Did you know a single fruit fly can lay 500 eggs at any single time? So when you see that first fruit fly, it’s probably already too late. That’s why you need to take quick action to deal with the problem immediately, or else!
But don’t fret too much, We got your back. In this article, you will learn how to get rid of fruit flies from your household, but first, you need to know your enemy if you intend to win the battle. So let’s learn How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies!
Know Thy Enemy, Where Do Fruit Flies Come From?
Fruit flies will lay their eggs just about anywhere, but their favorite place to do so is on top of unripened fruit. When you buy an apple from the store, it’s almost guaranteed there are already fruit fly eggs on that apple.
So that’s how they sneak into your house, But what about after that?
Well, Once the fruit starts to over ripen and the juicy sugary goodness inside them starts to ferment, that’s when the larva will bury itself deep inside and start feasting.
Next thing you know you’ve got an infestation.
By washing your fruit and vegetables as soon as you get home, You can lessen the likelihood of having fruit flies, However, it only takes one so it’s not something you can rely on.
So how do you combat them?
Simple, You build a fruit flies trap apple cider vinegar trap.
Sorry, I know that keyword doesn’t really fit the sentence but I had to add it. Who types like that into google anyway?
Setting Up a Fruit Fly Trap
You’re going to see a lot of articles with a lot of different types of traps. They all work to an extent, and the main purpose for all is to lure them into a container, trap them, and let them drown.
It’s a very simple concept that can be evolved in many ways, But I found the simplest method to always be the most effective.
- Get a jar, doesn’t matter what kind
- Add orange juice, Apple cider vinegar, or fruit pieces to the jar, you don’t need much.
- Add a bit of water if you used fruit pieces so there’s some liquid, otherwise;
- Add a dollop of dish soap, dawn works fine
- Cover the container with plastic wrap
- Poke holes just big enough for the flies to crawl in but can’t get out. Might take some trial and error, if they are too small they can’t get in.
And that’s that. All you have to do is place the trap on your counter, Next to your fruit, or where ever else the outbreak is.
How it works: The fruit fly smells the rotting fermenting fluid and tries to get in through the holes. It lands on the surface of the fluid inside and because of the soap breaking the water surface tension, it falls in and drowns.
It’s very simple and effective, and as I said, most traps are based on this methodology. So really this is the only instructions you need, feel free to experiment further, however it likely won’t be necessary.
I can attest this trap works 100% of the time. You will even kill them faster than they are able to breed. Remember, breeding bad!
But there are fruit flies in drain too! Where did they come from!?
Fruit flies will lay their eggs on any damp wet surface. You will see this most often in say a bathroom sink, where you don’t use it as often as the other sinks in the house.
The insects will lay their eggs inside the drain because it’s cool and damp.
But don’t fret, they are easy to deal with as well. Along with the same trap placed next to the drain in question, You should fill the sink with boiling water and allow it to drain.
This should eliminate all of the eggs, No need to use bleach or anything like that. It won’t be effective since the bleach will pass by them and have very little contact while boiling water will kill them instantly.
Preventing fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) in the first place
It’s often said it’s better to deal in preventative messures rather than reactionary ones. So here are a few methods you can use to try and elliminate the threat before it begins.
- Empty your kitchen garbage bin every day, Don’t let it sit. Especially with fruit or other vegetable refuse.
- Store ripe fruit in the fridge
- Wash your produce very well after you buy it to eliminate surface eggs
- Spilled some juice? Wipe it up with warm water! Don’t let it sit.
- If you’re in a habit of recycling, make sure you clean your jars and containers before putting them aside. Secure covers.
Related questions
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