(no subject)

[cathybites]

My apartment is infested with fruit flies, and I cannot get rid of them. I've tried the vinegar thing, the wine thing, the fruit thing. I've poured boiling water down the sink drains. I even bought Raid and sprayed, AND NOTHING WORKS. Is there anything else I can do, or am I going to have to live with a horde of tiny, annoying roommates? Seriously, it's like I'm all alone fighting an invading army.

Comments

[blu-22.livejournal.com]

I find that it takes a while for them to go away. Beating them to death works best for me.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

Beating them to death works best for me.

and it's so satisfying.

[likethemodel.livejournal.com]

My mom had a fruit fly problem in her kitchen a couple of years ago and the best thing we tried was filling spray bottles with a combination of hot water and dish soap. It's a lot harder for the flies to escape a spray of foamy water than a flyswatter. The spraying wasn't an instant solution but we kept at it and finally got rid of the flies.

[effervescent.livejournal.com]

This. I would have it on hand whenever I saw a cloud and spray them to death and then wipe up the mess with paper towel. It kills the adults to stop them breeding. Other than that, just make sure that your kitchen is as dry as possible, and take the garbage out frequently.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

oooh, I like this idea, especially since soapy water is a lot safer for my cats. Plus, I can maybe do some cleaning at the same time. XD

[cjmarlowe.livejournal.com]

Strategically placed cups of cider vinegar combined with dishsoap worked for me, but it took a little while to kill off enough generations that they didn't come back.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

hmmm, I tried it with balsamic and red wine vinegar, and it didn't work, but maybe cider works better?

[cjmarlowe.livejournal.com]

I've tried it with other kinds, but cider was the only one that really worked. The cider vinegar attracted them and the dishsoap kept them from getting away again.

[geewhiz.livejournal.com]

Only solution is to invite an NHL player over. I don't know how it works but it works.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

BEST SOLUTION EVER.

[kitchendinah.livejournal.com]

Consulted with a friend who spent a good potion of her college career breeding the darned things and she recommends:

Re: fly traps:

Use a beer or wine cooler bottle with a little alcohol left in the bottom OR, find some sort of narrow-mouthed jar and put some mashed banana and a little water in it. You need barely cover the bottom. All the flies need to do is smell it. Then, find an index card and roll it into a funnel shape. Make sure the hole at the bottom of the funnel is only slightly bigger than a pin head (you may need to adjust later if you notice that flies either can't get in or come out too easily). Place the funnel inside the bottle neck or jar mouth. Tape it securely to the bottle or jar with duct tape or some other strong tape. To dispose (and do this especially if you notice larvae in the trap), stick in the freezer and then toss after flies have died of hypothermia...which is usually after an overnight.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

I'm with the hot water and dish soap idea. Works better than fly paper oat the office and his cheaper too. Just get lots of tiny disposable dixie cups and fill 'em up and put them every where! Apple Cider vinegar may also work with the soap. It's less acidic than normal vinegar, which may be why that hasn't worked.

Also, when they were in my house, I pretty much had to not keep any food out ever and constantly take out the trash. Also chekc the cat litter box and keep that spotless. My friend had a reoccurring issue and we finally realized they were also in the litter box!

Burying them alive worked will to kill the flies that would stay around the box.

[krisomniac.livejournal.com]

They've got to be living on *something*

Unless they're flying in through a nearby neighbor's window?

[jamesinboots.livejournal.com]

You don't leave any fruit or other food out, do you? Never leave anything out, or even any food residue on dirty dishes in the sink, since even one spot of food can be enough for them to multiply.

Also check to make sure they haven't nested anywhere? Might want to look under the stove or refrigerator, or anywhere else bugs (or dropped food) could hide.

[darkscarab.livejournal.com]

I had them like crazy last month and then all of a sudden they just went away...not that I'm complaining but I keep waiting for the return!

[sparkymonster.livejournal.com]

OK. So. Beer bottle, soda bottle whatever for the trap.

1/2 fill with vinegar and some soda (or add a little bit of honey/sugar). The combo of vinegar and sweet smells like rotting.

Add paper cone with small hole at bottom. Tape around the join of cone and bottle.

Kind of like this

http://www.naturalhomeandgarden.com/leafy-greens/green-your-life-homemade-fruit-fly-trap.aspx

It will take 1-2 weeks for them to all die.

Wash your trash can and the floor around it. Wash your counters. If you notice any places where you see lots of flies hanging out, thorughly check that area for possible food particles.

[star-maple.livejournal.com]

We had them a month ago. I have to second the banana trap-- we tried a bunch of homemade traps but they freaking loved that banana the best. That got most of them and then we traded it out for a store-bought trap to keep them down. It's got a little teabag of bait that you put in the bottle along with some sticky paper to catch them.

And yeah, clean everything and don't leave any food or garbage out longer than you have to. (I blame veggie roommates who weren't careful with where their peelings went.)

[frisbyg.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the flies can get in and out of the juice/wine unscathed, so you actually end up with MORE. I put out a little cup of juice and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Then I poke a smallish hole in the plastic to allow the flies in - they tend to go in and drown rather than getting out.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

Between the flies and the mold, I am seriously considering this.

[thatpalebluedot.livejournal.com]

Gah! I have them now too. DRIVING ME CRAZY.

What's working for me:

Put a small piece of fruit/banana peel in a bowl in the oven. Leave the oven door cracked open overnight. When you come in in the morning (SLOWLY AND QUIETLY), close the oven door and bake the suckers for 15 minutes--I put it on broil. If I do this two or three days in a row, they're almost gone--my problem is that I forget to do it one night and they build up their ranks again.