How to get rid of fruit flies? Yes and the answer is below.

These extremely small flying pests can really send me into, as I lovingly refer to them, ‘a moment’. I will be swatting, clapping my hands, and sometimes sharing expletives. Fruit flies are just one of those teeny undesirable side effects of always having fresh produce on hand and on the counter. I will never stop buying fresh veggies and fruit, so how do I handle this?

The fruit fly ‘Tunnel of Doom’. This tunnel of doom is cheap and can most likely be made with ingredients and supplies you have on hand. Once put together, the fruit flies will fly in and unable to fly back out will …errr….expire. I’ve gotten 14-20 in one day before. Yikes! Trust me it will work.

What You Need

• a clear glass jar or vase (like an old dressing bottle etc)
  • I’ve tried green and brown bottles and they don’t work as well. At first I thought that the Portland flies were smarter than those from Illinois, but I’m pretty sure it was just the color of the glass.
• semi-gloss paper (like magazine or grocery flyers)
  • regular printer paper might work, but we’ve had the best luck with semi-gloss ones
• apple cider vinegar (white, balsamic, or red wine vinegar should work too)

Putting it together

• Clean and rinse out your glass jar
• Fill jar with about 1 inch of vinegar
• Construct a cone with your paper, use tape to hold it together
• Place cone in glass and cut the top of the cone so that only about 2″ are sticking out of the top
• I leave mine on the counter, fridge, or even the stove.
• Voila!

Side tip

• I’ve noticed that often my fruit flies will come home via my onions. If you buy bags of onions, give them a good shake in the store or next to your car before you load them and take them home.

As it is Halloween.. Happy Halloween everyone! ….
Are there any bugs that wig you out and send you into a ‘moment’?
Mine are centipedes, silverfish, pinchie bugs (earwigs – that fall from shed doors), and of course fruit flies (they annoy me more than scare me) 🙂

Also, if you have any ‘other tips’ that help keep fruit flies out of your home, please share them below.