If you've been trying to figure out How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies, this super simple fruit fly trap made with household items will solve this nasty problem!
Without fail, these annoying little buggers come back every summer. Whether they decide to feast on your bananas or they find that one strawberry top that got forgotten on the counter top, fruit flies are in annoying abundance. This easy fruit fly trap will solve all of your fruit fly problems!
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FRUIT FLY TRAP
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Want to know How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies during these hot summer months? It's so ridiculously easy to build a trap that actually works! All you need is a tall glass, a piece of paper, some tape, fruit, and apple cider vinegar. I'll give you step by step directions below.
Where do fruit flies come from?
I'll explain how you can make a fail proof homemade fruit fly trap that will catch and eliminate fruit flies below. But first we'll want to understand where fruit flies come from so that once you eliminate them, you can keep them from coming back.
If you're like me, you've asked yourself How do fruit flies come out of nowhere? Even if you keep a clean kitchen, they seem to just appear one day. Like a bad in-law, they show up unannounced and never leave.
When fruit ripens, it begins to ferment and produce alcohol. Free alcohol? Awesome! Not really.
The alcohol is what attracts the fruit flies. They eat the fermenting fruit and lay hundreds of eggs. Want to know something fascinating and gross? Those eggs turn into larvae in just a matter of hours. Yuck.
Homes are typically warmer during the summer months. The increased temperature causes the fruit to ferment at a faster pace. That, combined with the fact taht
How to make a fruit fly trap:
There are only a few household items needed to make this super efficient and fail-proof fly trap.
- tall drinking glass or mason jar
- 1 sheet of 8.5 x 11" paper
- tape
- about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- fresh fruit (no need to use good fruit, things like an apple core work perfectly)
To begin, add the vinegar and fruit to the glass or mason jar.
Roll your piece of paper into a cone. You want the bottom of the cone to have a small opening (smaller than the size of a dime) and you'll want the area that's about 4 or 5 inches up to have a circumference that's the size of your glass or jar opening. Use tape to secure the cone. The goal is to have the cone sit in the glass or jar and the small opening at the bottom will be hovering over, but not submerged in, the apple cider vinegar.
Place the paper cone in the glass and use more tape to seal the edges of the paper to the glass (see photo above). This step is important because, if not seals, the fruit flies will walk up the sides of the glass and escape.
How the fruit fly trap works:
The fruit flies have no problem at all following the aroma of rotting fruit. They fly straight through that small hole that you made with the paper and land on that delicious mountain of decay.
They are not smart enough to fly back out. Freedom is right above them, yet they can't see it. They will crawl and fly all over the inside of the glass but won't be able to find their way out.
Occasionally you'll see a smart lucky fruit fly that successfully escapes. But, without fail, it'll fly back in and won't be able to find it's way out.
More tips on creating a very effective fruit fly trap:
- I like to keep the trap a) near my fruit fly invasion and b) in the sunlight. Turns out the window sill is the perfect spot in my kitchen. The warm window light creates a happy environment for the fruit flies and accelerates the decomposition of the fruit in the glass. They can't resist the aroma!
- Keep the paper dry and out of the liquid.
- Replace the fruit often. You'll find that the fruit flies are most attracted to the fruit as it's starting to decompose. Once the fruit is past that point of no return, they start to lose interest.
How to get rid of fruit flies:
You've collected them in your awesome trap. Now what?
All you need to do is walk outside, take the tape off, and let them fly away.
Now, if you're anything like me, you'll struggle with the idea of not killing them all. I hate fruit flies. I never want to see them again. Alas, it's easier to release them than kill them.
Just remember that their presence is temporary and once you relocate them, they'll eventually stop moving in.
Added bonus to making a good fruit fly trap!
If you're like me and love to have the windows open, you'll get your fair share of unwanted critters flying into your home. I'm not a fan of wasps in my kitchen, yet every year we get a few.
If your goal was to get rid of fruit flies, you might end up catching a few other insects as well.
This yellow jacket fell for the same trick and couldn't find his way out. I have no shame in admitting that I took great pleasure in out smarting this little beast.
Leave me a comment with any other tips or tricks on eliminating fruit flies!
Penny
I live in Wine Country...here we have an even easier method - take a glass or jar (wine glass, mason, etc), pour in a few inches of wine, cover with plastic wrap, poke several holes in the plastic wrap and place on the counter....voila!!!