The Unexpected Hack Borrowed From 1970s Dance Clubs To Keep Flies Away From Your Campsite

Camping is a great way for you to connect with nature. It's a retreat from the noise and chaos of the city, along with the distractions that can prevent you from decompressing at home. However, there are pesky pests that can complicate your camping adventure: bugs. You may already know the hack on how you can camp mosquito-free by brewing coffee, but you might be surprised to learn that a delightful decor item can help keep flies away from your campsite: a disco ball.

Disco balls hit peak popularity during the 1970s when they became iconic fixtures in dance clubs like New York City's Studio 54. However, this nostalgic, mirror-covered sphere was originally patented as the "myriad reflector" by Louis Woeste, a Kentuckian, in 1917. It's for this reason that Louisville, Kentucky, one of America's friendliest cities, is where 90 percent of disco balls were produced during the 1970s at Omega National Products.

Hanging a disco ball at your campsite will provide more than festive outdoor decor; it's a distraction technique against flying pests. As the ball moves in the breeze, the light reflected from its tiny mirrors confuses the flies. Their compound eyes are sensitive to light, which is why hanging the shiny globe works. According to the pest management services company, Rentokil, "What attracts flies is actually the light reflection and refraction – the reflecting light rays ... [will] confuse the flies and make them fly away instead of landing."

More than just annoying, flies can transmit disease and parasites, contaminating your food and drink and putting an end to your refreshing camping retreat. Adding a disco ball to your list of camping equipment is a low-effort hack. However, keep in mind that the dazzling orb is a temporary, stationary fix to repel the flying pests, so you'll still need to pack some bug spray for when you wander away from your camp's home base.