by timelapsegardens | June 17, 2015 8:52 am
Fruit flies are small sized flies that feed on fruit in both its adult and larval stages. Sometimes you might find them in your kitchen buzzing around your fruit basket. Though they are not harmful, they are very annoying and irritating at times. They multiply in number at a very quick rate because of their fast reproduction cycle. Female flies can lay about 500 eggs at a time on very ripe fruits like bananas and tomatoes. Fruit flies get attracted to refrigerated fruit or sugary items in your kitchen. They gain entry to houses via open doors, windows etc. These flies can survive even after you have disposed of the ripened/ rotten fruit or by living on things like damp mop or sponge. It is a difficult task to get rid of these fruit mosquitoes once they have entered your house and started breeding. This article tells you how to kill fruit flies.
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Below are some of the ways to get rid of fruit flies and to enjoy your fruit peacefully.
Anything that is overripe, rotten or cut should be trashed outside the house.
Rue is a traditional herb that can be used to get rid of fruit mosquitoes at home. Placing this herb in your kitchen will ward of fruit flies from your kitchen.
Kitchen mop and sponge should be regularly replaced to avoid any mosquito or flies breeding on them.
Used dishes and glasses should at least be rinsed immediately after use, and the leftovers should be trashed into the dustbin.
Kitchen sink, stove top, kitchen platform, etc should be cleaned properly. Spilled food, fruit juice, food bits, jelly etc should be cleaned properly. Also keep the garbage bins clean.
Always keep the fruits and vegetables refrigerated, and not in open baskets.
Examine The Fruits And Vegetables
Have a look regularly at the fruits and vegetables. Any overripe fruits, or cut fruits may invite the fruit flies. Such fruit should be disposed off immediately.
How do you kill fruit flies using the bowl trap method? Place a ripe skinless piece of fruit, wine or balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Use a plastic wrap to cover the bowl. With the help of fork, poke some small holes on the plastic wrap. The fruit flies will be able to go in but will not be able to come out.
Place a piece of rotten fruit in a large jar. Place the jar at a place where the flies breed the most. Place a paper cone with a small hole over this jar. The pointed end should be placed downwards in the jar. The mosquito will enter the jar through the large hole of the cone but will not able to come out through the small hole.
In a jar, put a mixture of thick sugar honey syrup and a rotten fruit. Heat the mixture. Add some more honey and sugar to make it syrupy. Now add some apple cider vinegar or red wine to this syrup. Place a cone over this jar. As time passes and this mixture ferments, it becomes stronger to attract the flies and acts as a great trap.
Fill a jar to its half-capacity with apple cider vinegar. Add a few drops of dish soap. Fill rest of the jar with water. Leave the jar alone. The fruit flies will get attracted towards the jar and get trapped in it.
Apple cider vinegar: Cover the opening of an apple cider vinegar bottle with a plastic wrap. Poke some small holes with a fork on this plastic wrap. The fruit flies will enter, but will get trapped in the bottle.
Milk, Sugar and pepper method: Combine milk, sugar and pepper in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Leave this mixture open on a bowl. The flies will be drawn to this mixture, settle on it, and get drowned.
Red Wine: Leave a glass of red wine open on the table or kitchen counter. You will be surprised to see the number of fruit flies drowned in it after a few hours.
Although it is difficult to get completely rid of fruit flies at your home, it is essential to take all the precautionary methods to avoid their breeding polulation. The first step is to destroy the feeding and breeding grounds of these winged unwanted guests. Fruit flies are not harmful but they carry germs that can cause diseases. The best way to keep away the fruit flies is to prevent them from entering and breeding in our homes. A thorough clean up of the house, especially the kitchen area is required from time to time. A rotten fruit, a drop of fruit juice, a bit of jelly etc can attract fruit mosquitoes through their smell. So, keeping the kitchen sinks, bathrooms, garden and all open areas clean is the best way to keep these irritating hoodlums at bay.
Source URL: https://timelapsegardens.com/how-to-kill-fruit-flies-fast/
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