Best Flying Insect Spray

To help you find the best flying insect spray for home or commercial use, we have tried out a multitude of top products, testing them for killing efficacy, ensuring they efficiently eliminated flies, mosquitoes, and gnats, among other bugs. We also liked items that lasted for a long time, as much as 12 hours, and sprays that shipped in large containers appropriate for multiple uses. You can also find other quality items for your next excursion in our best camping gear guide.

The best product we tried was easily the Sawyer Products Picaridin Flying Insect Spray, which is highly effective against mosquitos, including the Zika-carrying Yellow Fever Mosquito, in addition to flies, gnats, and a large array of both flying and crawling insects, including ticks. The formula lasts for over 12 hours with one application and the container uses a proprietary system to ensure that it sprays evenly. Keep reading to learn more about the Sawyer Products Picaridin Flying Insect Spray and the other models on this list.

Top 6 Best Flying Insect Sprays

 #1  Sawyer Products Picaridin Flying Insect Spray

Award: TOP PICK

WHY WE LIKE IT: Picaridin-based formula that is highly effective against illness-carrying mosquitoes, in addition to flies, gnats and ticks, with a bottle that sprays evenly in any direction and a low-odor design.

This Sawyer Products Picaridin Flying Insect Spray uses picaridin as an active agent, which is rated to be safe to apply on clothing or on human skin. This formula is highly effective against mosquitoes, including the illness-carrying Yellow Fever Mosquito, in addition to flies, gnats, and crawling insects, such as ticks. It does not feature much of an odor, just a slight citrus scent, and the container uses a proprietary system to ensure that it sprays evenly.

Though this is a great product to prevent flies, including biting flies, it is not certified to be effective against hornets or wasps. Additionally, the six-ounce container is on the smaller side, compared to some items on this list, but it does last for over 12 hours with one application, which is nice. Speaking of spray, the best spray paint will fix a lot of things around the house.

 #2  Ortho Home Defense Flying Insect Spray

Award: HONORABLE MENTION

WHY WE LIKE IT: Extremely effective against hornets and wasps, with a spray that reaches over 20 feet in any direction and shipping in a large 16-ounce container, which is plenty enough for multiple uses.

This Ortho Home Defense Flying Insect Spray is the best product we tested against hornets and wasps, with additional efficacy against mud daubers and yellow jackets. The propellant is powerful, easily jettisoning spray as far away as 20 feet, helping hit nests and other areas where wasps congregate. The large 16-ounce container is also fantastic, containing enough formula to last weeks of repeated use.

It must be noted, however, that this is a contact killer and not a repellent, so only use it when you actually see a wasp or a nest. Also, it can harm plants with prolonged use, including shrubbery. Check out the Flagline ZEP Mosquito/Fly Repellent Spray, another great fly repellent for effective pest control that repels and kills flies and other insects. This spray is rated almost 5 stars on Amazon and can finally put an end to those house flies, mosquitoes, small flying moths, and other pests for good. You will also want to check out the best backpack sprayer for more options.

 #3  Dr. Killigan’s Six Feet Under Flying Insect Spray

Award: BEST FOR KIDS & PETS

WHY WE LIKE IT: Leaves a sweet-smelling aroma in its wake that is pleasant, with a non-toxic formulation that is safe for both kids and pets and still excels with killing a wide variety of insects on contact.

This Dr. Killigan’s Six Feet Under Flying Insect Spray is safe for pets, in addition to children, thanks to a non-toxic formulation that doesn’t leave much residue after use. We also found the odor to be pleasing, which reminded us of cinnamon and was free of any lingering chemical aroma. This formula also excels with the elimination of a wide variety of both flying and crawling insects, including fleas, ticks, flies, moths, and mosquitoes, among others.

Though it does excel with the killing of adult moths, we found that it struggled to eliminate larvae. Additionally, the formula contains several essential oils which could slightly stain certain fabrics, including carpeting, with prolonged use. Speaking of bugs and germs, read about the best disinfectant spray.

 #4  Raid Flying Insect Spray Killer

Award: BEST MULTIPACK

WHY WE LIKE IT: Available in budget-friendly multipacks of up to 6 units, with a formula that excels with flies and mosquitoes, while being rated as safe for indoor use.

This Raid Flying Insect Spray Killer is the best fly killer for the home, as the formula can easily be used indoors without much of a lingering chemical odor, though it does leave a fresh outdoor scent which we found to be pleasant. It is available in budget-friendly multipacks of up to six units, every 15 ounces, and the containers offer even spray distribution.

Thanks to its use indoors and outdoors, Raid Flying Insect Killer is one of the most popular repellants sold in the United States, and though this product does efficiently kill mosquitoes and flies, it is not rated for wasps or hornets. Also, the formulation is rather toxic and not to be used by children, so be careful and try to stow it away out of their reach. This is not friendly like the best antibacterial spray.

 #5  Cutter Backyard Bug Control Outdoor Flying Insect Spray

Award: BEST FOR LARGE AREAS

WHY WE LIKE IT: Outdoor fogger that excels with killing and preventing a wide variety of insects, including flies and gnats, with the ability to treat 1,200 cubic feet at once and shipping in a multipack of 2.

This Cutter Backyard Bug Control Outdoor Flying Insect Spray is the best fogger we tried, easily treating 1,200 cubic feet in one go. It prevents flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and wasps, in addition to many crawling insects, including several varieties of ant. This product ships in a multipack of two 16 ounce cans, which is fantastic, and features an aerosol design that sprays evenly.

Though this product can kill and prevent many varieties of ant, it is not effective against carpenter ants, fire ants, pharaoh ants, and harvester ants. Additionally, this formula is intended only for outdoor use, so if you have an indoor gnat infestation, for instance, you will have to choose one of our other picks. If you want to make your own spray, you’ll need the best spray bottle.

 #6  Spectracide HG-96235 Stop Flying Insect Spray

Award: BEST BUDGET

WHY WE LIKE IT: Budget-friendly product that is available in multipacks of up to 12 units, with a spray that is particularly effective against roaches, in addition to flying insects, and a water-based formula that leaves no oily residue.

This Spectracide HG-96235 Stop Flying Insect Spray is highly effective against crawling insects, such as roaches, in addition to a multitude of flying insects like mosquitoes and flies. The formula is water-based and does not leave an oily residue and the budget-friendly price tag is fantastic, particularly as the savings stack when buying the multipack of 12 cans that are 16 ounces each.

Though the formula keeps working for weeks after being applied, it is not particularly effective outdoors, as inclement weather can wash away the lingering residue. Also, it is not rated for use against fire ants nor for prolonged use against bed bugs, as the latter can develop a resistance to the formula over time.

How We Decided

To help narrow down to the above list, we first ensured that these products excelled with the killing of a wide variety of flying insects, including disease-carrying mosquitoes, flies, gnats, and wasps. We also liked formulations that worked with crawling insects in addition to their flying counterparts, including ants, roaches, ticks, and, on occasion, bed bugs. Another way of preventing mosquitos from messing up your sleep while camping is to buy the best rooftop tents.

We populated the above list with a variety of different formulations to suit both indoor and outdoor use, which included foggers and contact sprays, among other disbursement methods. We also preferred products that did not leave much of a chemical odor, preferring items that did not leave much of an odor at all or left behind pleasant cinnamon or outdoor scent. And to prevent food or beverage from being exposed to the chemicals in the spray, store it in a portable fridge, or the best coolers.

We made sure to include one formulation that was certified to be non-toxic and safe for pets and children since many of the above products are filled with toxins. Finally, we did our research to pick out budget-friendly multipacks, some featuring as many as 12 units for one lower-than-average price.

Best Flying Insect Killer Buyer’s Guide

The Most Important Features to Consider

1. Contact vs Residue
   Flying insect sprays come in two basic variants, contact formulas, and residue formulas. Contact formulas kill on contact and do not typically leave a residue. These are especially effective against mosquitoes, wasps, and hornets, though less effective against insects that tend to infest the home, such as gnats and fruit flies. Residue formulas leave behind a residue in their wake which continues killing for up to 12 weeks. These types of solutions can be perfect for flying insects that have infested your home.
2. Wasps and Hornets
   Wasps and hornets occasionally require special care, especially if you are dealing with an infestation. Formulations that specialize in the eradication of these insects, such as our number two pick, use an innovative technique that, essentially, wraps the wasps in a type of foam, which kills them. It can do the same for their nests, making them particularly effective. Be careful when dealing with wasps and hornets.
3. Odor
   If you are angling to use an insect spray indoors, you are going to want to make sure that the product does not leave a foul odor in its wake. To that end, many of the above items eschew chemical-based odors in favor of pleasant aromas that recall the outdoors or food ingredients, such as cloves or cinnamon. Before purchasing, make sure to read reviews and note if bad odors have been a detriment to any consumers.