How to Catch Fruit Flies in Your House?

The fruit fly is a common small insect in our homes, as it is always wandering around fruit. They are a nuisance because they can spoil the fruit by laying eggs inside, and their larvae will happily feed on it. 

They are also resistant to any product applied to them. That’s why we have to resort to tricks and traps to combat them. 

WHAT IS IT AND HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT?

The fruit fly is a highly polyphagous fly that attacks stone fruit, pome fruit, tropical fruits, and citrus fruits. In short, almost any fruit in which it can lay its eggs. 

It has several generations per year, sometimes up to seven. As the season progresses, the populations increase, and generally at the end of summer is when the pressure or possibility of a plague is greatest.

Fruit flies cannot tolerate harsh cold. That’s why so many die every winter. They even disappear completely in cold climates. 

Even so, in regions where winters are milder, they remain, and when spring returns, they recolonize all the regions again. 

Since these flies can fly quite a few kilometers, they colonize northwards, reoccupying the entire territory.

WHAT DOES THE FRUIT FLY EAT?

The fruit fly feeds on the fruit in the fruit bowl by sucking out its juices with its mouthparts. It is also known as the fruit fly or vinegar fly, and its scientific name is Drosophila melanogaster. 

If you have ever cut open a piece of fruit and seen some white, legless larvae inside, it is likely that they are the larvae of this fly, as they mate very quickly and lay eggs. 

Their larvae grow into flies in just a few days. They have a rapid life cycle, which is why they are used for research.

Fruit flies have a seemingly clumsy flight, and when you try to catch them, they scatter in terror. Using insecticides is more difficult, as they are generally ineffective against fruit flies, unlike other types of pests. Therefore, it’s best to use one of the methods we’ll describe below.

HOW TO GET RID OF FRUIT FLIES NATURALLY?

The best way to combat fruit flies is by using traps, as they are very elusive and immune to any insecticide.

Let’s look at 7 effective methods for combating the fruit fly, starting first with four versions of traps and then other methods.

FRUIT FLY TRAPS

There are many ways to get rid of this pest, but without a doubt the best ways are fruit fly traps, in which we use the smell of certain products to attract them and make them fall inside.

This is because once they fall into them, they can’t get out. We suggest the following homemade fruit fly traps that you can make if you have a problem with them.

• THE MOST EFFECTIVE: Safe and fast, it eliminates fruit flies around the house. It’s especially effective when near fruit, vegetables, and food scraps. Insects that enter the trap don’t…
• EASY TO MAKE FISHHOOKS: Simply attach your favorite simple, natural, non-toxic fishhook to the trap. This product includes a guide so you can use our natural fishhooks as…
• SPILL-PROOF: Difficult to spill, easy to fill, and easy to wash.
• SAFE TRAP FOR YOUR FAMILY: Non-toxic and safe to use around children, pets, and food. Can be used indoors and outdoors.
• ATTRACTIVE DESIGN: Pumpkin-shaped, it fits any home or kitchen decor. It decorates your home while protecting your family. It’s transparent, allowing you to see the flies trapped inside…

Apple Cider Vinegar Fruit Fly Trap

To make this fruit fly trap, we need:

• Glass jar or small container.
• 3 teaspoons of apple cider or, failing that, apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of dish soap
• Plastic film
• Rubber band or elastic
• Toothpick

We add the water, vinegar, soap, and sugar to the jar, mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and secure with the rubber band. 

We poke a few holes in the film with a toothpick, and that’s it. When they’re attracted and try to land, the soap will cause them to drown.

RED WINE FRUIT FLY TRAP 

The fruit fly is especially attracted to red wine, and we can use the method described above but with this grape juice in a glass jar.

You can also place a paper cone on the surface like a funnel; this will make it harder for them to get in. Don’t forget to add some dish soap too.

HOMEMADE FRUIT FLY ATTRACTING TRAP

The sweet smell of honey also attracts them; we can make simple homemade traps with popsicle sticks and colored paper. 

We cut strips of yellow or orange colored paper and glue them to the sticks; we brush them with honey and place them around the house. 

We can tie them with string to make them easier to hang. Fruit flies are attracted to bright colors and honey.

• Environmental protection against wasps and flies
• For easy filling with wasp attractant
• The wasps easily enter the trap through the entrance holes, but can no longer get out due to its special construction.
• Easy to empty, easy to clean
• It can be used on the terrace, balcony, and in the garden

NON-LIKE TRAP OF THE RIPE BANANA

In a container, place a very ripe banana and cover it with plastic wrap, which you can secure well with a rubber band as in the first case, and make some holes with toothpicks. 

The fruit flies will get in and won’t know how to get out. So when there are enough of them, all we have to do is release them outside.

• Safety: non-toxic, harmless, residue-free, high-temperature resistant, and waterproof; more environmentally friendly and more economical.
• Effective: Yellow sticky traps are the best. Bright yellow is attractive to insects and even just about anything.
• Powerful: The UV-resistant adhesive won’t dry out. It can be used on any crop in any season and has a strong self-adhesive bond.
• Widely used: traps mosquitoes, fruit flies, fungus gnats, miners, gnats, mosquitoes, and gnats as much as possible and reduces the use of chemical insecticides

Other effective methods:

CITRONELLA CANDLES

Fruit flies can’t stand the smell of these candles, so they avoid them. They also repel mosquitoes and common flies.

JUMPING SPIDERS

If you see spiders like the ones in the picture around your house, don’t kill them, as they belong to a completely harmless family of spiders. Their family is Salticidae, and besides being beautiful, they are very effective at controlling fruit flies.

CARNIVOROUS PLANTS

These plants emit sweet juices to attract their victims; if you like carnivorous plants, you can put some in the kitchen that fruit flies will gladly eat.

TIPS TO AVOID ATTRACTING FRUIT FLIES INTO YOUR HOME

No matter how many traps we set, if we don’t take the following factors into account, those pesky fruit flies will always appear.

• We must make sure that the fruit is not crushed, and if so, it is better to put them in the refrigerator than in the fruit bowl.
• We must empty the trash regularly and put it in a closed container.
• The garbage container should be washed regularly because they are also attracted to any liquid that may remain at the bottom.
• They are always on the lookout and can use the smallest scrap of food in the sink to feed themselves and live longer in the house.
• To prevent them from reproducing or living longer, it’s advisable to avoid damp things in the kitchen. This will help eradicate them completely if you have an infestation at home.