Fruit Flies

[Guest guest]

Hello all, I have been having a terrible time trying to control fruit

flies. I believe they were introduced to my home on bananas - now I

can't get rid of them. I have tried everything... do any of you have an

recommendations that will work on killing them and their eggs? I'd hate

to get rid of my house plants but I am getting tired of seeing these

things taunting me!

 

Thanks a bunch,

Tammy

TammyL

[Guest guest]

I hope this helps you!

Shelley

 

Quote from

http://ezra.cornell.edu/posting.php?timestamp=971928000

I spoke with the staff at Cornell Cooperative Extension and they

suggested the following precautions for preventing new fruit flies and a

home remedy that they use frequently and find to be very effective...

Precautions: Fruit flies are attracted to old fruit, garbage,

etc. The important thing to do is to cut off their feeding sources.

Seal your garbage and compost (if you have one) in a container or can

(don't let it be in the open air) and make sure to take your trash out

frequently. Don't leave fruit that's overripe out, refrigerate instead,

and when you first get fruits and vegetables from the store, washing

will help to remove any newcomers that are carried in.

To get rid of the existing flies and larvae: Take an old jar

(like an old peanut butter jar or pasta sauce jar) making sure that it

is very clean. Then put a food source in the bottom, this can be either

a few drops of apple cider vinegar, or some banana slices sprinkled with

yeast. Next take paper and make a funnel that sets into the top of the

jar with only a tiny tiny hole at the bottom of the funnel. Make sure

the funnel sits securely in the jar top (perhaps affix it with tape).

Fruit flies are not real smart, so they will be attracted to the food

source, will fly into the funnel but then will be unable to get out, so

they will be trapped and eventually die. While in the process they may

produce new larvae, these larvae can later be killed by pouring VERY hot

(almost boiling) water on them. If you leave the traps out for a couple

of weeks (yes I know rotten bananas and fruit flies sitting for a couple

of weeks sounds very gross) you should be able to trap the old flies and

any new-comers. Since you are having the problem in multiple rooms

consider making traps for the various areas.

Good luck!

 

Tammy wrote:

> Hello all, I have been having a terrible time trying to control fruit

> flies.

>