Home : Bugs and pests : General tips : Get rid of fruit flies

(22) comments about this tip

Fruit Flies Get rid of fruit flies with ease

Fruit flies are tiny little flies that are attracted by the fermentation of over ripe, fruits and vegetables, vinegar, fruit juices and yeasts that you might have sitting on your counter in the kitchen or pantry.

If you wish to make a trap to eliminate these little blighters, simply fill a jar with their favorite foods. Like vinegar, over ripe fruit etc. Insert a paper or metal funnel into the mouth of the baited jar. The flies will fly in through the funnel but will not be able to fly out which will help clear out your kitchen of these little pests.

Around your home there are several precautions that you can take to prevent the build up of these flies in your home. Promptly pick up fallen fruit or tomatoes from the garden and keep rubbish bags tightly sealed.

Visitors comments

Works Well Comments By: Drew Ute I just tried this tip. Within 5 minutes, I had about 1/2 dozen fruit flies trapped. I used 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar. I used a plastic throw-away cup. I plan to cover it and then dispose of the cup and cover...in the neighbor's trash :) just kidding   Great home remedy... Comments By: Anon I was doubtful, but this works amazingly well. I've been ill and I have never had a fruit fly problem until now. Within just a few minutes, many were trapped in this solution. I feel confident that my fruit fly issues are over.   GREAT TIP!! Comments By: Judy I had my doubts...but this tip worked great. I used a piece of a peach, placed it in a jar and in 20 minutes I couldn't believe the out come.   I HATE THEM! *sob* Comments By: Daniel This contraption works well enough, but I don't want to kill some of them over time. I want to kill ALL OF THEM NOW!! I hate them!! I run around my house in a murderous rampage smacking them with a towell, spraying them, yelling at them, sucking them up in the vaccuum hose. THEY WON'T GO AWAY! *cries uncontrolably*   Easy alternative Comments By: Daniel I tried the tip for my war against the fruit fly and it worked well. I then accidentaly stumbled across the ATOMIC BOMB in my war against them. I left a bottle of wine open for about an hour and went to pour myself a glass and got about 50 in my glass. I left it out longer (with a do not drink sign) and watched as they swarmed, went in and drowed. Same consept, but worked in a flash! Thanks for the tip!   Knats running me out of the kitchen! Comments By: Josie Our bathroom leads out to our kitchen so these pesty knats are making their way into our bath. I left a glass of wine on a top shelf in the bathroom. They swarmed to it and i eventually caught a cupful. I will have to try the bottle of wine (smart -the bottle's neck acts as a funnel), but cheap wine! I'd just like to rid of them for good. Makes my house feel as if it's dirty. HELP! TipKing says: Have you tried one of those citronella smelling candles. Tends to send them packing! Just a thought   Fruit FLIES Making ME CRAZZZZY Comments By: Milyssa I hate these little pissers....flying around me always , making me feel CRAZY...towels and swatting all the time...DOES not work..I just opened a bottle of WINE....COME to MOMMA.....thanks for the tip...I think this will be FINE.... ***EVIL GRIN****   fruity flie attack Comments By: Kate These fruit flies are very annoying, They travel around like gangsters and the are driving me crazy, because they are so annoying I hope this test I am doing works if it doesn't I will have to take drastic measures.If you have fruit flies just go on to this website and search for a way to get rid of them.   the answer is here Comments By: chrismiss this method does work but i found something better! get a small bowl and put a little wine into it. the cover with suran wrap and poke some wholes into it. the flies go into the bowl but can't seem to get out. if you want them REALLY DEAD, put a dab of dishsoap on your finger then touch the surface of the wine and it will break the surface tension of the wine so they can't land on it and drown.GOOD LUCK. ps-with other pests such as ants, roaches, fleas try orange gaurd. it's all natural and safe to use in your kitchen.also try diatomaceous earth for crawling bugs.   They r driving me mad Comments By: Laura I hate them i have been running around my house like a mad woman ive got blood splats all over my white walls. Its so bad i almost packed my bags 2 go and stay with my mum! But the tip did work as soon as i was pourin vinega in a cup i was surrounded by them! I just hope they dont come back   THEY R EVIL!! Comments By: Fran My house r full of them. They r pickin my head so i will try these tips!!:-)   I hate them Comments By: letti i hate the things i will try the tip. The bad thing about them is they fly towards you like your rotting fruit or something! :@   OMG!!!! They're driving me INSANE!!! Comments By: raemum4 The whole vinegar and wine thing works like a charm. BUT they keep coming back. I have searched my house from top to bottom. All tolled I think I've drowned about 1000 of the little beggars. I am at my wits end!!!   Pest is not the word!!! Comments By: Geena I have had them now for over 6 weeks, they make you feel so cooty, i have had everything out to make sure that i haven't got anything rotting in the kitchen, then i thought one of my kids might have dropped something in the living room and it is festering, i have a glass of wine on the kitchen window sill and although this has caught loads there are still hundreds of the buggers flying around. I want to open the windows so they fly out but then i think more might fly in.....lol they leave you in a no win situation, how can something so small annoy you so much? More than my hubby in fact!!   ammonia Comments By: Anon If the flies keep coming back try pouring ammonia or something like that down your dish sink drains...they fly in there and lay eggs and just keeping coming back into your home.   They are doing my head in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Comments By: Louise Rice I have had fruit flies in my flat for 3 weeks now and they are completely driving me mad. I have been leaving vinegar in a bowl and have caught 100's in there and also left wine out for them which seems to work. I have had pest control out 3 times and they cannot understand where they are coming from. They have let off 3 smoke bombs which got rid of them but they started coming back almost immediately after so they have set off another 3 but am yet to get home to see if this has got rid of them. I found using windolene a good way to get them as they get caught in the liquid and then you don't end up with blood stains all over your wall. If they don't go soon I think I am going to graudally go insane!   hoover Comments By: Emma i have fruit flies and about to try your method, but i use a hoover to get most of them =] and it seems to work   lil buggers Comments By: Ron Thanks to walmart and their lack of house plant care, my house is infested!!!! they lay eggs in all your houseplants and hide there until they see you sit down. Malathion all the plants, leave open a bottle of wine and pour bleach down the sink, I wish I could hear them scream I would feel sooo much better.   fungus gnats Comments By: Gavin I,ve been just reading up on the fungus gnat, these little gits look just like fruit flies and live in your house plants. I have a wood burning stove and i think that they have come from the wood that is stored next to it, All of the above methods will work, but i would try getting a pesticide that is especially formulated to kill gnats. should find one at a garden centre. (no Gnats)   within 2 mins i caught some fruit flies Comments By: josephine i put wine and balsamic vinegar and caught loads of fruit flies   wot a waste but seems worth it Comments By: corinne evans i am about to try and drown these little ......... in wine, have noticed when drinking wine theyre all around and have to cover my glass everytime, they can have a glass... well half a glass, an im havin the rest of the bottle   I might have to move! Comments By: Anon I've been doing the whole swatting murderous rampage around the house for weeks and have cleaned until blue in the face! I have no idea where they are coming from. No food is out. The house is clean.Beach down the drains, no house plants, they are fruit flies, not the other kind. The vinegar catches hundreds. But I just keep catching hundreds, and hundreds, and hundreds more. It's like slow and steady torture.