You will know you have a problem with fruit flies pretty quickly when you see small, tan, or brownish bugs swarming your fruit bowl or near your garbage can. These tiny flies multiply fast, so when you see one or two, you need to take care of them quickly before they become a much bigger problem.
How To Prevent Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are attracted to anything sugary or fermented. Keeping their motivations in mind is helpful when planning your prevention strategy. A couple of tips for preventing fruit flies from showing up in your kitchen include:
Keep an eye on unrefrigerated fruit-You will want to throw out any fruit that is starting to turn or place it in the refrigerator if you want to keep it.
Clean up sugary spills-Fruit flies will flock to sugary messes. You will want to clean up everything from your coffee spoon to the drips of orange juice that hit the counter during breakfast.
Keep your garbage can closed and clean the lid often-The contents of your trash and the container can be a magnet for flies. Make sure you have a can with a lid and keep it clean and free of spills that attract flies.
Keep Drains Clean-Your kitchen sink drain is an ideal spot for flies to find sugary or fermenting debris. Always clean out solid particles and scrub out the drain daily.
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
All the standard methods of getting rid of fruit flies include baiting and trapping. Here are a couple of options to try:
Apple Cider Vinegar and Soap
The aromatic vinegar will draw the flies in, and the soap will trap them in the solution. You can also heat the vinegar to make it even more enticing to the flies. This trick can be performed with many other liquids, including wine.
Fruit Bowl With Plastic Covering
Cover a bowl of fruit with plastic wrap that you have poked holes in. These holes will let the flies inside the bowl, where they will be trapped. Make sure the holes aren’t too big, or the flies will be able to get back out of your trap. Leave this out for several days until you no longer see flies about in the air. There are many variations of this trick using partially empty bottles of beer, ketchup, fruit juice, and plastic wrap with holes.
Bottle With a Funnel
You can set up another type of trap using a funnel and any bottle or jar with bait in the bottom. Anything that approximates a funnel will work, such as a rolled-up piece of paper or even a paper drinking cup with the bottom snipped off.
Store-Bought Options
Finally, there are numerous store-bought options if you don’t feel like being crafty and fashioning a trap. Most are formal versions of the DIY tricks outlined here.
If you don’t have any luck with these solutions, you will want to call an exterminator. Your best course of action is preventing these little flies from getting in your home to start with. Remember to keep your kitchen wiped down and clear of spills, and avoid letting fruit go bad on the counter. Fruit flies are a preventable pest, and with these tips, you won’t have any problems in your kitchen this summer.
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