How to Get Fruit Flies Out of Your Kitchen
Fruit flies are small flying creatures that resemble gnats. They are attracted to rotting food, particularly fruit, and will breed wherever food waste is present. When an infestation occurs, you must first locate the breeding ground before attempting to eradicate the adult flies. Without eliminating the breeding area, fruit flies will continue to plague your home. An adult fruit fly lives only about one week, but adult fruit flies can produce up to 500 eggs during this time. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Household cleaners
- Hot water
- Aerosol insecticide (optional)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Glass jar
- Paper funnel
- Rubber band
Instructions
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Remove any ripened fruit from countertops. Eat the fruit, refrigerate or discard it.
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Empty garbage cans and scrub their interiors with a household cleaner and hot water. Search your home for other possible breeding grounds, paying particular attention to areas where you have seen large numbers of adult flies. Other possible breeding areas include drains, outside compost bins near windows or doors, recycling containers, and spills under dishwashers and refrigerators. Clean any potential breeding area thoroughly.
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3
Spray an aerosol insecticide into your drain if you suspect the drain is a breeding area. Use caution when working with insecticides and always follow the manufacturer's directions.
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4
Pour an inch of apple cider vinegar into a glass jar.
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Make a small funnel with a piece of paper that will fit the opening in the jar. Roll the paper into a funnel with an opening just large enough for a fruit fly to enter.
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Insert the funnel into the jar with the small opening inside the jar. Fold the large end of the funnel over the top of the jar and secure the paper to the jar with a rubber band. Do not allow the paper to get wet when inserting the funnel.
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Place the trap in a fruit-fly-populated area. The adult fruit flies will enter the trap attracted to the bait and will not be able to find their way out.
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Discard the trap after a few days when you no longer see any adult fruit flies.
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Tips & Warnings
You can substitute the apple cider vinegar bait with overripe fruit slices, sugared water or beer.
A plastic bag can substitute for the paper funnel. Pierce a small hole in a bottom corner of the bag with a pencil and place the plastic bag over the jar with the open corner dropping into the center of the jar. Secure the bag with a rubber band.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
