Fruit Fly Fun
By AnjaP
@Rollo1 (16679)
Boston, Massachusetts
September 21, 2015 6:34am CST
The latest in my long list of insect plagues is fruit flies. I think they came in on a bag of tomatoes that my sister brought me that someone gave to her out of the bounty of their home garden. But some the tomatoes were already quite ripe and some were going soft. When I realized the bag was full of fruit flies, I threw it out. I felt bad that someone worked to grow them, but I didn't need a house full of fruit flies.
Except - once they are in the house, they just keep breeding.
So, I have a glass jar, half full of wine, set up on the windowsill over the sink. Over the jar, I have stretched plastic wrap and secured it with an elastic for a tight fit. I punched a few holes in the top of the plastic food wrap with a sharp implement. The flies love fermenting things, and are drawn to it. They can't help themselves. They crawl in through the holes and get trapped.
Not enough are drowning though, so I need to up the level of the liquid in the jar.
Have you ever had a fruit fly infestation? How did you get rid of them?
9 people like this
9 responses
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
21 Sep 15
For ants, I will refer to you to my dissertation on Diatomaceous Earth.
Where has this stuff been all my life? Ever since I moved into this apartment, I have felt like I am suffering the ten plagues of Egypt. First came the ants....
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
22 Sep 15
@xfahctor If you have a bagless hand vac, then don't turn it off until you get outside, and then empty it into a plastic bag outside. Then if they fly out, they are not in the house. This is particularly satisfying in January. Die, flies. Die.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
21 Sep 15
I have had the infestation but never to a large degree. My ants are now gone thanks for the tip.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
21 Sep 15
think I hung up a sticky trap for a few days and made sure any fruit and food were in containers so they couldnt get to them
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
21 Sep 15
@Rollo1 and you take them down soonish, nothing grosser than those things left around for days
@Tampa_girl7 (50641)
• United States
23 Sep 15
What disgusting little critters. I hung up fly strips to catch them.