topic Re: Fruit flies...Help!!! in Community Chat

Fruit flies...Help!!!

bunette — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 12:24:32 GMT

I have been infested with fruit flies...no exposed food, no sticky or wet spots..can't find source
have treated with fly traps am collecting them but can't get rid of them..any help please?

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

Karie2022 — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 12:32:05 GMT

We do bleach and hot water in the drains, 3 days in a row...does the trick every time; you can also try Vinegar and hot water.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

CelticCrafter — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:03:11 GMT

Are you sure they're not drain flies?

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

bunette — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:09:23 GMT

I don't see any activity around the drain...have treated it anyway..have no clue of the source?

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

dooBdoo — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 14:11:18 GMT

@bunette, I was thinking along the same lines as @Karie2022 and @CelticCrafter...

if they're drain flies (I think also called moth flies), you'll want to use an enzyme drain cleaner.

Just look online to identify the critters and then see the steps to take.

Hope you find a good solution!😊

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

4kitties — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:58:44 GMT

Terro fruit fly traps work very well for me.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

deb5555 — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 14:07:51 GMT

We usually set out littlle cups of apple cidar vinegar with a couple drops of dawn dish soap to trap them, it works so good. Hope you see results soon, sometimes tomato's or banana are to blame.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

qualitygal — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 14:15:29 GMT

Here's my take. These are drain flies. Get 2 small containers, that Saran Wrap type of film can pull tightly over.

Put equal measures of dish soap and apple cider vinegar in and cover with Saran Wrap, tightly. Take a fork, make small holes in it, (and put one container, in the kit. and bathroom (drains) and before long the little critters will jump in the "pool". They die in the swim.

They come out here in the fall. This catches them.

Every couple of days empty in toilet flush away. Redo and soon they'll be gone.

Learned about it on here, a couple of years ago.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

ID2 — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 15:11:17 GMT

The past five years we've been living on a lake. Every year (for 5 years) we are deluged with fruit flies in late summer, early fall. I set many spple cider traps around the house and catch tons! I have to keep my windows closed because they fly right through the screens. We just have to wait for our first frost/freeze to get rid of them. But this is the first year we only had a scant amount. Thank goodness.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

Carmie — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 16:26:27 GMT

I had them in my house this past spring. What an infestation! They even were on on second floor in the bedrooms. I did the Apple cider vinegar thing and even bought some professional products. I was catching them, but weeks later, they were still around.

My youngest son put some overly ripe bananas in the covered trash can with the lid off. After a few hours, he put the lid on real fast and took the can outside and disposed of the bananas and the plastic trash can liner.

He did this a few times during a whole day and finally, they were gone. They are very annoying. I think ours came in with fresh produce from the market.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

LindaSal — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 16:41:20 GMT

Jeez, I never heard of drain flies, yikes! We always have fruit flies but I assumed it was the banana's as I always have banana's in the house. I'll have to try the bleach/hot water thing down the drain in case. I have a fruit fly catcher on the counter and it works fairly well. I put the apple cider vinegar and dish soap in it.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

Azcowgirl — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 17:47:35 GMT

I'm wondering if all manor of tiny gnats hatch in spring and again in fall because I am seeing tons of tiny gnats floating on the surface in the pool. They look like the same kind that left nasty itchy blistery bites. We couldn't open the windows, they come through the screens. Seems much worse than in years past. 😢

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

shopped out — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 18:05:08 GMT

Do you have indoor plants? I recently grew an avacodo from seed and put into dirt.

No I have what is called fungus flies.... VERY VERY close to the look of a fruit fly.

They adults live up to a week and lay eggs in the moist dirt of the plants.

To solve: 1. put sticking catching objects to catch and kill aduts and use mosquito bits in the top of the dirt.

2. same sticky objects and add sand or pebbles to top of dirt.

3. same sticky objects and water with a mixture oof hydrogen peroxide and water.

And it is recommended to water plants from the bottom so that the roots get the water but the top 1-2 inches if dirt dry out.

A lot of good videos/advice on YOUTUBE.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

Another new name Sue — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:15:26 GMT

Yes, if it's just gnats, it could be from overwatered houseplants.

Drain flies look like Mickey Mouse when they land, bigger than gnats. Put a little bleach down suspect drains.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

sabatini — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:45:49 GMT

@shopped out, that's exactly what I was thinking! That they're not fruit flies, but fungus gnats which live in the soil of house plants.

I've been dealing with those darn things for months & months now.

I repotted all my plants not once, but twice with new soil, used an organic spray, and even put multiple sticky traps around each plant.

Those gnats are relentless.

What I'm probably going to do today is go and buy some fine sand to pour all around each plant.

Such a PITA.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

Porcelain — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:55:01 GMT

That's happened to me a few times. I think they ride in on produce every once in a while.

My trick is I get some oranges. Eat the oranges, or any fruit with a peel. Then I put the peels in the bottom of a plastic grocery bag and leave it wide open over night. That draws them all to the bag and lets them get comfortable. Then I tie shut the top of the bag and throw it out in the trashcan outside. That leaves a few quick ones not caught. Repeat.

Make sure there is nothing else out for them to eat except the orange peels. No pretty fruit in a bowl etc. The few fruit flies you didn't catch the second round will leave or expire from not having any food sources -- and therefore no energy to reproduce. They have very short lives.

Re: Fruit flies...Help!!!

SilleeMee — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 21:34:47 GMT

Storing fresh fruit, including bananas, in the fridge will help, too.