If your kitchen has become overrun with fruit flies, it may be time to try a DIY trap. These easy-to-make devices use ingredients already in your pantry or kitchen and take only minutes to prepare.
Begin by pouring one cup of apple cider vinegar into a glass or jar and adding a few drops of dish soap. This breaks up the surface tension in the liquid, making it difficult for fruit flies to escape.
1. Vinegar
Vinegar is a commonly-used ingredient for DIY fruit fly traps, but you can also use alcohol and dish soap to catch these pests.
Chemistry Reactions has found that vinegar works as a great lure for fruit flies due to its ability to mimic their ideal breeding environments. Some types of vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar, are more successful at drawing in these pests than others.
Pour some apple cider vinegar into a glass and cover it with plastic wrap. Poke several holes in the plastic to prevent fruit flies from escaping, and place this container on your counter or wherever else you may be noticing fruit flies.
Next, pour some dish soap into the vinegar and stir or swirl it until all of the liquid has been mixed together. Doing this breaks up the surface tension of the vinegar, allowing more flies to be trapped in your trap.
Depending on the size of your holes, you may want to make them slightly larger so fruit flies have difficulty entering and exiting. Be careful not to make them too large though or else the insects could easily escape.
Another method for catching fruit flies is to place rotting fruit in a jar or bowl, then cover it with plastic wrap. This makes an effective trap that will get the job done quickly.
These vinegar-based DIY fruit fly traps will help to eradicate these pesky pests from your kitchen. Plus, they’re an effective way to prevent them from returning in the future. For more tips on keeping your kitchen pest-free, be sure to check out our other posts!
2. Dish Soap
If you’re a fan of using dish soap to keep your kitchen tidy, you might be interested to know that it can also be used for making an easy DIY fruit fly trap. The process is straightforward and likely contains ingredients likely already in your pantry.
To make these easy apple cider vinegar treats, you’ll need a glass jar, apple cider vinegar and dish soap. Try using an unfragranced dish soap such as Dawn or Ajax brand for mildness.
Fill a jar with one inch of apple cider vinegar, and then add some dish soap. Mix thoroughly, and then place it in an area where fruit flies often congregate.
After some time has passed, you may have noticed an abundance of fruit flies gathering in the jar. They will be attracted by the apple cider vinegar’s scent and attempt to escape into its solution as they attempt to leave.
Once they’re in, dish soap breaks the surface tension of the liquid and ensures they can’t escape. You can repeat this process as often as necessary.
Fruit flies are an issue in homes, as these pesky pests can enter through doors, windows and screens. To combat this problem for good, try this easy-to-make homemade fruit fly trap which takes only 20 minutes to make and doesn’t require too much time or effort. Furthermore, it offers a healthier alternative than commercial solutions which contain harsh chemicals which may be hazardous for children or pets.
3. Fruit
If you’ve ever faced an invasion of fruit flies in your home, you know how aggravating they can be. Though they can be challenging to capture by hand, a DIY fruit fly trap is an effective solution for eliminating them once and for all.
Fruit fly traps are an efficient and non-poisonous way to lure them into your kitchen and kill them quickly. All you need to do is place overripe or rotting fruits into a bowl and cover it with a lid.
You can also fill a glass jar half way with apple cider vinegar and add a small splash of dish soap, which acts as an attractant for these bugs. They enjoy the fermented sweetness of vinegar, while dish soap breaks the surface tension in the liquid, causing flies to sink to the bottom and drown.
It’s essential to get the holes in your jar just right so that these tiny insects can fit and drown in it. A hole that’s too large will prevent them from getting inside, while one too small means they may fly out and alert their friends.
For this recipe, a wide-mouth jar with an opening works great. To make it even more inviting to fruit flies, try adding some honey (just a dab is all that’s needed). If you don’t have access to glass jars, cover a plastic bottle of wine or beer with plastic wrap and poke several holes at the top for an apple-shaped trap.
4. Paper Funnel
Fruit flies are pesky insects that can be a real pain in the kitchen, especially when trying to keep counters clean. They feed off sweet, ripe or fermented food as well as moistened surfaces like sink drains.
But there are ways to keep fruit flies out of your home without using harsh chemical solutions. One such solution is creating a DIY fruit fly trap.
To make this trap, you will need a paper funnel and either a mason jar or glass jar that has been rinsed out. Fill the jar with apple cider vinegar and some dish soap, then tape on top of the paper funnel.
Now, place a piece of fruit at the bottom of the cone. This will attract fruit flies and draw them into your trap. They will follow its scent to the opening at the base of the paper cone but won’t be able to escape when they arrive.
After a few hours, the fruit flies will be trapped and unable to escape. This humane method of capture can be completed quickly in just minutes; however, it’s recommended that you check on the trap regularly and remove any bait that no longer works.
Fruit flies can be a nuisance in your home, so making multiple traps may be necessary to eliminate them completely. But once they’re trapped, you won’t have to worry about them again! This solution works great for those who do not wish to use chemical-based pesticides.
5. Plastic Wrap
If you’re dealing with a fruit fly infestation or just want to make sure they don’t enter your kitchen at all, setting up an effective trap is key. It doesn’t take much effort and you can likely use items found around the house.
Step 1: Pour just enough cider vinegar into a jar and add a drop of dish soap (this breaks the surface tension so fruit flies can’t sit atop the liquid). After your solution is mixed thoroughly, cover it with plastic wrap and poke several holes in it for air ventilation.
You can substitute cider vinegar with wine or juice, but keep in mind that these liquids may not be as successful at trapping fruit flies. While they will still be attracted to the liquid and eventually get trapped, they won’t likely die from exposure as quickly.
Another option is to construct a DIY trap using paper cones and jars. The cone has an opening that fruit flies cannot pass through, making it very difficult for them to escape.
Instead of the paper cone, you can also craft a DIY fruit fly trap out of a paper bag. Not only does this reduce waste in your kitchen, but it also eliminates the fruit fly issue at once.
