WHERE DO FRUIT FLIES COME FROM ANYWAY?

Seriously, it’s like they show up out of nowhere. Because the flies are so little, they can sneak into your house through windows and door screens or on fruit as larvae. They hang out on ripened fruits or vegetables, as well as drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, trash bags, or cleaning rags and mops.

Speaking of larvae, you may want to read this article. After reading this, you will never want to eat a piece of fruit without washing it again, and you will learn a few things you may not have wanted to know. It’s all good. Fruit flies are not disease spreading; they’re just annoying and gross. Actually, without them, we would all be deep in rotting produce without them.

HOW TO GET RID OF THEM

• Banish all but the freshest produce from your countertops.
• Buy produce only as you need it.
• Keep ripe or overripe fruits and vegetables in your refrigerator.
• Make sure there are no old food scraps hanging out on your floors, countertops or trash.
• Keep your kitchen free of all those sources for a few weeks, and you’ll wipe out your local fruit fly population.
• Trap them.

There are a lot of different ways to make a fruit fly trap, but this is one that I use and find that it works great.

What you need

• Glass mason jar (narrow mouth works best)
• Small pieces of ripe fruit (banana works great, even the peel)
• You can add a little apple cider vinegar to juice it up and make it a little more potent.
• Painters tape, masking tape, or duct tape
• Piece of paper

How to make the fruit fly trap