Fruit flies can be a nuisance in the summer as they often fly into kitchens in search of food as they can smell ripening or fermenting produce several hundred meters away.
While they may seem like a small problem, fruit flies need to be dealt with quickly if they come into your home as they can lay up to 500 eggs in a week.
If you have lots of fruit flies being pests then you should first find out what is attracting them, as it can be something as trivial as an uncovered fruit bowl or spilt juice.
Wipe down every surface you can think of in the kitchen, and if these annoying insects continue to be a problem then it is time to make a homemade fruit fly trap.
Alejandra Ramos, a cook and founder of Always Order Dessert has shared the “best way” to keep fruit flies away quickly and easily – and all you need is a glass of wine.
How to make a homemade fruit fly trap
It may sound strange, but fruit flies will be instantly attracted to the fermentation of the wine and will draw them all into one container.
Alejandra said: “By leaving a cup or wine glass filled with about two inches of red or white wine in it near the fruit basket. The flies will be drawn to the sweet smell, fly or crawl in, drown, and die a boozy death.”
To make the trap even more effective add a few drops of washing-up liquid to a cup or bottle of wine as it will break the tension of the surface, meaning there will be no way for the flies to escape and they will eventually drown.
Wine tends to be the easiest trap to set up but you can use a mason jar, any rotting fruit or even apple cider vinegar to quickly kill fruit flies as well.
Alejandra said: “You can also use vinegar with a slice of ripe/rotting banana or peach in it, but I honestly find that wine works best.”
Make sure to not place this trap near your open windows and only place it near your fruit bowl or on a countertop in your kitchen when the window is closed, otherwise, it will simply keep attracting more fruit flies.
How to prevent fruit flies from coming into your kitchen
If fruit flies continue to be a problem then you need to eliminate whatever sweet smell is attracting them, so take 10 minutes to take some simple preventive measures.
In the summer, clean out your fruit basket at least once a week to get rid of any rotting fruit, then wash it with warm soapy water as there is nothing to attract the fruit flies.
Make sure to also store certain vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, pepper and potatoes properly as they are likely to draw in more flies due to their high water content or pungent smell.
Check your fruits and vegetables basket daily, and remove any which appear damaged or bruised should be kept in the fridge.
Alejandra said: “The natural sugars and powerful scent of the onion is like a sweet siren song for fruit flies.”
Having a small fan in your kitchen will also knock fruit flies away as even a small breeze can hurt them, but the absolutely best way to ensure your kitchen stays pest-free is to keep it as clean as possible.
Alejandra said: “Remember that garbage cans, wet sponges, and damp mops can also be breeding grounds for fruit flies.
“Take out the trash regularly, spraying and wiping the can down about once a week. Swap out sponges regularly (or keep them clean and dry by washing them in the dishwasher along with your dishes and letting dry in the sung).”
