How to get rid of fruit flies
Ah, those pesky little fruit flies! Out of nowhere, they are suddenly swirling around your fruit bowl or having a grand old time in the compost bin under the sink.
Fruit flies (Drosophila flies or midges) live for about 30 days. Females are fertile for approximately 10 days, and in that time they can lay up to 500 eggs! It’s easy to see why they can quickly become a problem in the home.
Fruit flies
can be very annoying, but getting rid of them is really quite simple! Read on
for tips on preventing and dealing with a fruit fly problem.
No fruit flies allowed
Fruit flies
are attracted to fermentation, hence their interest in your fruit or a glass of
wine left on the counter.
How to keep
fruit flies away:
- Wash your fruit.
- Store your fruit in the fridge if necessary.
- Wipe off any moisture or food residue from your kitchen counter or table.
- Empty your garbage can and compost bin often.
- Rinse your beer and wine bottles.
- Wash dirty dishes right away.
- Put wine corks in your fruit basket—apparently fruit flies don’t like the smell.
Say goodbye fruit fly
If you
already have a fruit fly problem, here are a few ways to get rid of them:
- Pour apple cider vinegar into a glass or bowl, cover with plastic wrap and poke small holes in the wrap. If you don’t have any apple cider vinegar, other fermented liquids such as wine or beer work just as well. This method has been approved by a scientist specializing in Drosophila flies.
- Another fly trap involves placing a piece of banana in the bottom of a glass, inserting a homemade paper funnel with a very small opening at the end and taping around the funnel to seal the trap.
- Pour a little cider vinegar, some dish soap and warm water into a glass and swish it to make it foam up a little. The smell will attract the flies, and the soap bubbles and water will do the rest.
- Leave a few drops of essential oils near your fruit to keep away the fruit flies who can’t stand the scent.
- Fruit flies don’t like the smell of basil, lavender and mint—I think you know what to do by now!
What if these tips don’t work?
If the above methods are unsuccessful, you can always turn to a professional exterminator just as you would for ants, millipedes or other harmful pests.
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See also:
Ants in the house: everything you need to know
How to deal with ants, millipedes and other insects