The dog days of summer often bring with them unwanted fruit fly infestations. If you keep a fresh fruit bowl on the kitchen table in hopes that your kids will snack from it but end up with partially moldy peaches, leopard-spotted bananas, and the darting buzz of pesky critters, you may have a fruit fly problem. Get rid of those annoying pint-size insects by trying one of these methods for killing and trapping.
Things You Should Know
Fruit flies may be pesky, but there are tons of things you can use to fight back that you may have lying around the house:
- Use a styrofoam plate and cooking spray to make a simple sticky swatter .
- Use a blow dryer to suck up and incinerate flies .
- Burn incense to suffocate flies in the room .
- Use rotten fruit and cellophane to make a simple trap .
- Use a little red wine to make an irresistible and inescapable trap .
- Use apple cider vinegar and dish soap to make a deadly trap .
- Use beer and a mason jar to make a trap .
- Turn an old soda bottle into a cheap trap .
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Making Traps
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Use rotten fruit. Your fruit fly problem probably didn’t start until you realized you left out some fruit that eventually rotted. Use the method that gathered the flies in the first place to capture them again, but, this time, lead them to a more morbid end. Place a piece of rotting fruit in a bowl, and stretch clear plastic over the top. Cut several small holes into the plastic using a toothpick, and leave it near the site of the flies. They will be attracted to the scent, but unable to get out. -
Sacrifice some wine. Humans aren’t the only ones attracted to wine. Fruit flies flock to this alcohol as well. [1] X Expert Source Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist Expert Interview. 22 October 2019. Thankfully the perfect fly-catcher is ready-made anytime you crack open a bottle. Empty the bottle so that there is an inch or less of wine at the bottom. Leave this out near where the flies are gathering; they will fly in, but the funnel-effect of the bottleneck will keep them trapped.Advertisement -
Try apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is a great household product to have around, as it works in many ways around your home. Included in its abilities is the capacity to kill fruit flies after an outbreak. [2] X Expert Source Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist Expert Interview. 22 October 2019. Pour some of the vinegar into a cup, and add a plastic or paper funnel to the top. The funnel will block off most of the entrance, allowing a space large enough for the flies to enter but too small for the less-than-intelligent flies to exit. For an extra measure, add a bit of dish soap to the vinegar to create a fly poison. [3] X Research source -
Make a dish soap trap. When added to a sweet solution, dish soap cannot be detected by fruit flies. The chemicals present in the soap will act as a poison and kill the unwary flies. Fill a jar with a mixture of vinegar (any kind) with sugar - it doesn’t matter in what proportion. Add in a squirt of dish soap and mix the solution well. The flies should be attracted to the sweet and sour scent but will die when they consume the soapy poison. -
Make a beer trap. [4] X Expert Source Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist Expert Interview. 22 October 2019. Turns out fruit flies have a thing for lots of alcohol, not just wine. Grab a mason jar and fill it halfway with any kind of beer. Use a hammer and nail to puncture the metal lid several times, creating 3-5 holes. Screw the cap back on and leave the trap where the flies congregate. The beer can be dumped out every few days and replaced to catch more flies. [5] X Research source -
Use a bottle of soda. If you already drink soda, then you’re in luck. Grab a bottle of soda (any kind, although colas tend to work well) and hammer a hole through the plastic lid. Empty the soda so that there is only an inch or less remaining in the bottom of the bottle. Replace the lid, and watch the flies swarm! -
Try using yeast. This one may sound strange, but a concoction of yeast may do the trick in capturing and killing fruit flies. Fill a glass halfway with warm water and 1 teaspoon of sugar, and pour in some active dry yeast. Mix the solution (prepare for it to bubble!) and then cover the entire glass with plastic wrap. Poke holes in the top to let the flies in, but make sure they are small enough so that the flies can’t get back out. [6] X Research source -
Hang up some fly strips. Undoubtedly the least attractive of the trapping methods, fly strips work wonders on capturing fruit flies. These ultra-sticky strips will attract flies and trap them the instant they set foot on the tape. Try hanging your strips in a less obtrusive setting than perhaps directly over your kitchen sink for the most appealing set-up.Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Keeping Flies Away
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Remove appealing breeding grounds. Fruit flies are, pretty obviously, attracted to fruit. However, they will flock to any generally dirty area and most rotten foods. Try to throw out bad foods immediately, and keep your trashcan area and drains clean and old-food-free. This will lower the temptation of turning your house into a breeding ground. -
Kill their eggs. If your flies have gotten to the point where they are noticeable, it's likely that they have already laid eggs somewhere in your house. Fruit flies like moist areas, so the culprit locations are typically kitchen and bathroom sink and shower drains. Pour a bacterial digester down your drain to kill off any eggs that may be there. If you don’t have any on hand, bleach can work as a substitute, but being so thin and runny it may not stick well enough to the eggs to kill them. [7] X Research source- Fruit fly eggs can also be present on fruit that you bring into your home. Scrub fruit under running water to dislodge any eggs. [8]
X
Expert Source
Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.
- Fruit fly eggs can also be present on fruit that you bring into your home. Scrub fruit under running water to dislodge any eggs. [8]
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Expert Source
Kevin Carrillo
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Grow some fresh basil indoors. Strangely enough, fruit flies don’t like basil. If you want to use your green thumb to keep this herb fresh and on hand, you will also manage to keep fruit flies out. Grow basil in a small pot and keep it in your house where the flies seem to congregate. Kept near a bowl of fruit, the flies will be less likely to appear in the future. -
Use cedarwood. Another strange natural remedy, fruit flies are repelled by the scent of cedarwood. Find a way to keep some in your home, either as decoration or for use in a fire, and your fruit fly population should diminish. Keep pieces of it stashed around your kitchen and near breeding grounds to scare the flies away. -
Spritz some essential oils. Improve the aroma of your house and ward off flies and other insects by spraying your home regularly with certain essential oils. The scent of lemongrass oil and lavender are repulsive to fruit flies and many other bugs and cause them to avoid congregating in the area. Mix 10 drops of one of the oils with 2 ounces of hot water, and mist all the rooms of your house with it. [9] X Research sourceAdvertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Killing Flies Quickly
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Make a sticky swatter. Like most people, your first response to seeing a lot of fruit flies is to want to swat them. Unfortunately for us, their small size makes them incredibly difficult to swat. To fix this problem, make a homemade sticky swatter. Grab a styrofoam plate, and coat it with a thick layer of cooking spray. As you swat the tiny flies, they will get caught in the oil and stick to the plate, eventually dying. -
Use a blow dryer. If you want to exact your revenge on those annoying little flies, pull out your hairdryer and get at them! Turn your blow dryer on so that the air is blowing away from the fans. The suction from the other side will suck up the flies, where they will be burned in the inner heater. A bit gruesome, sure. But your flies should disappear pretty quickly. -
Burn a little incense. The very small respiratory systems of fruit flies are delicate and require a constant supply of clean air. This means that inhaled irritants, such as smoke, can kill them quickly. Although you can’t set a fire in your house, you can burn incense. The smoke and perfume put off by these sticks will lead your flies into a slow death. -
4Use a vacuum cleaner. Use a cleaner that has a flexible cylinder (and the better the suction, the more effective the solution will be). It should also have a wide nozzle.
- Set one of the fruit traps out. When the fruit flies congregate, slowly move in.
- If the flies have been sitting for a while, they don't fly away quickly as opposed to when they just landed. Suck them up quickly, then dispose of the contents outside.
- The main thing is: for example, if the bag is full, the suction won't be strong and it will be almost useless to make the effort.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat's the best way to prevent a fruit fly infestation?Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.Fruit flies proliferate very quickly and tend to be chronically reintroduced. What that means is that, for the most part, the fruit you're bringing into your home likely has fruit fly eggs already on it. If it sits in your home long enough or in your workplace long enough, chances are some of those eggs are going to hatch. To prevent the infestation from continuing, scrub all fruit you bring in with a brush under running water to get rid of any eggs. Alternatively, keep the fruit in airtight containers or in deep refrigeration.
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QuestionWhat if traps aren't working?Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.If you're seeing fruit flies in the hundreds, then you've probably already gotten to a point where you're going to need a pest control professional to help you mitigate the population. Traps are usually most effective against a small number of fruit flies, not a large infestation.
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Tips
- Fruit flies take 8-10 days to hatch from their eggs, so continue using your trapping methods even after the first generation of flies have disappeared. This will ensure that future generations are caught and killed as well.Thanks
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References
- ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.
- ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.
- ↑ http://www.diylife.com/2011/07/18/how-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/
- ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.
- ↑ http://www.curbly.com/users/chrisjob/posts/8736
- ↑ http://tipnut.com/fruit-flies/
- ↑ http://www.orkin.com/flies/fruit-fly/
- ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.
- ↑ http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/home-remedies-for-fruit-flies.html
About this article
Article Summary
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To kill fruit flies, first mix apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap in a bowl. Then, set the bowl out in your kitchen or wherever you’ve been noticing fruit flies. The apple cider vinegar will attract the flies, and the dish soap will weigh down their wings so they can’t escape. You can also use old fruit to attract and trap fruit flies. Place the old fruit in a jar and roll a piece of paper into a cone. Then, place the cone in the opening of the jar with the narrow end down. Fruit flies will fly into the jar to get to the fruit, but they won’t be able to get back out through the narrow hole of the cone. You can even kill fruit flies by setting out an open bottle of beer or wine. When the flies fly into the bottle to get the beer or wine, they won’t be able to get back out through the bottle’s curved top, just like the cone. Whatever method you use, if the flies are still alive in your trap, pour a mixture of water and dish soap into the trap to kill them. To prevent fruit flies from coming back, remember to toss out overripe produce and take out your garbage regularly so the flies don’t have a food source. If you want to learn how to prevent fruit flies from coming in, keep reading!
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Reader Success Stories
- "The article was very helpful for my fruit fly situation. I had used some of the remedies already to get rid of a lot of flies, but I still had flies daily. It wasn't until I read about the flies laying eggs that I had learned about more solutions I could use. Thank you for the helpful hints. " ..." more
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"The article was very helpful for my fruit fly situation. I had used some of the remedies already to get rid of a lot of flies, but I still had flies daily. It wasn't until I read about the flies laying eggs that I had learned about more solutions I could use. Thank you for the helpful hints. "
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"This site is awesome for helping me sample the various ways of getting rid of fruit flies. It made the job easier. Usually, one or two ideas are given, mostly with things I don't have. This site has given me a variety of ways with normal products that work."
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"I used a recycled plastic sour cream container, washed out the sour cream, poured in some 'hard' apple cider, punched a couple small holes in the lid with a tiny screwdriver, replaced the lid, and after just a few minutes I had trapped oodles of them."
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"The addition of a little soap to the liquid traps to break the surface tension was great. Burning incense for the relatively quick kill worked really well. Though I had to close all the windows and use quite a bit."
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"I have had a problem with fruit flies for quite a while now. I hate to see them, they make the house look untidy, even when it is clean. This article helped me a lot, and I got rid of 'em. "
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