How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies, Once and for All
Fast and easy DIY trap and kill methods to try at home and you probably have the supplies in your pantry.
Country Living | Natalie Schumann | August 31, 2023
What causes a lot of fruit flies in the house?
Even though it seems that they just pop up out of nowhere, the truth is fruit flies are attracted to fermenting fruits and vegetables and thrive on high-fructose substances. Female fruit flies lay their eggs on the surface of or inside overripe, rotting, or decaying fruit. If you think that's gross, brace yourself. Each female fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs at a time! For that reason, it's important to take action as soon as you see the very first fruit fly. After hatching, the larva feast on their surroundings (for example, a super ripe banana) for a few days before evolving into fully formed adults. Overall, their life cycle is fairly quick—fruit flies are capable of mating just two days after they become adults—which means your cleanup clock starts immediately. Pronto. No waiting.
How to get rid of fruit flies for good
Before you get started, evaluate your space and get cleaning. Fruit flies hate clean surfaces, so clear off all of the clutter and wipe down your countertops as well as your sink. Trust us: If you skip this step, you'll be fighting a losing battle against the bugs. Next, make sure you are dealing with fruit flies and not another flying insect like drain flies. Fruit flies are usually yellow in color and swarm overripe fruit, like bananas or peaches.
Clean all surfaces. The first (and perhaps easiest) step to eliminating fruit flies is quite simple: Thoroughly wipe down all countertops. If you don't, these spots become the perfect place for fruit flies to breed.
Throw out too-ripe or rotting produce. Check all fruits and vegetables for rot, decay, or overripeness. Dispose any questionable pieces to avoid female fruit flies from laying their eggs on these surfaces.
Take out garbage regularly. This might seem like a no-brainer, but a clean house is a pest-free house. Taking out the trash will prevent bugs from lingering.
Clean your drain. Keep sink drains free of food particles and residue as best you can.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Plastic Wrap Trap
Fill a bowl or glass with apple cider vinegar, cover with plastic wrap, seal the edges with a rubber band, and poke tiny holes in the top. The vinegar will attract the fruit flies, and once they're inside, they won't be able to escape the plastic wrap barrier.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Dish Soap Trap
Fill a bowl with vinegar and add a drop of dish soap, mixing well. The stale sweetness of the apple cider vinegar tempts flies, and the dish soap works to decrease the surface tension of the liquid, causing the flies to become immersed immediately upon investigating the solution and unable to escape.
What If I Don't Have Apple Cider Vinegar?
Try the beer or wine trap. Leave a bottle of old wine or beer out near where the fruit flies were spotted. They’ll be lured in by the stale beverage, but the narrow neck of the bottle acts as a natural barrier to keep them trapped.
This post originally appeared on Country Living and was published August 31, 2023. This article is republished here with permission.
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