How do I banish fruitflies?
Asked by
andrew (
16543
)
November 8th, 2006
I'm sick of fruitflies. Every time I leave a banana out I start seeing them. Are there any ways, other than the obvious keep-all-foodstuffs-locked-in-the-refrigerator solution, to get rid of them?
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10 Answers
I was going to say, eat the food before it's rotting, but you seem to know that. I just had fruit flies, and didn't realize a pear had ripened, and then began the slow death of fruit. Usually when I see fruit flies, I realize it's time to give something the heave-ho.
My fruit isn't rotten, though. They usually show up if I have a piece of fruit out for two days after it gets home from the grocery.
They come in with your groceries. Take all your food off the counter for about a week, and that usually solves the problem. Wash your fruit as soon as you get it home.
Putting out a bowl of balsamic vinegar should help - it attracts the flies and keeps them away from the fruit.
I left out one banana once, like two months ago, and now have a colony of fruitflies I can't kill. I've tried tempting them with vinegar and it hasn't worked. Any other suggestions?
Put the vinegar (liquor works too) in a cup/bowl and cover it with plastic wrap but cut a hole in the middle. the fruit flies will crawl in through the hole and and won't be able to find their way out. I also heard adding a little dish soap helps
carnivorous plants. seriously. sundew is good. but they require a bit of care... a boggy environment.
here's a great trick i learned from someone who does the whole studying fruit flies thing. put some sweet smelling vinegar and water in a small cup or bowl and add some dish detergent. that breaks the surface tension on the liquid and they fall in and drown.
also just a simple oil and vinegar works, or red wine....the key is that the container has to be shallow or they'll just hang out on the edge...I use jar lids and fill them to the brim...we keep this in the windowsill in the kitchen and we dont have any major fly issues, even though we store compost on the counter
Politely ask them to leave, please?
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