Drisophila Melanogaster

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

~ Groucho Marx

I don't know where they have come from, but I am overrun by fruit flies! Those little buggers are spread throughout my entire flat and I can't for the life of me figure out where they are breeding. Each spring, those tiny pests make a dazzling appearance in kitchens around the province, but I've heard of homemade traps that rid you of these pesky little sugar addicts. So, today's question is: how would one create a fruit fly trap with household items?

A:

One of the main points in preventing a fruit fly infestation is to keep your house clean and throw away rotting fruit - which are good starting points - however I diligently eat my fruit and I clean my kitchen every night, so unless something has fallen behind my microwave these are not issues for me.

It is advised that a dirty drain may encourage fruit flies to breed; if the flies are fornicating in your sink, it's best to pour boiling water down the drain daily. Poor little buggers are trying to get hot and heavy only to be interrupted by something hot and heavy!


The most common homemade trap is one made with apple cider vinegar, water and dish soap. Place this mixture in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap secured with an elastic band, then poke a small hole in the top of the cling film. Fruit flies are attracted to the fermented vinegar, become trapped in the bowl and eventually drown.


Note to self: buy some apple cider vinegar tonight... it will do double duty for ridding my home of fruit flies and ridding my body of bone spurs (see Cowgirl Spurs posting).



Sources:
TipNut.com: How to get rid of fruit flies
WikiHow: How to get rid of fruit flies