I understand that *most* people don't want to set fruit fly traps up around their house and then count every single fruit fly to see which one is the best. But I do.
Tuesday night is garbage night round these parts. I have a regular garbage bin, a compost pile, a compost bin, a recycling box for metals and a recycling box for papers.
When I was a kid getting rid of your garbage just involved rolling down the car window.
That means I have compostable things like fruit and vegetables under my sink for a week. When I pull the compost bin from under my sink, a planet of fruit flies has been known to rise up out of it. They then disperse with military precision around my kitchen.
Like you, I have stretched cling film over a bowl of vinegar and punched holes in it with a fork. CAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE FRUIT FLIES.
I thought so too until I set a glass of milk on the counter during fruit fly season.
In the time it took to pour the milk and walk to the other end of the kitchen there was a fruit fly in it.
And so it began.
Table of Contents
The Methods
🪰 Vinegar in a bowl
The go-to, vinegar in a bowl with plastic film and fork holes was already on the counter.
🪰 Milk
I figured they must love milk so I set an open glass of milk on the counter.
🪰 Vinegar Bottle
Then I remembered that whenever I have fruit flies in the summer they always get into my vinegar bottle so I set that on the counter too.
🪰 Best DIY Fly Trap
THEN I remembered about my DIY bottle fly trap & made a miniature version of it with vinegar as a bait in the bottom instead of rotting shrimp.
RESULTS
I left the traps out for 3 days, which is how long it took to eliminate the fruit flies.
I then emptied the contents of each trap into a fine sieve, catching all the dead fruit flies, dried them on a piece of paper and started counting.
And here are the shocking results in order from least to most effective.
#4. MILK FRUIT FLY TRAP
Pour milk in a glass and leave it on the counter.
#3. VINEGAR IN A BOWL FRUIT FLY TRAP
Set a bowl of vinegar out and stretch plastic wrap across the top tightly. Punch holes in the plastic wrap with a fork or toothpick.
#2. BOTTLE OF VINEGAR FRUIT FLY TRAP
Leave your vinegar bottle out on the counter. Don't plan on using the fly filled vinegar in the near future unless you're training to go on Survivor or something.
#1. MASON JAR WITH A PAPER CONE FRUIT FLY TRAP
Roll a stiff piece of paper into a cone and fit it into a mason jar with vinegar in it. The cone should be quite close to the surface of the vinegar.
Yes. I know. Close your mouth, you'll get fruit flies in it. I had the very same reaction when I saw how many flies this method caught. Once I counted them I WAS GIDDY AND NAUSEOUS.
Seriously.
How to Make a Fruit Fly Trap
that works
Materials
Instructions
- Mason Jar
- Sheet of paper
- Stapler
- Vinegar
- Make a cone out of paper leaving a small opening at the bottom of the cone for fruit flies to get through.
- Staple the cone together and cut off excess paper at the top.
- Pour vinegar into a mason jar.
- Place the cone in the jar making sure the bottom of it isn't touching the vinegar.
Using a paper cone and mason jar worked THAT much better than all other DIY fruit fly trap methods. I sifted, dried and counted them.
Fruit Fly Trap Video
This method for catching fruit flies blew the other methods out of the water and I suspect it would do the same to any store bought fruit fly traps.
Had you told 16 year old Karen that she would make a pretty good living one day from drying and counting fruit flies she would have responded with a resounding "Yeah that sounds about right".
If you aren't sure how to do it or what it looks like here's my full tutorial on how to make one of these traps for bottle flies. The bait is more sickening: raw, rotting shrimp.
Any kind of vinegar makes a good bait for fruit flies and as anyone who drinks knows ... so does wine.
Next I'll be experimenting with which vinegar works the best. That will happen at the same time the years's first fruit fly infestation happens so we're all on standby until then.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Carole Caissie
We keep our small compost bin in the bottom of the freezer with a liner bag. On garbage day, we just grab the bag and put it out in the bigger green bin for the curb. I haven't had fruit flies in the house since...
It started off as a summer thing to keep the smell and bugs at bay but now we do it all year round. It also seems to have helped with the raccoons who used to always get into the bins overnight.
Jan in Waterdown
That's what I do with the packaging from raw meat (the styrofoam trays and plastic wrap etc). It all goes in a bag in the freezer until garbage collection day. It has made a huge difference to the formerly stinky cans in the garage, especially when temps hit 30C and up!
Gretchen Sexton
Who knew? You Knew!
Thank you!
Laura Bee
I believed you when I saw the photos. That you counted them - shows you really care. You follow through with an idea & have a great work ethic.
Seriously, I appreciate this. They showed up again a few days ago & I was about to do the saran wrap set up.
Laura Bentley
I have made these traps for years and thought they were the best...then one day, my son came home from McDonald's and had left an apple juice glass (clear plastic glass with a clear plastic lid with the cuts in it for the straw) and it had caught way more fruit flies than my trap. So no I just use that, works like a charm!
Carswell
That was one SERIOUS infestation of fruit flies. I can't stand it when there's anything upwards of half a dozen.
Mary W
I would like to try a pair of tiny earrings made like this for my daily "walk the dog tribulation". Some sort of buzzing gnat comes streaking out of the woods and straight into my ears. I can hear them coming and try to cover my ears but some beat me to it. No one else seems to have this problem. I know they aren't gnats since they buzz and are a bit larger and heavier. I do bathe every single day! I have clean ears but apparently my brains have some odor that drives them wild. I have learned to put citronella into olive oil and smear it around my ears every time I go out. It works. My ears are soft and it smells good. But having it in tiny bottles that I just clip on seems like a better idea than stuffing cotton into my ears or pulling my T-shirt over my head like Beavis and Butthead. (which I have done) I'm thinking that hanging tiny bottles from my glasses might be the trick and you have inspired me along with the rotten shrimp trick - but I'll stick to citronella. I don't need to trap them just mask the odor of my brains. You are smart and active. Too many brilliant people don't act on their ideas. You are my action hero.
Jan W
Love your post- and your sense of humor!!
Ev Wilcox
Your pics of dead fruit flies were interesting on their own. The first one looks like The Big Dipper, the second like a dog on it's side. After that they just look like mob scenes! I will be putting the directions on how to make the best trap in my Misc file--I hate fruit flies! Once again you have saved us from a terrible fate. Thanks, Karen!
Terri J.
Truly a handy experiment. Those buggers can get the best of you if you don't act quickly.....but even better is the visual I will be thinking about all day.... "a sloth on Prozac"!!! Thanks Karen!!
Mo
I like the fact that you were able to keep all of the fruit flies intact, albiet for a few fruit fly bits in photo #2. Lol.
Ronda
that's Karen ... a true artiste!
Karen
Thanks for noticing Mo, lol. I was pretty proud of that myself. ~ karen!
Gayle''
I use the red wine vinegar also,but add a drop or two of dish soap. Put a lid on it, shake it till bubbly, then remove the lid. They land on the bubbles and cannot get out, eventually sinking to the depths of the vinegar to their bubbly death.
Then, there was the bald face hornet trap, using the shop vac. They were nesting inside the soffit overhang in my house. Great entertainment, it was. If anyone is interested, I can give details.
whitequeen96
Yup, I got a nest of ants out of a small hole in my wall with the hose attachment of my Dyson vacuum. It's a great vacuum AND entertainment!
I'll bite; what are the details?
Gayle''
We filled the tank halfway with water and a good splash of bleach, and then put the hard extension on the end of the hose and duct taped it to the downspout with the hose right at the opening where the lil buggers were coming and going (not without a bite or two ) and waited for early dusk. Once we saw that they were coming back for the night, we turned on the vac. When they flew toward the opening the vac, it sucked them into the tank to drown. Once it was dark we'd turn off the vac for the night. Over 3 days we trapped several hundreds of them each day. Sorry, but I did not get an exact count. lol We learned that the neighbors didn't notice the vac running a couple hours each night, either.
whitequeen96
Now that DOES sound like fun! ;-) Per Jeff Foxworthy, "You might be a redneck if you consider a six-pack and a bug zapper to be quality entertainment." I don't know where you're from. but at heart, this little old LA gal (that's Los Angeles!) appreciates the simple joys in life!
whitequeen96
That emoji is supposed to be winking, not frowning. Oh darn, now all sorts of people will flame us for our idea of entertainment. Which reminds me, time for me to flame Karen - murderous wretch!
MrsChris SA
Mmmmm - wonder if it will work for ordinary South African horrible, disgusting, in your summer face flies!!
Must give that a bash and see if it works.
PS: You have a lot of patience counting all those dead fruit flies..... #just saying :-)
Jan in Waterdown
I should be asleep since it's past 1am here but I'm lying in bed cruising my iPad cuz I hab a code and I can't freekin' stop sneezing. And I keep having to wipe off the screen. Well that's a disgusting image. Sorry. What was the topic? Oh yeah, fruit flies. So what I wanna know is where the heck do they come from? One day they're not there and the next it's an invasion of the little buggers. That's all I got for now. Maybe I'll go get me some Jack Daniels to help me sleep and catch some flies too . . . win, win. Night night.
Pam'a
Their eggs ride home from the store on your fruit, usually. :P
Cred
The cone trap so what I use, too. Da best!
Stephbo
And here all along I thought you were supposed to use honey to catch more flies. ?
Ants. Ants are what I need help with. Those bastards come in and help themselves to everything in my kitchen which isn't hermetically sealed. I fear I might be featured one night on the 6:00 news after burning down my house in an effort to get rid of them. (I'd do it if I thought it would work.)
Gayle''
Try sprinkling some cornmeal where the ants are coming in -- they drag it back to the nest and then starve to death because they cannot digest it. I used it on a huge nest in my lawn -- I mean like 18 inches across -- and it worked. These were the large black ants (they would bite me whilst I was trying to garden. Ouch!). Cornmeal also prevents weeds seeds (or any seeds ) from sprouting, too.
Stephbo
Haven't tried that yet. Thanks!
whitequeen96
I use Dr. Bronner's liquid peppermint soap to keep ants out. I mix it with a little water and spray it where they come in and they stay away. Makes your house smell nice and is non-toxic!
Stephbo
I've used peppermint oil, but so far it only makes them reroute, or they leave for a day and then come right back. They're persistent.
Richard
Plain cinnamon has worked for me. Also cleaning up with orange oil based cleaners has helped. Treating your yard and house surround with beneficial nematodes as well as keeping an organic lawn care program including supplementing the microbial soil food with molasses can help quite a bit. (Odd as that last bit may sound, it has been observed in field trials of non related study)
Stephbo
Interesting. I'll try it. Thanks!
Amber
Diatomaceous earth, food grade. Dust it all over. Bugs can't touch it.
anna faye presley
you can also use baby powder
Kailee H
I usually keep a jar of vinegar with a pump or two of soap mixed into it on the counter for flies. It keeps the numbers way down but there are usually still a bunch buzzing around this time of year. But no more! I bought an electric flyswatter off amazon and hunted those buggers down with glee! Best $10 I have ever spent. Now whenever my two year old hears the zap of a fly biting the dust she exclaims "I got it!" for me.
Linda
I have a decanter (with a pouring dispenser spout). It contains some old ice wine that I use in place of sherry for cooking. I made the mistake of leaving it on the counter - discovered it is also very effective at trapping the little bugs.
Nice dedication though - counting the flies for us ;-)
Paula
Great tip! Great timing...again. Canned peaches and made salsa this weekend so I have a 'few' fruit flies around.
Kristy
You know what else the little bastards like? Tequila with ruby red grapefruit juice. Evidently they like to share drinks with me too. I stopped drinking that mix because they love it so much.
Ardith
Some might say that you have a bit too much time on your hands, counting fruit flies and all. Just sayin'.
bill keiser
Yeah, but she does it for a living. How many of us envy her for that?
Karen
Or some might say, WOW. I wish I was so smart that I could actually make a living by doing something as easy as counting fruit flies. ;) ~ karen!
Ardith
Well that was a joke that clearly landed on its arse. My apologies, Karen.
Karen
Oh I knew it was! Not to worry! ~ karen!
judy
having a mouth that every time it opens says something at some point that lands on its arse I found this ooops explanation priceless and one that I will keep in mind the next time I decide to give my adult offspring advice or a friend an opinion re: what I think about anything she has just bought or dated or read etc.!
Ardith
Hi Judy, love your comment. You and Karen are very gracious. I, on the other hand, need to stick to my day job. Cheers, Ardith
Heidi Ruckriegel
I'm darn glad we don't have fruit fly here, but I admire your dedication. Now if someone could figure out how to keep ants out of the house... and don't tell me about sugar traps, because these tiny monsters just laugh at them. They eat MEAT. Yep, they'd probably carry us away if we stayed still long enough and I'm sure they'll be back this summer.
Marlene
Hi Heidi
Sprinkle corn flour where your ants are. Non-toxic to us and pets, and ants love it. They'll cart it back to their nest, eat it, and peg off as they can't digest it! You'll need to do it for ab out 2 weeks to ensure you get them all.
Heidi Ruckriegel
I'll try that... nothing else has ever worked, so I may as well. I swear the whole of Hobart is on a giant ant hill, though. The wet winter may have slowed them down a bit!
YVONNE
CINNAMON works wonders