Do you find a lot of fruit flies buzzing around your kitchen wondering where they have all come from? It seems strange that out of nowhere these little pests have now come inside of your home and have multiplied in just a matter of time. You even come to the point of wondering if you can really get rid of all of them at all. Definitely, a homemade fruit fly trap would be the best remedy.
Fly traps may be considered too old-fashioned for fly control but they are still proven to be very effective. They come in affordable values and are very easy to use. Any homeowner would definitely go for traditional fly traps if they are not aware of the other options.
About Fruit Flies
Fruit flies come with short life spans. It only takes 8-10 days for them to develop from an egg to an adult fly. Having a short life span implies that they also reproduce very fast. They breed in a moist environment that is why you always see them near garbage disposals, kitchen sinks, and the like.
Fruit flies can habituate in almost any kind of environment. You would be surprised to know that they can even infest in the cleanest surroundings. As long as there are food sources, fruit flies will thrive to exist. Exterminating them permanently can be quite tricky, especially if you do not know the location of their breeding area.
Besides, fruit flies breed in different locations which is why permanent control is not entirely possible without the right products and methods.
Where They Are Found?
These pests are made to look for decaying fruits and produce. They can easily smell them from long distances and will look into the many entry points of your home just to get to them. Having access inside of your home is no problem because these creatures are just very small allowing them to go inside the small window and floor gaps as well as through your screens.
The main entry points of fruit flies are windows, which is why most fly traps are recommended to be put beside these areas. Fruit flies are quite elusive. They can pass through small openings and may sometimes prevent stepping on fly traps. You may still find some fruit flies flying around your kitchen even if you have placed fly traps around.
There are also instances where they come home from your local grocery store trip. You see, there may already be some eggs of fruit flies from the fruits that you have bought. This is one explanation where you seem to have fruit flies inside of your home and find no obvious point of entry.
For this reason, you must thoroughly check the fruits that you are planning to buy. Only go for fresh fruits that are safely stored in containers and placed in fly-free zones.
Infestation
When these flies finally get inside of your home, they will immediately look for fruits on your kitchen counters, rapidly reproduce, and in no time, take over your home little by little. And such pests do not even need fruits just so they can produce and get on with their life cycle.
Any place that is moist, they can easily reproduce and lay their eggs there from your kitchen sponge to your garbage disposal. Each fly can produce thousands of eggs and the worst part is that most of these eggs will survive to adulthood. It will become an endless cycle of fruit fly infestation if not treated promptly.
This is why as soon as now, you must take preventative measures in preventing the infestation of fruit flies in your property, even if you are not noticing any yet. One way of preventing fly infestation is to store your food in closed containers, such as refrigerators. Avoid leaving them out in the open for too long.
Getting Rid Of Them Naturally
Some homeowners might have already experienced getting rid of these pests while there are still some who are still new to this fiasco and want to learn how to get rid of them effectively. There are now some pest control companies that make the homemade fruit fly trap for the homeowners and have them distributed in your local grocery stores and online.
You may choose to buy them but they only last a good month and are quite costly. If you have the budget and you want a convenient and effective solution to fruit fly infestation, you can go for commercial fly traps that are available in local department stores.
Disposable fly traps are not very expensive but each trap can only be used once. They are very effective in exterminating huge numbers of flies in just a short amount of time. Disposable fly traps are highly recommended in areas that are highly susceptible to fly infestation. Such areas include restaurants and food centres. Regular homeowners can still go for disposable fly traps as they are the most convenient option for busy individuals.
Homemade Fruit Fly Trap
If you are currently on a tight budget, you can save more of your money by creating your own homemade fruit fly trap using materials that are readily available in your home. You will need these materials:
- Glass jar (mason, quart size);
- A piece of paper (8.5” x 11”);
- Vinegar;
- Liquid dish detergent;
- Measuring cup; and
- Something you can use for stirring (e.g., disposable bamboo skewer).
Here’s what you will do:
- Fill inside of your mason jar 2/3 o a cup of vinegar.
- Add drops of dish detergent with your vinegar.
- Mix them both using your stirrer.
- Create a cone with the use of your 8.5” x 11” paper.
- Place this paper inside your jar making sure that it does not touch the liquid inside. (Your paper cone keeps the fruit flies trapped inside the jar until they come in contact with your liquid mixture.)
- Position this fly trap near fruit dishes or moist environments.
After every one to two months, wash your jars thoroughly and change the liquid mixture as needed.
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