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A Farm of My Own:  Fruit flies  |
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nabrown42
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Nancy
Caneyville
KY
USA
409 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 6:06:24 PM
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I am under attack by fruit flies. I've set out traps made in canning jars, filled with sugar water and covered with plastic wrap with tiny holes in it. I've used flying insect sprays that say they last for 4 days...well, they don't! What is a fool-proof remedy?
"I've wept in the night for the shortness of sight that to someone's needs I've been blind; but I've yet to feel a twinge of regret for being a little too kind." |
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jessabelluh
True Blue Farmgirl
349 Posts
Jessica
South Dakota
USA
349 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 7:13:43 PM
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I always set out a small dish with apple cider vinegar, a little water and a squeeze of dishsoap. On occasion I will put a piece of overripe fruit in that, but usually not.
~jess |
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1497 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1497 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 7:53:11 PM
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apple cider vinegar gets the little buggers every time.
Cheers! ~ Marilyn
Farm Girl No. 1100
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Dec 13 2011 : 9:09:22 PM
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I have a jar on my counter with apple cider vinegar and a squirt of orange scented dish soap. I empty, rinse, and refill when there seems to be a lot of them floatin in it. I have the little mason jar with the metal lid. My Hubby put the tip of a kitchen knife through the lid twice, just barely, so there are small slits for them to crawl through.
I haven't had more than a few to deal with in the air since. I use it year round. It sets right beside my compost collection bowl. When we first set the jar up we left the compostables settin for 3 days to 'get ripe' and attract all of them to one location. Then we litterally threw a towel over the bowl to catch the most of them in it and carried it outside across the road to open it. Then we emptied and washed the bowl immediately. The ones left in the house were in the jar by the next mornin.
It's a nice little trap that's super easy to clean. It already has soap in it, so dump, rinse, refill. I do have to watch the slits in the lid for rustin. They will rust shut from time to time. I just scrape the bottom of the lid with a knife blade and the rust falls off, openin the holes back up.
I only put about an inch or two of vinegar in the bottom and about 1/4 teaspoon worth of dish soap in it. The soap will float to the top and form a thin film that is sticky to catch them, while the vinegar is a smell they are attracted to and will also not mold up like other stuff. I have had as much as a half inch of the dead bugs in the bottom a few times! That must be hundreds of them! But we are never bothered by them or even notice them hardly ever anymore!
Hope this helps!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
Edited by - natesgirl on Dec 13 2011 9:14:00 PM |
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nabrown42
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Nancy
Caneyville
KY
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 05:17:52 AM
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When I got up this morning, they were everywhere. They must be having a convention. I'll try again and use the vinegar/soap remedy and see if they die off. This all started when I bought bananas, something I had been doing for years with no problem.
Thanks for the info.
"I've wept in the night for the shortness of sight that to someone's needs I've been blind; but I've yet to feel a twinge of regret for being a little too kind." |
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FarmDream
True Blue Farmgirl
1085 Posts
Julie
TX
USA
1085 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 07:36:38 AM
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I have the same problem with bananas and some other fruits I leave sitting out. I have found that keeping them in a bowl and covered with a towel helps. If I notice them then I make sure there are no dirty dishes or food sitting out uncovered. I keep a sink of water to put the dishes in. I didn't know about the vinegar & soap trick. I will have to try that the next time.
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://naturaljulie.etsy.com
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
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nabrown42
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Nancy
Caneyville
KY
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 2:20:14 PM
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Julie, I put out the vinegar this morning and it's working like a miracle! In a few hours, there were more dead or trapped flies than I had in several weeks with the sugar water I had used. I'm going to leave the jar out until I have several days fly free.
Thanks to the rest of you who recommended the vinegar/soap cure.
"I've wept in the night for the shortness of sight that to someone's needs I've been blind; but I've yet to feel a twinge of regret for being a little too kind." |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 5:40:34 PM
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| A friend of mine who runs a restaurant says to flush kitchen sink drains with hot water and soap every night, poke a bottle brush down in the drain to get it cleaner, then flush with plain hot water. She says they breed in there and this will prevent them taking over. (They only live a day or so.) You have to flush with plain water at the end of this one- or two-minute chore because soap attracts them and you don't want to create an even better breeding ground for them in the drain! We had such bad fruit flies this year that I couldn't believe this alone would do the trick, but it did. It's also good to wash fruit thoroughly when you get it indoors (or home, if store-bought) and store it in the fridge. I never let grocery bags or cardboard boxes come in the house -- that's asking for all kinds of bug trouble. |
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Farmer Judy
True Blue Farmgirl
433 Posts
Judy
North Aurora
IL
USA
433 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2011 : 6:32:04 PM
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Thanks everyone, my husband said if I could not take care of the fruit flys no more fresh fruit out. He actually stuck the bananas in a zip lock and in a day they got moldy. I just saw this and it answers my problem before I had time to post it.
God bless,
Judy
Farmgirl #3666
Born a city girl but a farm girl at heart!
http://farmtimes.blogspot.com/ |
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SunnyJam
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
Jamie
Seattle
WA
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2011 : 09:55:37 AM
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I got so excited when I saw this thread because it's just so nice to know that you're not alone! I had a fruit fly infestation last week and did the apple cider vinegar traps and put away everything that I thought could possibly be attractive to them, but there have been one or two lingering by the kitchen sink ever since. I'll try the drain trick tonight. You ladies are amazing!
Farmgirl Sister #2504 |
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nabrown42
True Blue Farmgirl
409 Posts
Nancy
Caneyville
KY
USA
409 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2011 : 10:03:41 AM
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My drains in the sinks don't allow access to the drain to scrub them out. There are still a few persistant ones still buzzing around but it's so much better than before. Thanks for everyone's input. When there's a problem for anyone on the forum, we're just a few minutes away from a solution. It's great to know there's so much support available from our sisters. You're the best!
"I've wept in the night for the shortness of sight that to someone's needs I've been blind; but I've yet to feel a twinge of regret for being a little too kind." |
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Catherine L
True Blue Farmgirl
408 Posts
Cathy
Newton
Texas
USA
408 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2011 : 05:15:54 AM
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Thank you, Nancy for asking this question. I have been having the same problem and the answers here have been a great help to me as well. Mara, my mother in law brought in some roaches in a bag of potatoes and she is having a time getting rid of them. I think the point about not bringing in boxes and bags is a good idea. Cathy
~Cathy~
Farmgirl 2428 http://www.my-fairhaven.blogspot.com/
http://adaywithnonnaandboompa.blogspot.com/ |
Edited by - Catherine L on Dec 17 2011 05:16:31 AM |
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Farmer Judy
True Blue Farmgirl
433 Posts
Judy
North Aurora
IL
USA
433 Posts |
Posted - Dec 18 2011 : 10:23:42 AM
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Thank you all, my husband is sooo impressed by farmgirls at this moment! I tried the apple cider w/soap and those stupid little fruit flies went for it, they are gone. DH is so happy, I almost had to give up fresh fruit.
God bless,
Judy
Farmgirl #3666
Born a city girl but a farm girl at heart!
http://farmtimes.blogspot.com/ |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 18 2011 : 2:14:32 PM
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| Oh Cathy, how awful for your mother! Those potatoes in bags are notorious for allowing roaches to hitch a ride into your home. I always buy potatoes and other produce loose for that reason. |
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A Farm of My Own: Fruit flies |
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Fruit flies
