I think I have about 20 too many house guests. These guests weren't invited, snuck in unannounced, and don't give a tip after each meal.
No, they aren't people. They are fruit flies. I used to think that fruit flies only visited people who didn't have the highest of cleaning standards. Well, I don't have the highest of cleaning standards, but I'm not "dirty." I don't leave food out for extended periods of time. I wash my dishes. We take out the trash.
I think it is the nature of having a lot of fruit in the house . . . and a compost bucket.
A few months ago, I explained to you
one way of getting ride of fruit flies. I am pleased to announce a new and improved method that I will be trying. This suggestion comes from a fellow blogging friend,
Beth.
My mother in law taught me the most amazing fruit fly catcher and it doesn't require beer. And it WORKS. Take a narrow-mouth glass quart jar, and put a piece of fruit in the bottom. Actually even a coil of fruit peeling, particularly peach or tomato, work well. Peach pits do, too. Then take a sheet of ordinary paper and roll it into a cone, with the tiniest possible opening at the bottom of it, and place it in the jar. It's very important to have the sides of the cone completely touching the neck of the jar all around. The tip, where the tiny opening is, can actually be touching the fruit/peeling/pit. It may take an adjustment or two to get it just right and you can even tape the cone if the paper won't stay rolled, although it will if it isn't too stiff. Set the jar where you know the problem is, like next to your fruit basket.
The flies will go in the cone, drawn to the bottom and the 'lunch' there but they CANNOT get back up and out. You will be amazed at how quickly the jar fills with them.
What I like about this is that it is all organic, and completely free. When it's filled, you just remove the cone quickly and run hot water into the jar, swirling, to kill the flies, and down the drain they go. You can reset this jar as many times as you need, and during canning or preserving season you can have several of them around. And don't worry if the fruit is beginning to mold--that just makes it work better.
Try it. Seriously, you just won't believe how well this works. :)
Beth
And if Beth's trap doesn't work, then try
The Passionate Homemaking's fruit fly trap. You have to have a freezer for this one!
fruit+flies free+safe+fruit+fly+traps
against each other. Once again, year two of the fruit fly battle. After feeding them apple juice unsuccessfully, I have resorted to beer--which I must mention that my 6 year old neighbor delivered to my front door yesterday. (Should he have a license for that?) So . . . it worked last year. Pour beer (preferably a strong, dark amber brew) into a ramekin bowl. Place Saran Wrap over the bowl and poke holes. The idea is that the fruit flies are smart enough to get to the beer, blinded by their addiction to sweet things. However, they can't get get out of their trap. I suppose they don't realize that God is good (see earlier post). This year, my trap doesn't seem to be working. It is different beer and I fear that this lesser quality just isn't as attractive. I need a stronger temptation . . .
