Dusty Ayres
Commodore
I've got them infesting my apartment. and they won't go away, no matter how much I spray with Raid! Does anybody here know what I should do?
How does one get rid of fruit flies?
- Thread starter Dusty Ayres
- Start date
It's one of those circumstances where there's standing water for them to breed. Or at the very least dampness. You might have a problem in the walls of your unit, or more likely someone else in your building has the breeding ground.
A trap I have used at work would be a disposable cup with a little water and banana pieces in it, covered by a piece of plastic wrap with small holes in it.. knife slits. The fruit flies will enter, but can't get out.
Interesting. I've never had them hang around once I got rid of what was attracting them. I suspect that if you don't have anything RIPE lying around that someone near your apartment does. I would double check your trash cans though - even maybe take the time to wipe them out. You never know what sticky leftovers might smell like heaven to a fruit fly.
Don't try vinegar. I tried that once and even more of those nasty things showed up.
Fruit flies breed in damp areas. Do you have standing water anywhere? If so, and you can find it, dry it out and keep a fan blowing on it.
Also, fruit flies hate bleach.
But this is also just the time of year for it. It's getting colder, so they're migrating indoors where there is heat. I always find more bugs inside at the beginning of fall than any other time of year.
Really, though, you need to figure out where they are coming from in the first place, especially if there are a lot of them. They're very likely breeding somewhere in your apartment.
Also, fruit flies hate bleach.
But this is also just the time of year for it. It's getting colder, so they're migrating indoors where there is heat. I always find more bugs inside at the beginning of fall than any other time of year.
Really, though, you need to figure out where they are coming from in the first place, especially if there are a lot of them. They're very likely breeding somewhere in your apartment.
We had fruit flies here and found a solution that worked pretty well (I did a Google Search to find it...). Put about an inch of red wine vinegar in a glass jar and add a few drops of dish washing liquid. Cover the top of the jar with aluminum foil and poke 8-12 small holes in the foil with a fork. The red wine vinegar attracts the fruit flies (which are also known as "vinegar flies") and the dish soap reduces the surface tension on the vinegar such that the flies can now get trapped in the liquid. It really cleared up the problem in just a few days, but we kept the two jars out for about a week, just to make sure we got any stragglers. Good Luck!
P.S. Although I believe that the solution I offered is a good option, I would definitely go with Shazam!'s suggestion if you are being troubled by Alien fruit flies......
Ah, dude... I had those the other day as well. It happens every so often; they seem to come in with something... like a loaf of bread, or of course fruit. As long as they are there, they will continue to multiply... but if you make sure that all the dishes are washed and surfaces are cleaned, they should go away after a day or two.
My personal tip: Keep your bread in the refrigerator, just in case. I never realized how much those little flies like pastries, until I opened the bag once to make a sandwich and a mushroom cloud of flies poured out.
My personal tip: Keep your bread in the refrigerator, just in case. I never realized how much those little flies like pastries, until I opened the bag once to make a sandwich and a mushroom cloud of flies poured out.
I accidentally found out that a halfdrunk bottle of beer did the trick.
Somehow they were attracted to it and after a few days they all were in there drowned.. don't know why and it's their personal business how much they like to drink,
But i got rid of them. Try it.
Somehow they were attracted to it and after a few days they all were in there drowned.. don't know why and it's their personal business how much they like to drink,
But i got rid of them. Try it.
Accidentally? How exactly did you get rid of them?
Bananas.
Fruit flies like a banana.
Fruit flies like a banana.
I had a fruitfly problem last winter (due to, I believe, an overripe banana that I threw out and then forgot to take the trash out) so I made a trap for them.
First I got rid of any fruit that was sitting out so the trap would be more tempting. The trap itself was really simple... I took a glass and poured a little bit of fruit juice in it. Then I took a piece of paper and curled it into a funnel and placed it in the glass so the tip was just an inch or so above the juice. Put tape around the sides to keep it in place and to keep there from being an escape route.
Flies go down the funnel, get wet, can't fly back out through the small hole. I let it sit out for a few days then dumped it out. Problem solved!
First I got rid of any fruit that was sitting out so the trap would be more tempting. The trap itself was really simple... I took a glass and poured a little bit of fruit juice in it. Then I took a piece of paper and curled it into a funnel and placed it in the glass so the tip was just an inch or so above the juice. Put tape around the sides to keep it in place and to keep there from being an escape route.
Flies go down the funnel, get wet, can't fly back out through the small hole. I let it sit out for a few days then dumped it out. Problem solved!
This is essentially what they do in fruit fly labs to control escapees. Apple cider is good bait. Works like a charm.
Plecostomus
Commodore
I second the beer trick. Works better than the apple cider.
I'd say to keep your place clean and free of rotting fruit and prevent the problem all together.
But, I'm in a mood right now.
But, I'm in a mood right now.
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