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Make sure the cans are completely dry before using them again. The first thing you need do is figure out where the flies are coming from. If they’re hanging out around any open food items, throw the food out and scrub the area clean. In some cases, removing their “home” can be enough to drive the fruit flies away. Summer means ripe tomatoes, tall glasses of lemonade and, yes, fruit flies. The pesky pests are the last thing you want buzzing in front of your face — especially when you're prepping dinner or having friends around for a weekend soiree.
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a fruit fly infestation in your home. If you notice fruit flies in your drain, you might be looking for an instant fix — like pouring bleach down the drain. Doing so might kill some larvae, but it will not kill enough of the eggs or larvae to eliminate the problem. That's because bleach passes down the drain too quickly to do a thorough job. If you already have these pests in your home, you can ingredients including apple cider vinegar, old beer or wine to attract and kill them.
How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies Without Vinegar
Be sure to wash your pot or saucepan thoroughly after you make the mixture, otherwise the fruit flies will swarm that as well, causing a bigger issue. This remedy is a great quick solution when you don't have time to go to the store, as most people have all the ingredients at home already. Yet another way to make a fruit fly trip is to use old fruit. Put some cut-up, ripe fruit and some apple cider vinegar in a tall cup or jar. Then roll up some paper into a cone, and put it inside the jar with the smaller opening placed down/bigger opening at the top.
Throw out very ripe produce, regularly clean your kitchen and wipe down counters, clean spills quickly, empty your sink drain regularly, and cover your trash cans. Keep any open drinks or ripe produce in sealed containers or in your refrigerator. Most store-bought traps are available for under $20 and come in fun shapes like apples so they don't clash with your kitchen. Like any bait trap, be sure to keep fruit fly traps away from children and animals.
Beer and wine
Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to these studies. Make sure the holes are big enough for the fruit flies to get in. If they’re swarming around your trash can or if you’d like to prevent such a situation, take out the trash and wipe down the can using a heavy duty cleaner such as bleach.
They often lay their eggs in rotten fruit and other organic materials, and this can escalate the problem quickly. Thankfully there are natural ways to prevent them from proliferating in your home. Fruit flies are mostly just an annoyance and normally not a major problem when it comes to your health. For example, they don’t bite people or pets , but they are capable of potentially contaminating food with bacteria.
Professional traps
It’s also smart to wash produce as soon as you get home from the grocery store to remove any potential larvae that might be hiding inside. This Dr. Axe content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure factually accurate information. Additionally, after mating, female fruit flies inject batches of eggs into fresh fruit.
Several types of essential oils — includingcitronella oil, cedarwood, clove and cinnamon, for example — help deter insects, includingmosquitoes and house flies. You can diffuse these oils in your home or make a homemade bug spray. Flies can also be attracted to open beer, liquor, juice and wine, especially if they that have been sitting out opened for a while and may be starting to ferment. To prevent them from accumulating by these drinks, always clean up and throw away old bottles. To make your home less attractive to these pests, put sugary ingredients and produce in airtight containers or in your refrigerator. Thoroughly wipe down these areas with soap and water or a kitchen cleaner.
Can a fruit fly infestation affect my health?
A fruit fly is a tiny insect that is drawn to overripe or decaying fruit and other produce that contains a lot of sugar/fructose. Rubbing alcohol also kills fruit flies, so some people simply fill a spray bottle with pure rubbing alcohol and spray areas where flies tend to be hover and accumulate. When purchasing fruits and veggies at the grocery store, be careful not to choose those that are too ripe, especially if you aren’t using them right away. Buy fruits and vegetables that are underripe, or store very ripe produce in your fridge so it’s not out in open air. The tiny larvae of fruit flies tend to crawl out of the breeding site, such as inside rotting fruit, over to a nearby dry spot. Within about 24 hours these larvae can mature enough to begin flying around.
It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by our trained editorial staff. Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to medically peer-reviewed studies. With strict editorial sourcing guidelines, we only link to academic research institutions, reputable media sites and, when research is available, medically peer-reviewed studies.
Chances are if your kitchen surfaces tend to harbor some sugary residue or crumbs, then your house may be prone to attracting fruit flies over and over again. This is especially true during the summer and hotter, more humid times of year when these insects are most active. The premade mixture uses the active ingredients sodium lauryl sulfate and malic acid and comes in a stand-up jar. All you have to do is open the top, set it on your counter and "watch the cycle of life unfold."
The fruit flies will go towards the fermentation of the sugar. You can place some plastic wrap over the top of the bowl and poke a few holes in it to ensure the fruit flies get in but can't get out again. Since fruit flies are drawn to the fermentation process of overly ripe produce, this is true for other fermentations as well. To that end, if you have beer or wine in your home, it can serve as the perfect fruit fly trap. Leave a small amount of the beverage at the bottom of the can or bottle. Place it on a flat surface near where the fruit flies are located, and wait as they are drawn to the alcohol inside of the can or bottle.
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