seeing these water filled bags ride after ride
: curiosity finally got me and i broke down and asked one of the store
: owners about the bags.The owner said the water filled bags keep the
: flies away because the light reflecting off or through the bag looks
: like a spider web[to the fly]!!!! I rode away wondering if it really
: works. I would try this but my friends and family already think I'm
: nuts. Any one else seen this?:-)

A search on: plastic bags flies provided this webpage which deals with
the same question:
http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/feb2002/1012966124.En.r.html

--
kathy -at- freddotnet

[Jude T. McGloin]

I saw that same thing at a roadside food stand in Puerto Rico while riding
up into the rainforest. No hot rock, no flies... but crabcakes and plantains
cooked in part of a 55 gal drum full of cooking oil that could pass for
burnt motor oil. My riding companion a 10 year resident said they were the
best crabcakes. Well they were mighty good...the plantains too. However, I
just finished two of the best crabcakes in the worlds...mine...made from
fresh Cheseapeake Blue Crab backfin and lump meat.

--
Jude....///Bacchetta AERO
St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland
Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports, Inc
1-800-586-6645
"rorschandt" > wrote in message
s.com...
> a&b > wrote in :
>
> > Bill B,
> > Well at least I now know why it works.
> > I pulled up to a mom and pop place a couple of years ago and spotted
> > the baggies stapled to the rafters and was standing there staring at
> > 'em. Pop comes out and asks if I know what they're for. I'm thinking
> > guppies gone bad, but reply "No". He says, "Keeps the flies away". I
> > reply, "Oh really, How does that work?" He says, "Well, we don't know,
> > but Earl, our son, has the BarBQue down by the lake and ever since
> > he's started using 'em he ain't had no flies.
> > Since then I've consulted with several of my salt of the earth type
> > friends re the etiology of the ZipLock thing and none know where it
> > came from.
> > bill g
> >
> > Bill B wrote:
> >
>
> I first saw this used at a truck stop in Guatemala about 10 years ago. The
> Reason given was that the flies would be frightened by their own magnified
> reflection. I thought at the time, "That's very unlikely", but there were
> no flies about. The restaurant at this truck stop had a "cooking gridle"
> that was a large thin rock propped up with a wood fire underneath.

[harv]

That brings back memories to an old Delaware boy that remembers Ocean City
crab shacks. Wooden picnic tables covered with brown wraping paper, a big
basket of pungent steaming hot crabs and a cold bottle of Schlitz. That was
heaven. That was 40 years ago. There weren't any plastic bags then.
"Jude T. McGloin" > wrote in message
...
> I saw that same thing at a roadside food stand in Puerto Rico while riding
> up into the rainforest. No hot rock, no flies... but crabcakes and
plantains
> cooked in part of a 55 gal drum full of cooking oil that could pass for
> burnt motor oil. My riding companion a 10 year resident said they were the
> best crabcakes. Well they were mighty good...the plantains too. However, I
> just finished two of the best crabcakes in the worlds...mine...made from
> fresh Cheseapeake Blue Crab backfin and lump meat.
>
> --
> Jude....///Bacchetta AERO
> St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland
> Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports, Inc
> 1-800-586-6645
> "rorschandt" > wrote in message
> s.com...
> > a&b > wrote in :
> >
> > > Bill B,
> > > Well at least I now know why it works.
> > > I pulled up to a mom and pop place a couple of years ago and spotted
> > > the baggies stapled to the rafters and was standing there staring at
> > > 'em. Pop comes out and asks if I know what they're for. I'm thinking
> > > guppies gone bad, but reply "No". He says, "Keeps the flies away". I
> > > reply, "Oh really, How does that work?" He says, "Well, we don't know,
> > > but Earl, our son, has the BarBQue down by the lake and ever since
> > > he's started using 'em he ain't had no flies.
> > > Since then I've consulted with several of my salt of the earth type
> > > friends re the etiology of the ZipLock thing and none know where it
> > > came from.
> > > bill g
> > >
> > > Bill B wrote:
> > >
> >
> > I first saw this used at a truck stop in Guatemala about 10 years ago.
The
> > Reason given was that the flies would be frightened by their own
magnified
> > reflection. I thought at the time, "That's very unlikely", but there
were
> > no flies about. The restaurant at this truck stop had a "cooking gridle"
> > that was a large thin rock propped up with a wood fire underneath.
>
>