FRUIT FLIES
mylatency
10,475 Posts
So these little terds have been the bane of my existence during the past couple of days. I've been windexing them to death. Anyone else had much success with um fruit fly traps?Yes, I've even had to remove all the plants from my pad and take out the trash once a day (and make sure all biodegradable matter is SEALED).
Comments
Let some trash sit for a couple days and blammo. Mother nature is a cruel mistress.
Put up fly strips. They won't fly into them right away, but eventually they will. I had a really bad outbreak when I was in college. That worked for me. Put up as many as strips as you can. After about 3-4 days they'll fly on them and start to dwindle in numbers.
My apartment had a bad outbreak of fruit flies. It was disgusting and made me never want to go into the kitchen. The fly strips worked. You also have to make sure there are no bananas in the house. Another thing to do is just go in there and start killing them. Just clap your hands, it's an easy way to catch them.
now how do you get rid of the ones that have burrowed in the potting soil of your indoor plants? i tried a safe fungicide/insecticide but that doesnt seem to work. now my houseplants chill outside my door until i find a suitable means to get rid of these little flies.
(do what you gotta do)
dooooooooooooooo what you gotta dooooooooooooooooo
(do what you gotta do)
dooooooooooooooo what you gotta dooooooooooooooooo
(do what you gotta do)
dooooooooooooooo what you gotta dooooooooooooooooo
(do what you gotta do)
a groentenboer (fruit and veggie dealer) told me the lil buggers cant stand the smell of nootmuskaat (nuttmeg). drop hole balls of m between your fruit and veg you keep outside your fridge and the flies are historie.
I do this for a few years now and it works. especially now coz i dont have a fridge.
Just because you may see a small fly or gnat type flying around in the kitchen, do not assume it is coming from the drains. Check all possible breeding sources to help identify the fly. Using a drain cleaner like DF 5000 would only work in they are breeding in the drains.
Drain Flies: breed in drains, sewers, septic tanks and soil that has been contaminated with sewage.
Fruit flies: can be spotted around fresh fruits/vegtables, rotting fruits and vegetables, drains, garbage and damp organic materials
Phorid Flies : are found in sewage contaminated soil, garbage, drains, human cadavers, rotting vegetables and fruit, garbage as well as damp organic materials
Sphaerocerid Flies: may be found in manure, damp organic material, drains, rotting fruits and vegetables and garbage
1. Exclusion and Sanitation:
Sanitation is the first measure of defense, even though there are various traps and sprays that are used to kill fruit flies, it is necessary to eliminate the source in order to eliminate them.
The key to controlling these fruit fly infestations is to locate and eliminate their breeding sources.
Fruit Fly Inspection:
Look first for fruit fly sources in areas where vegetables or fruits are stored outside refrigeration.
Also look for fruit fly sources in garbage cans , under appliances, and recycling bins. When searching for fruit fly breeding sources, remember that the larva can only survive in decaying organic matter that is moist.
All stages of a fruit fly infestations depend on organic debris to complete the complete fruit fly cylcle.
Whenever possible, food and materials on which fruit flies can lay their eggs must be removed, destroyed, as a breeding medium, or isolated from the egg-laying adult.
Killing adult fruit flies will reduce infestation, but elimination of fruit fly breeding areas is necessary for good management.
A space spray such as V One Pyrethrum
(Pyrethrin spray) can be used as a quick kill, reducing populations of flying insects.
Garbage cans and dumpsters should have tight-fitting lids and be cleaned regularly.
Drainage will often aid control, getting rid of extra moisture.
Openings of buildings should be tightly screened with screen.
The fruit fly larvae may feed on the sides of the drain and in the drain trap if there is an accumulation of organic debris there. You can check it by placing some tape over the opening (leave some opening for air flow). If you find these flies stuck to the tape, you have discovered the source.
Pouring bleach down the drain is not effective.
A bacterial digester like DF 5000 or Invade Bio Gel may be used to break up the organic debris.