Sunday, August 3, 2008

FRUIT FLIES...going!!!

We had fruit flies...and if you know anything about fruit flies you know they multiply faster than my husband and I do!!! Supposedly they lay about 500 eggs a day. I didn't see 5oo eggs but they were growing about 10 more a day...Maybe because I kept cleaning the surfaces and throwing away things that attracted them...except my husbands running socks!!!

I read all sorts of advice online like:

Remove the food source and breeding areas. Fruit flies have a life-cycle of 10 days, giving them plenty of time to punish you for leaving moist, fermenting, organic material in which they may lay eggs. Most fly trap ideas only serve to illustrate the flies' progress in taking over your home, and some will themselves provide a breeding ground. Sanitation is the only effective resolution. Address these frequent problem spots:

Wash all dishes. Clear the drains.
Launder the dishrags, or at least wash them thoroughly with soap, rinse them well and wring them dry before hanging them up (don't leave them in the sink).
Store trash in a covered bin.
Do not toss food garbage into waste-paper baskets.
Cover your fruit bowl or store fruit you wish to keep in the refrigerator. Also, raisins, dates and prunes are favorite attractants.
Discard all overripe fruit.
Clean opened containers of fruit juice, fermented or vinegar products, for example ketchup, siracha or cooking wine. Seal them well. Keep these in the refrigerator if possible.
Wipe up crumbs and spills from your cabinets, counter and floor.
Take out all trash
Do your laundry.
Clean the seals of your refrigerator door, the top and under the fridge, especially clean the evaporation pan if it has one.
Clean under and around your dishwasher and stove.
Dump mop water, clean the pail, launder the mop rag.
Remove damp lint from the laundry room.
Take out your compost and keep your collection bin covered and food additions to your pile buried beneath yard waste.
Do not use manure, beer or rank water for fertilizer near the house.
Use screens for your doors and windows.


I also got advice about different types of traps to make. I tried the funnel trap with apple vinegar. Worked OK...a couple of flies.

The trap that worked best was taking a glass or a glass jar and covering it with tight wrap. Then I took a tack and put little holes on top, about 5. Don't make them too big the flies will escape. Otherwise, they can't figure out how to get out?! Within hours they start going in. In 24 hours I caught about 15-12 in the kitchen and two of the bathrooms. (the only places they hung out)
At one point I checked my bathroom and noticed that all but one was in the jar...I figured they got out the holes? Then I detected my son's clothes on the floor from showering...To find out he had wanted to look at them...as if the clear wrap and glass couldn't of given him a clear show!!! So, they all got out...back to the drawing board!!!

Actually, I kept the "traps" out for a couple of days...even thou we caught most...it seemed the trap kept getting full...so day three...still catching!!!

Hope this helps!!!

Thy Will Be Done!!!+JMJ+

2 comments:

Gretchen said...

I always use a small bowl of apple cider vinegar with some dish soap in. Leave it on the counter and it does seem to do the trick! I'll try the plastic wrap idea too.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Gretchen...I will hopefully not have a fruit fly problem again...Ha-one just flew by!!! I will try the vinegar with the dish soap. +JMJ+