Fruit Fly Explosion

Nej · 10-13-2012, 01:26 PM

My kitchen has exploded with fruit flies. How can I get rid of them?

I don't have any fruit out, or bits of food (I am super clean) but they seem to have exploded from whatever is in my garbage (mostly old rice, coffee grounds, egg shells, popcorn/butter) and taken up residence on my white cabinets. So far I've counted 24 and I want them gone. I am fearing for my life.

I'm going to see if I can find any fly traps (my grocery store was selling them last I checked)

Any other ideas on how I can trap and/or kill?

Obviously my once a week garbage runs aren't enough.

rouquinne · 10-13-2012, 01:35 PM

i had a bunch come in when i got the last of my herbs from the garden 10 days ago. just for this purpose, i keep a plastic container with fruit-fly size holes punched in the top - a bamboo skewer like the kind for making kebabs works.

i pour equal amounts of water and red wine vinegar in the container and put the lid on. the fruit flys are attracted to the stuff and fly in, but can't get out and eventually drown in the vinegar mixture.

when you notice they're all gone, just pour it out.

ta da!

RedCatWaves · 10-13-2012, 01:40 PM

To get rid of fruit flies, you need to get rid of the source...usually fruit. Empty the trash, wash the trashcan, etc. It's possible they are not fruit flies, but rather drain/sewer flies. They look similar. Just pour a cup of bleach down your drain at night before you go to bed, so it can sit there undisturbed for a few hours, and that will cure drain fly problems.

The good news is that fruit flies have a very short life cycle. Any who have escaped into your home at large will usually be dead within a few days. They can't live and reproduce without a food source, so just prevent the food sources by not leaving fruit out.

Nej · 10-13-2012, 01:48 PM

I have no fruit at my house. The only stuff I do have is frozen.

No Food on my counter or in my sink.

I took my garbage out and bleached everything. Hopefully they will die.

They are definitely fruit flies. And big ones.

MoppyT · 10-13-2012, 02:24 PM

Vinegar trap, all the way.

LoloDSM · 10-13-2012, 02:37 PM

There has been a fruit fly outbreak this year. The vinegar trick worked for me. I used a cereal bowl with apple cider vinegar and three drops of dish soap covered with Saran Wrap and with little holes punched in the top. Took care of it within a couple days.

legends · 10-13-2012, 02:49 PM

I had a major drain fly outbreak a few months ago. I used an enzymatic cleaner down the drains to kill the eggs and dissolve the slime they're laid in, and used the vinegar trap to kill the flies. The vinegar didn't help much-they would hang out by the traps but very few drowned- but once the drains were clear I just waited for them to die on their own.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using CurlTalk App

Fifi.G · 10-13-2012, 09:15 PM

I am having the exact same problem right now. I use ACV or apple juice, with a shot of dishwashing liquid. It makes the liquid too dense for them to fly out of. This worked well for me 2 years ago, but is not doing the trick this time. I have scrubbed, bleached, paid attention to drains, etc. I found a recipe for an old concoction, and now I have misplaced it. When I find it, I will share. It was sugar and perhaps milk & something else. You cook it, and put it in shallow dishes. It is supposed to attract and suffocate the little f*****s.

Nej · 10-13-2012, 09:52 PM

The ACV trap worked ... for about a dozen of them. The rest smartened up and are staying away.

tycho19 · 10-14-2012, 06:44 AM

We had an outbreak at work and this is what I did: make a paper cone that fits into a cup. Make sure cone is open on bottom and sits an inch or so above bottom of cup. Add fruit juice to cup below bottom of cone. They get in but can't get out.

Fifi.G · 10-14-2012, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nej

The ACV trap worked ... for about a dozen of them. The rest smartened up and are staying away.

They will eventually drink the kool aid.

I put out a few different cups at once.

jeepcurlygurl · 10-14-2012, 09:08 AM

This summer I was at a friends house and there were thousands of fruit flies in the kitchen. Put up a bunch of sticky fly strips. Ugly to look at but they did the trick.