Knats! (Fruit Flys) HELP!

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Permalink Reply by Kasey on August 15, 2008 at 10:15am

I'm in the same boat. They are taking over my house lol. I know how to get rid of them but it's not the nicest way. get a small cup, put in a bit of dishsoap, add apple cider vineger, mix it up. mmmm fruit fly soup. they love that vinegar then they realize they are drinking chemicals. In a way I feel like a packaged food company D ;. it's evil but effective. just make sure to change it often because they will lay eggs near the source of food and just keep respawning stronger and stronger.

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Permalink Reply by kayell on August 15, 2008 at 10:22am

Also, put away/seal up all fruit AND veg, and empty trash at least daily. Make sure compost pile is fairly distant from kitchen doors.

Also, try this fruit fly trap

It's a little bit of an improvement on your trap, since fruit flies are too stupid to figure out how to escape the funnel. Make sure the paper funnel is sealed tightly to jar. I usually tape it down.

If they aren't gone in a week, suspect 1 of 2 similar looking insects - fungus gnats (too frequent watering of houseplants) or drain flies (accumulated gunk in drains).

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Permalink Reply by Erin Fraser on August 15, 2008 at 8:12pm

I use that trap and it works, although sometimes I resort to whapping them with a dish towel- it works better if you yell "Bam!" when you do it;)

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Permalink Reply by kayell on August 16, 2008 at 5:14pm

Do you hit them with the Magic Dust right afterwards?

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Permalink Reply by Cora Fowler on August 15, 2008 at 10:29am

Yea i found a couple of 'traps' from google, it's evil- but so are they! I was sooo pissed last night, fuckers flying over my head- i captured him one time, but he got away! =[

They're going to die.

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Permalink Reply by coco on August 15, 2008 at 6:58pm

haha, i gave the same problem. my husband chases them around the kitchen with a huge strip of packing tape.
we are definitely going to try the traps...
anyway, thanks for making me laugh.
from what i understand, they hatch, they screw, they die. within a few days. what a pathetic life.
i feel bad killing things, but they are just so, so annoying.

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Permalink Reply by Sheryl on August 15, 2008 at 7:19pm

eat the fruit fast or stick them in the fridge (except bananas they'll go brown)

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Permalink Reply by coco on August 15, 2008 at 7:36pm

yeah. for me it's always the bananas they get.
refrigerated bananas=yuck

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Permalink Reply by kayell on August 15, 2008 at 7:41pm

You've probably seen those old tupperware "cake boxes" that show up at yard sales. Think banana box. Put the bananas in the second they come home. Eat often, check for nasties.

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Permalink Reply by coco on August 15, 2008 at 7:51pm

that's a good idea. if you use something with a seal that is too tight, you may wake up one morning to over-ripies (okay, not a word, but i like it)

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Permalink Reply by kayell on August 15, 2008 at 8:07pm

LOL, I've built up to so many bananas, I'm staying ahead of the spoiling curve. Of course the people at the produce store think I'm shopping for an army, instead of just me.

Maybe cut a vent hole and then duct tape some very fine screening. Also, there used to be these neat umbrella like screen things that you could put over food at picnics.

googled - wow, they're still around. Just google "food umbrella" Lots of choices. I'd select for fine textured screen and a base that looks like it would sit tight to the surface below.

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Permalink Reply by rubbertummy on August 15, 2008 at 8:02pm

Putting a drop of dish soap in a small jar/bowl of cider/red wine vinegar works pretty well for me. Swish it around a little and leave it near your fruit.

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