techbullion How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies
How to get rid of fruit flies in house is a common problem. You might have fruit flies in your home OR kitchen. Do not worry; they’re pretty common, but luckily getting rid of them doesn’t cost a lot, require a lot of tools, or take a lot of work. Most likely, you have everything you need in your cabinets! We had fruit flies in our house recently for the first time in over four years. We don’t know what brought them in. So I took the chance to test seven different ways to eliminate them. Yes, a lot of notes and even a chart were made. I’m going to show you how to make the best fruit fly traps today.
Each trap we made at home is simple to put together and uses natural items we already had in the house. Let’s just say this is very chemical-free and easy to do yourself. These fruit flies can be let go outside if you don’t want them to die. The important thing here is to have a lot of different fruit fly trap choices. We’ll also give you some ways to keep fruit flies from coming in the first place.
What Are Fruit Flies?
Just like their name says, fruit flies are small flying pests that like sweet fruits and some veggies. Also, drinks with a lot of sugar or bacteria, like beer, wine, and juice, appeal to them. You might see a lot of them around trash cans, fruit bowls, and even kitchen drains. They’re about the size of a rice grain and have red eyes. They look like small, tan brown and fuzzy houseflies. Most of the time, they show up in the summer or late fall, when lots of foods are available.
If you have fruit flies, they might start coming into your home on a piece of fruit. However, females can lay hundreds of eggs in their short lives. The eggs can hatch in as little as 12 hours. They become adults in just a few days, so a small group of pests can quickly grow into a swarm. That’s why you need to get rid of the fruit flies quickly.
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What Attracts Fruit Flies Best?
This is where I jumped at the chance to keep doing this strange project. We wanted to see what kind of fruit worked best as bait because we had such good luck with fruit scraps. A banana peel, apple pieces, and a strawberry were the fruits we used. We put them next to each other in a Plastic Wrap Trap and left them there for 24 hours.
The banana peel was the most rotten at the start, so it was the strongest. But in the end, the fruit flies were most drawn to the strawberry. A few flies still got caught in the banana peel, but more bugs got caught in the strawberry as it rotted. None of them got caught by the apple slices!
Fruit flies vs fungus gnats vs. drain flies:
It’s easy to mix up fruit flies with other common house pets, like fungus gnats and drain flies. All of them are small flying bugs, but knowing the difference between them will help you get rid of them the right way. The best way for us to tell them apart is by where we see them and what bigger bug they look like.
- Fruit flies look like little flies. They hang out near trash cans, fruit bowls, and other smelly food sources.
- Drain flies look like little moths with fuzzy wings. They often hang out near sinks and drains.
- It seems like fungus gnats are small mosquitoes. Since they like to lay their eggs in damp dirt, they tend to hang out near houseplants.
If you’re not sure, try one of the traps below. If it brings bugs into your home, you have fruit flies!
How To Prevent Fruit Flies:
Fruit flies are easy to get rid of, but it’s better if you can keep them from coming in the first place. Following are some easy steps you can take to keep fruit flies out of your home.
- Clean up the kitchen. Clean the kitchen cabinets, stovetops, tables, and any other surface that could get food or liquids on it. Fruit flies love fruit, sweet juices, and booze, so don’t leave those out for too long!
- Get rid of your trash. If you put food scraps in the trash can at night, they will quickly become a home for fruit flies.
- Get rid of fruit that is too ripe. Keep an eye on your fruit bowl and get rid of any apples, bananas, or other fruits that are turning brown or going bad before they become a problem.
- When you get home, wash your fruit right away. If you wash your fruits and vegetables right away (except for berries, which could go bad faster from the water), you can get rid of any eggs or maggots that might have come home from the store.
- When you can, keep food in the fridge. If you’re not sure what to do, put your fruits and veggies in the fridge. Fruit flies won’t be able to survive there.
- Clear out the drain in your sink. Fruit flies can also be drawn to food scraps that are left in the drain, so make sure you run your trash disposal and/or flush the drain often.
Finally, don’t freak out if you see fruit flies in your house. Indeed, you need to act quickly to stop the issue from getting worse. But the suggestions in this post are simple, work, and happen quickly. You might even enjoy being a fruit fly scientist like I did.
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies Home Remedies:
It’s not hard or expensive to get rid of fruit flies. You just need a few things from around the house and some time. The main idea behind all of them is the same: catch the fruit fly and don’t let it get away. We tried the four projects below, and there was a clear winner at the end. You probably already have the things you need for each way, so it doesn’t hurt to try more than one. Believe me when I say it’s fun to be a fruit fry expert. These are the first four ways I tried:
- Funnel Trap.
- Plastic Wrap Trap.
- Dish Soap Trap.
- Rotting Fruit Trap.
After giving more information about each method, I’ll tell you what we think about them. Just know that some traps will work faster than others, and it could take a few days for all of them to completely get rid of your problem.
Funnel Fruit Fly Trap:
Fruit flies are drawn into the trap through a small hole in the bottom of a homemade paper tube. When the flies get inside, they have trouble getting back out through the small hole.
Supplies needed:
- Small clear jar, cup, or container, preferably with a small or narrow opening
- Piece of paper or cardstock
- Tape
- Scissors
- Apple cider vinegar (ACV)
- Pick out a jar. Grab a small, clear container, like a used food jar or a plastic soda bottle. It works better if the hole is small and narrow for this method.
- Put in the apple cider vinegar. Add a little apple cider vinegar, old beer, or wine to the bottom of the jar. Fruit flies will come because of the smell.
- Get your funnel ready. Roll up a small piece of paper or cardstock into a cone form. Leave a very small hole at the very end. Use tape to hold the shape in place.
- If it’s easier, you can also cut this hole in the end. It only needs to be a bowl of rice grain-sized.
- Lay out your funnel. Put your paper cone through the container’s hole. You might need to change the shape of your funnel so that it can sit on top of the hole in your container without touching the ACV. Make sure it has a strong grip on all four sides of the opening so that flies can’t get out.
- Optional finish outside. Carefully move the whole thing outside without moving the funnel, or they’ll all get out before you get to the door. Take the funnel off and let them fly away.
You can also use a store-bought funnel for this, but the hole at the bottom of your store-bought funnel might be too big and let too many fruit flies escape.
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Plastic Wrap Fruit Fly Trap:
Fruit flies are drawn to this trap by the smell of apple cider vinegar. Like in the first trap, they get into this one through small holes in the plastic cover. But, just like with the first trap, they have trouble getting back out.
Supplies needed:
- Small clear jar, cup, or container.
- Rubber band.
- Plastic wrap or plastic bag.
- Toothpick.
- Apple cider vinegar (ACV).
The steps for making this plastic wrap trap are a lot like the steps for making the funnel trap above. These are the steps:
- Pick out a jar. Find a small glass jar, cup, or other object that is clear. It doesn’t have to be big; just about anything will work. An old soda or beer can works just as well, but it’s easier to see the flies when you use something clear.
- Put in the apple cider vinegar. Use your jar to pour apple cider vinegar into it. The smell will make the flies come. It also works with old wine or beer, but not with white vinegar.
- Put plastic over it. Use a rubber band to hold the plastic wrap around the hole in place. You can use Saran wrap or cut-up pieces of a plastic bag.
- Make little holes. Make a few small holes in the top of the plastic with a toothpick. Make sure they are big enough for a fly to go through. You don’t need many.
- Optional finish outside. Carefully bring the whole thing outside without taking off the plastic wrap cover, or they’ll all get out before you get to the door. Once you get outside, take off the cover and let them fly away
You can also use this method by making a hole in the lid of a metal jar. This can be done in a glass jar or an old food jar. Make holes in the top with a hammer and nail.
Dish Soap Fruit Fly Trap:
With this method, you don’t have to make any covers like you did with the other two. Instead, these pets can’t fly away because of the soapy surface. Note that you can’t let them run free outside with this one because the soap will cover them.
Supplies needed:
- Small container, bowl, or dish.
- Dish soap.
- Apple cider vinegar (ACV).
It’s straightforward to put this trap together.
- Get some apple cider vinegar ready. Put apple cider vinegar in the bottom of a small bowl, jar, or dish, just like you did with the other traps. The fruit flies will come because of this smell.
- Mix in the dish soap. ACV should be mixed with a few drops of dish soap to make a salty solution. When flies land on the mixture, it’s hard for them to get away.
You can also use this method along with the plastic wrap and tube method. Just mix some dish soap into the apple cider vinegar before putting the lid on top. This adds another way for the flies to get stuck in your device.
Rotting Fruit Trap:
We also tried some of these traps with real fruit instead of apple cider vinegar, which is what fruit flies love most.
Supplies needed:
- Small glass jar, cup, or container.
- Plastic wrap or paper funnel, depending on your chosen trap mechanism.
- A small fruit scrap like a banana peel or apple slice.
In either the Plastic Wrap or Funnel trap, just switch out the banana peel, apple slice, or peach for apple cider vinegar to make a rotten fruit trap. You can also mix this fruit scrap with your ACV. Just be ready to switch out the fruit scraps every day or two so that the kitchen doesn’t start to smell bad.
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