In warmer months, fruit flies can enter through screens and vents – and if you own a home, via the entry door to your garage. But at any time of the year, fruit fly eggs can hitchhike on fruits or vegetables that you bring home from the store – such as a ripened banana, grapes, oranges, apples or that one bad onion in the sack. They really love onions that are starting to ferment!
Fruit flies are attracted to non-refrigerated fruits and vegetables when those foods start to ferment. Some foods such as bananas are actually fermenting before you realize it. If you compost your fruits and veggie scraps, that compost container in your kithen is a big magnet for fruit flies!
What many people don’t know is, fruit flies are resilient survivors and they will feed and breed in areas you would not expect, such as inside drains, under appliances and floor mats … even around windows, doors and grout joints. They reproduce quickly, going through a life cycle in as short as two weeks at 70°F, or eight days at 85°F.
HOW TO CATCH THEM
Make a bowl trap. Another very simple trap that just requires a little care in piercing the holes.
- Put a piece of old, skinless fruit and some wine, or some balsamic vinegar in a bowl. A mix of white wine and coriander seeds works very well. Wine vinegar works great!
- Cover the bowl tightly (no wrinkles) with plastic wrap.
- Poke many small holes in the plastic with a fork. Be careful to keep the holes tiny though––large holes can allow for the flies to escape again. Ideally, the fruit flies will go in and can’t get back out.