When spring is in the air more often than not it seems like insect-life is too. Everyone always talks about how quickly rabbits reproduce, but they never seem to mention the incessant rate at which the pesky fruit fly reproduces, most especially during springtime.
I much prefer the cute little cotton-tails hopping around the desert surrounding my house to those tiny insects that somehow always end up inside. First and Foremost, I have to point out the advantage of rabbits remaining outside my house and in such a discreet manner. Whereas, fruit flies prefer to exist inside people’s homes, demanding their attention by clinging to their food and, worst of all, their faces. They practically invented both the concept of “personal bubble space” and the invasion of it! Anyone who has dealt with these annoying insects knows that “pesky” is an understatement when your home becomes overrun by their presence. Let’s be honest, 1 is already too many, add to that number and you have an absolute nightmare on your hands.
Instinctively, we consider pesticide products (typically the strongest there is) to be the most effective solution to our bug problem. And, maybe pesticides do kill off those intruders successfully, but how many other problems are the pesticides creating for you and the other people in your home? You’re basically filling the air with petroleum-laced poison. When is this ever beneficial for the human body? The answer is Never. Especially when you have other homeopathic options available that are just as successful at solving the same problem (even more so, in my opinion)!
The natural solution to your fruit-fly invasion is a product that contains zero poison, zero petroleum, is safe for human consumption, and is available as verified Organic and non-GMO by certain brands!
It is called Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and it is amazing! I like using Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with The Mother because is it such a good quality brand of ACV. A real Godsend for a multitude of problems, including fruit flies. Check out FOUR COMMON PRODUCTS WITH “SUPER” ABILITIES for some more ideas on how to use ACV in other creative ways. For now, we’ll focus on how to utilize this product to get rid of those fruit flies permanently!
First, it is always best to start by eliminating the root of the problem, which in this case is the stage of reproduction. Fruit flies love to mate in garbage disposals and drains, in general. So, every night before you go to bed, be sure to pour a 1/2 cup of white vinegar and a 1/2 cup of hot water down each of your sink, tub, and shower drains (focusing on the kitchen drain). I recommend doing this before you go to bed so that the vinegar/hot water will be able to idly sit in each of the drains all night long without being washed down by water. This will kill any and all fruit fly life within the drain thereby preventing any growth in population. If you have a stopper for your kitchen drain, it would be a good idea to put that in place after you pour the vinegar and hot water completely down the drain. In my opinion, this is the most crucial part in eliminating the problem.
Okay, so we’ve taken care of their place of reproduction, let’s now tackle the existing population. Fruit flies are particularly attracted to spoiled foods, especially fruits and veggies. This explains why it is most common to find fruit flies floating around trashcans, refrigerators, and those over-ripe bananas still sitting out on the counter. So, it is always a good idea to use up those types of foods before they have the chance to over-ripen or rot.
This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but until it becomes a priority to monitor those little changes happening inside and outside of the fridge, most people forget altogether. I am definitely guilty of this! How easy is it to tuck foods away in various drawers or gradually push them to the very back until there is literally no room left to push?
It is as if we’re asking those types of foods to grow their own legs, get up and walk out all by themselves! I know life is crazy, but this is just plain demanding.
Unless you take the initiative to keep your fridge, freezer, and cupboards free of spoiled foods, you will be creating the perfect environment for fruit flies. I’m speaking from experience here; this is something you want to do. Plus, it keeps your kitchen smelling nice too!
Finally, to eradicate that fruit fly population you’re going to need ACV, a spoiled piece of fruit (I prefer strawberries), a glass jar (Mason or Ball jars are an excellent choice), and plastic-wrap. The instructions to build your own fruit fly trap are as follows:
Step 1: Put the spoiled piece of fruit in the bottom of the glass jar.
Step 2: Pour a small amount of ACV into the jar. I usually like to pour enough in so that ½ of the fruit is covered by the liquid, leaving the other half still exposed. If the piece of fruit is completely submersed in the ACV, it will not be able to decompose and attract the fruit fly to your trap so make sure to be careful with your liquid to fruit ratio.
Step 3: Place a piece of clear plastic-wrap over the mouth of the jar, making sure it completely covered and sealed.
Step 4: Using a pencil or pen, poke a small hole in the center of the plastic-wrap. It needs to be large enough for the fruit fly to enter, but small enough so that it will not be able to get out. The diameter of a pencil or pen makes the perfect sized hole.
Once you have completed all 4 steps, place the sealed jar containing the ACV and fruit where you believe the largest fruit fly population to be. It is wise to make multiple jars so you can spread them around your home. Chances are, the fruit flies have migrated to other rooms, as well. In my experience, the use of multiple jars accelerates the extermination process thereby returning you to a fruit fly free home once again.
It may sound a bit strange, but this DIY fruit fly trap truly is effective and efficient! The trick to drawing the flies in lies with both the piece of fruit and the ACV. Although the fruit is an inevitable magnet for the flies, the sweetness from the apple component in the ACV also draws the insects into the trap. This is quite helpful in killing the fruit flies trapped in the jar, as well, because once they fall into the liquid there’s no escaping. The plastic-wrap also prevents them from leaving. You see, they can find their way through the small hole, but the flies aren’t smart enough to find their way back out. The see-through quality of the glass jar and clear plastic-wrap also help to further confuse the trapped fruit flies. And just like that, you have yourself a very inexpensive, yet incredibly effective fruit fly trap.
***Tip: I usually like to wait at least 3-4 days before emptying the jars and refilling them, if necessary. By doing so, the fruit flies will already be dead (no chance for any stray survivors to escape) when you dump out the ACV, rotten fruit, and floating insect carcasses. Due to the smell of the rotting fruit, I wouldn’t wait any longer before changing out the trap.
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