Easy Fruit Fly Traps

Fruit flies are small, destructive insects.

An infestation of fruit flies can ruin your apples, peaches, or even tomatoes. If you live in the tropics, fruit flies devour guavas, bananas, pineapples and most other fruit. But you can trap them with simple homemade traps.

Description and Types

Many species of fruit flies exist around the world. If you find small worms inside your fruit, they are the larvae of a fruit fly. Mediterranean fruit flies are common: they measure only 1/4 inch long. Oriental fruit flies measure about 4/10 inch. The larvae, or maggots, of both are 1/4 inch long and white.

Plastic Bottle Trap

Use a large plastic soda bottle. Drill a 3/8-inch hole near the top and pour 1 inch of urine, a teaspoon or so of Vegemite (a yeast-extract spread that is popular in Australia) dissolved in water, or some drops of vanilla extract mixed with water into the bottle. Hang it in the tree you want to protect. Only male flies will enter the trap, but this reduces the breeding population and gives you an idea of the number of fruit flies in your area.

Drinking Glass Method

Use a glass, mug or bowl. Fill it with less than 1 inch of apple cider, orange juice or wine. Flies will be attracted to the sweet liquid, fall into it and most will drown. Place several of these near your affected tree and replace the liquid frequently, especially after a rain.

References

• Fantastic Farms Australia: Fruit Trees and Homemade Pest Remedies for Organic Gardening
• Dead Easy: Fruit Fly Traps
• State of Florida: Fruit Fly Pests
• AquaLand pets: Caring For Your Fruit Fly Ranch