We have tried everything to get rid of fruit flies. Any more ideas?
By Laura
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Place a small jar with apple cider vinegar and 2-3 drops of dish detergent in it and place where fruit flies appear. Use about 1/4 vinegar. The flies are drawn to the vinegar and the soap keeps them from flying out. Works every time.
The above works fine but cover the jar with plastic wrap and poke a small hole. I just stuck it with my fingernail or a pencil. Bugs go in and are too stupid to get out.
If you still have them after trying everything, it means they are breeding in or very near your house because something is providing them the environment they need to reproduce.
You'll need to watch for where they are swarming from, and figure out what you are inadvertently providing them that encourages breeding. It could be something as simple as a fruit tree growing near an entry avenue into your home-the door opens and they swarm in. There are so many ways those little beggers can get in, and so many ways they can adapt to an environment!
They could be hatching in a plastic bag; they could be colonising in a dark corner of your pantry; they could be breeding from a smear on a jam jar at the bottom of the cabinet...
And of course there is always the chance they aren't fruit flys, but water gnats or something else. Good luck whatever it is, these are hard to get rid of sometimes.
First, put away all your fruits and veggies. Then the apple cider vinegar.
Sticky fly paper, hung and pulled open. Warm in hands before opening to let release easier then follow directions to open. I'de get a 3 or 4 pack to start. They aren't expensive, and can be bought in a feed store, gardening store, big box store, online, or other places.
This is the only thing that really worked for me. My fruit flys are all gone now.
I also had little white moths (pantry moths) from some pet food. I also got some moth traps at the same time. They work too. They were more expensive but worth it. When the moth trap filled up, I transfered the pellet to the hanging sticky fly trap and it worked there also.
It sure is nice not to have them any more and to know this works.
How does one get rid of pantry moths? The offending pet food is long gone but I still get the occasional moth. They are very hard to kill when you smack them.
Pantry moths can take a while to get rid of. The only thing I've found is what I first bought from King Arthur Flower when I saw them listed when I made out an order and included the Pantry Moth traps. They come folded and you follow the directions with the sticky part and the little pill thing-y then hang them.
I also found them locally at a better price. When the traps were full I put the pill thing-y onto the fly hanging sticky trap and it caught more moths. I had 3 traps set up in our main floor. I used 2 different batches, about 6 traps to get rid of them.
I've found Pantry Moths one at a time dead in a cacoon, mostly in creases in plastic, news papers, and tight places. They seem to like plastic.
After using the fly paper sticky hanging thing-ys and the Pantry moth traps, I haven't seen any fruit flyes or moths in a month or more.
I hope this helps. I'm not sure if I had fruit flys or gnats, but this worked.
Forget the Vinegar remedies suggested elsewhere. These are for amateurs, not effective. Drink a large real man's or women's beer (forget the lite beer). Get Tomcat Glue Traps (www.tomcatbrand.com) and smear glue on top of beer can. Put several glued cans around house, especially where flies are swarming and watch their dead bodies accumulate on rims of can.
Any ideas on how to get rid of this pesty fruit flies
Help. I have 100's of fruit flies. How do I get rid of them?
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