I think we can all agree that fruit flies are the worst. I mean, one day you have a beautiful bounty of fresh fruit on your counter and the next day it's covered in an invasive hoard of tiny fruit flies gorging themselves and worse laying their vermin spawn (eggs) on your hard won spoils.
Let's face it we've all been frustrated with a sudden infestation of these pesky insects. In addition to these pests eating your fruit they can also poses some real health risks by potentially spreading germs and bacteria to your food. In this post we'll talk about what attracts fruit flies, how to prevent them and the best DYI solution to trap and eliminate them.
Best DIY Fruit Fly Trap to get rid of Fruit Flies
Let's start with how to get rid of fruit flies, since that's probably why you're here. It's no surprise that you'll find a ton of different DIY and homemade fruit fly traps on the internet. Save yourself the hassle by trying our favorite battle tested DIY fruit fly trap. It's simple, easy, affordable and best of all it really works.
Besides the fact that this solution works surprising well, it only takes minutes to put together and you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen cupboard.
Here's how to make this simple, but effective fruit fly trap.
Apple Cider Vinegar Fruit Fly Trap
Tip: Before you get started, we recommend tossing out or composting any over-ripe fruit that might be attracting the fruit flies.
Supplies:
Apple cider vinegar - 1 Cup
Liquid dish soap - a few drops
A small jar or bowl
Steps:
Pour about 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into the small jar of bowl
Add a few drops of the liquid dish soap to the jar - do not mix it
Set out the trap and wait for it to do it's work
Before you know it, the jar will be filled with drowned fruit flies. If needed, simply empty the jar and repeat the process.
This trap works so well because fruit flies are naturally attracted to the smell of apple cider vinegar. They will land on the surface of the vinegar seeking a place to lay their eggs, however instead of getting a free tasty meal they will fall through the surface film from the dish soap and be trapped.
Now that you've got a handle on getting rid of fruit flies, keep reading to learn more about what attracts them and how to prevent future infestations.
What attracts fruit flies
Fruit flies are attracted to ripening, rotting and fermenting fruits. They will lay their eggs on rotting or fermenting foods, which will hatch into hundreds of new fruit fly larvae. One female fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs, which will hatch within a week.
In addition, these little critters can hitch a ride on produce you bring into your home, so be sure to wipe down your produce and store it in a cool drawer or under cover.
If you've been unlucky enough to attract fruit flies to your home, don't worry, we've got you covered. Just follow the steps above for a simple and cost effective way to eliminate fruit flies.
How to prevent fruit flies
The best way to keep fruit flies from taking over your kitchen is to keep it clean and tidy. Fruit flies like ripening and rotting foods - here are some tips to use everyday to help keep fruit flies out of your home:
Fruit fly infestations can occur when you bring in infected fruit from the garden, farmer's market or grocery store. If you see fruit flies on produce when you're shopping, skip buying anything nearby, unless you want to wake up the next morning to a swarm of fruit flies in your kitchen.
Rinse off fruits and veggies that are washable as soon as you get them home (apples, bananas, berries, citrus, stone fruits, etc)
Keep fruits and veggies in a cool drawer or under cover (especially fruits with high sugar contents - bananas, peaches, etc).
Try to use fruits and vegetables before they over-ripen or go bad to prevent fruit flies from laying their eggs on your ripening or fermenting produce. Did someone say banana bread? If you can't use fruit before it starts to over-ripen consider freezing or dehydrating it.
Keep your kitchen clean and periodically wipe down surfaces with a mild soap and water solution to remove any fruit fly eggs or larvae that might be hiding on your countertops.
Take trash and recycling outside regularly (or keep it in with a tight fitting lid).
Keep food scraps in a compost bag in the freezer.
Flush and clean you sink drain to remove any old trapped food scraps
Periodically wash re-usable shopping bags in the washing machine
Hopefully this helped provide you with some simple steps to reduce and eliminate fruit flies from your home so you can stop worry about sharing that delicious banana with 500 of your closest tiny friends.
Written by our knowledgeable staff writers/farmers at Farmbrite.
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