If you don't want to spend money on commercial traps, there are still many ways to get rid of annoying fruit flies in your home. You can quickly get rid of the small insects with some helpful home remedies.
These insects, like mosquitoes, are attracted to rotting foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and trash. In fact, female fruit flies can quickly lay hundreds of eggs on overripe fruit, resulting in maggots and an overwhelming amount of bugs taking over the kitchen and dinner table. They can also be found in the sewers. Find out more about what you can do against fruit flies in your home in the following article.
Follow our helpful advice if you really want to get rid of these pests for good. Apple cider vinegar, wine and beer are just a few of the ingredients you can use for the many homemade traps. Some of these methods can be applied and combated immediatelythe annoying insectseffective.
Once you have eliminated the current fruit fly problem, you can follow our advice to prevent future infestations. Overripe fruit should be thrown away, fruits and vegetables should be washed as soon as they are brought into the house, and trash should be thrown out frequently. Put an end to these sugar addicted creatures!
Why do I have fruit flies in my apartment?
Since fruit flies are attracted to both fresh and rotting produce, you can expect them to nest if you put out a fruit bowl or don't dispose of leftover food immediately. That's why you should keep your trash cans and compost pile outside or in the garage if possible.
If you want to avoid a fruit fly infestation, you should remove organic deposits from your sinks and drains as quickly as possible.
What are these insects?
If you observe small insects in your kitchen, it is important to know what to do with themwhat kind of insectyou have to do it. Fruit flies can be either light or dark brown. Overripe, rotting or rotting fruit is ideal for female fruit flies to lay their eggs on or in. If you think this is gross, you're in for a surprise. Each female fruit fly typically lays 400 to 500 eggs at a time. That's why you should react immediately at the first signs of a fruit fly infestation. After hatching, the larvae eat anything that comes along for a few days before they mature into adults. Fruit flies can mate within two days of reaching this stage.
First, scrub the kitchen thoroughly
To get rid of fruit flies, you should first throw away any overripe or spoiled food that may have served as an egg-laying site. Do you really want to eat the apple knowing that the fruit fly larvae dig a tunnel into the apple to feed? Store any new vegetables you bring home in the refrigerator after washing them thoroughly to keep pests away.
Maintain a spotless kitchen for at least a week, wiping down surfaces frequently to remove any leftover food that could attract female fruit flies.
Make your own fruit fly trap
A mason jar with a paper cone inside and rotting fruit at the bottom is a foolproof methodCombating fruit flies. The fruit flies are attracted by the smell of the rotting fruit, but have a difficult time escaping the trap due to the cone shape.
The instructions for making your own:
- Put some vinegar and some really ripe fruit in a jar and shake it up.
- Make a paper cone with the point facing down and insert it into the jar. The homemade funnel can then be reused, recycled or composted.
- You can also simply cut off the top of a plastic bottle to create a cone-shaped entrance for the flies. To attract them, again use some vinegar and ripe fruit.
Home remedies for fruit flies – vinegar and dish soap
Vinegar and dish soap in a bowl is the best way to get rid of fruit flies. You can bait the vinegar with three drops of dish soap and leave it in a bowl on the cupboard. The dish soap reduces the surface tension of the vinegar, causing the flies to fall to the floor and drown.
Beer, fruit juice and wine
Fly traps made from empty beer, fruit juice or wine bottles are another common DIY solution. Place an old liquor or beer bottle near where you saw the fruit flies. You will then need a piece of plastic wrap so you can cover the opening of the bottle. Then secure the plastic wrap with a rubber band and poke a few holes in it. Flies that are attracted by the scent of the ripening grapes become trapped in it and eventually die: the small neck of the bottle acts like a natural barrier that prevents them from escaping.
Vinegar, cling film and a bowl
To make this fruit fly trap yourself, you will need white vinegar or spoiled fruit, a bowl and a piece of cling film.
DIY-Anleitung:
- Place the spoiled fruit in a large bowl or other storage container. The other option is: fill the container with some vinegar. Then place plastic wrap over the container, whether you're using the vinegar or the fruit.
- Use a fork to poke lots of small holes in the cling film. Make sure the holes are not too big, otherwise the fruit flies will find a way out.
Homemade spray against fruit flies
Add 100ml of hot water to a small spray bottle. Add 10 drops of lemongrass oil to the mixture. If you spot fruit flies (by checking your windowsills and kitchen countertops), spray them with this solution.
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