Fruit Fly Trap: What to Use and How to Use It
Fruit flies may be small, but they are annoying and difficult to get rid of. Fortunately, you can get rid of them using homemade fruit fly traps. With a few simple household supplies and strategic cleaning, you can get rid of fruit flies and prevent them from invading your home.
What Attracts Fruit Flies?
Fruit flies love decayed, ripe, or rotting produce and fruit. They are also attracted to fermented goods such as wine, beer, and liquor. Fruit flies can invade garbage disposals and trash cans that contain the foods they love. Female fruit flies can lay around 500 eggs at once. The eggs hatch within 24 hours, making these insects nearly impossible to get rid of.
To prevent them from invading your home, you should wash produce immediately to remove any larvae or eggs. Discard overripe produce and store vegetables and fruits in the fridge. Clean up any spills immediately, especially alcohol or fruit juice. You should also take out your garbage regularly.
What to Do If You Saw a Fruit Fly in Your Drain
If you saw a fruit fly in the drain, consider pouring some bleach down your drain to kill the larvae. This method, however, will not kill enough of the larvae or eggs to get rid of them completely.
You should also double-check that the annoying critters in question are not fungus gnats that love overwatered houseplants or drain flies that lurk around garbage disposals or drains. Fruit flies have red eyes and a dark or light brown body.
Homemade Fruit Fly Traps
If you are sure that you are dealing with fruit flies, you can make a homemade fruit fly trap to eliminate these pests immediately.
Follow these tips:
Old Fruit, Paper Cone, and Vinegar
Put a chunk of overripe fruit and some vinegar in a jar. Roll a piece of paper into a cone then stick it into your jar, putting the cone’s narrow opening down. The funnel can be recycled or added to your compost afterward. The scent of rotting fruit will entice the flies into the solution. The cone part of the fruit fly trap will make it difficult for the pests to get out.
Dish Soap and Vinegar
Mix vinegar and dish soap then leave the solution uncovered. The soap will cut the vinegar’s surface tension. The fruit flies that are caught in the trap will sink and eventually drown.
Beer or Old Wine
Fruit flies are also attracted to wine, so leave an open bottle of wine in your kitchen or areas that are infested with fruit flies. The skinny neck of the bottle will keep the fruit flies trapped. Stale beer can also attract these pests. You can add a drop of dish soap for better results.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Plastic Wrap
Pour some apple cider vinegar into a bowl or glass. Cover the glass with plastic wrap then secure it using a rubber band. Poke several small holes in the plastic wrap for the flies to enter. These pests love the smell of apple cider vinegar.
The best thing about this DIY fruit fly trap with apple cider vinegar is that once the flies are inside, they will not be able to get out. For better success, make several of these homemade fruit fly traps and put them around the kitchen or garden. This is one of the best ways to get rid of fruit flies immediately.
Commercial Fruit Fly Traps
If you do not have the time or patience to make a DIY fruit fly trap, consider buying a commercial fruit fly trap. That way, you can save a lot of time and get rid of fruit flies immediately. Here are some of the best options that you can place around your kitchen or garden.
Rescue Reusable Fruit Fly Trap
This fruit fly trap comes with a thirty-day supply of liquid attractant that can lure and trap fruit flies within minutes. The best thing about this trap is that it is non-toxic, reusable, and safe around food. Once caught, the flies will not be able to exit the funnel-shaped holes. Fruit flies will eventually drown in the liquid attractant. You can place this trap indoors on your counter, windowsill, table, and other stable surfaces.
Rescue Fruit Fly Trap Attractant
This trap comes with two tubes of liquid attractant that will last for thirty days. The flies that are caught in this trap will eventually drown and die. This trap can be placed indoors to get rid of flies that congregate around fruit, food scraps, cookies, and vegetables. It is non-toxic and safe around food. To use the trap, you only need to cut the tubes then add the attractant to the bottom cup. Replace the top then place it near the infested area.
Terro Fruit Fly Trap Twin Trap
This fast-acting fly trap can be placed on your kitchen counter and near sinks, trash cans, and fruit bowls. It uses a non-toxic and non-staining liquid attractant to lure adult flies inside. The trap’s apple-shaped design will also compliment any kitchen. The built-in window allows you to keep tabs on lure levels and catches. This trap will last for forty-five days.
Terro Fruit Fly Trap
This trap lures adult fruit flies using a food-based liquid attractant. The apple-shaped design of the trap looks good in any kitchen and imitates the shape of fruit as well. Once the flies are caught, they cannot continue breeding and multiplying. You can place this trap near breeding areas like under or behind your kitchen counter, dishwasher, sink, or other areas where fruits are stored.
The best way to control a fruit fly problem is to find their breeding site and place a fruit fly trap nearby. After a few days, you should see the results of your effort. It is also a good idea to implement some preventive measures such as eliminating common breeding sites like trash and overripe trash. That way, they will not be able to lay eggs and multiply. You can either make a homemade fruit fly trap or buy a commercial trap. Either option will work. Commercial fruit fly traps are available at amazon.com. Just follow the instructions on how to use the trap.