Ahh, autumn! My kitchen is filled with harvest from my garden and bounty from the farmer’s market…and a boat load of FRUIT FLIES.
Buzzing around the tomatoes and the bananas and the garbage and the unwashed dishes (I should probably wash those, but instead I’m here with you).
They are such annoying pests. Who knows how they got in, but now that they’re here, they’re prolific.
My husband kindly reminded me of these traps I made last year, because they worked really well. I had forgotten all about them…but now that I’m telling you, maybe I’ll remember next year when the need comes up! Or at the very least, when I complain next year, you can tell me I know how to fix this problem.
How to make a fruit fly trap
You will need:
- A cup, bowl or glass
- Apple cider vinegar or wine
- Dish soap
- A piece of paper (or plastic wrap, see note below)
- A ripe piece of fruit (optional)
- Tape
Pour a half an inch of vinegar or wine into your glass, then add a drop of dish soap. (The soap breaks the surface tension so the flies will sink into the liquid, not float around on top of it.) For added potency and tempting aromas, drop in some ripe fruit, like a peach or a lemon. Overripe? No problem!
Cover the glass with a cone made of paper, so the little flies can get in but can’t find their way out. Then tape the cone onto the glass. Alternately, I’ve heard (but have not tried) a different method of covering the top with plastic wrap and poking a few holes for the flies to crawl in.
Set out on your counter wherever you have fruit flies. Change the vinegar when it is disgustingly full of fruit fly carcasses.
Here is an example. It’s NOT a close-up…but it’s still nasty.
Have you tried this method? Do you have another way of getting rid of the little buggers? Tell me all about it in the comments!
