Home Gardening Tips in Western Canada Our resident gardening expert and Director of Produce Micky, …
Ah, summer. The season of sunshine, good times, and the fruit fly. Year after year, no matter how conscious you are of ensuring all the screen doors and windows are shut, you’ll always find these little, flying bugs scoping out your fruits. We all know that once fruit flies start popping up around your kitchen, it’s almost impossible to get rid of them. It’s one of the most frustrating parts of the warm season. Luckily, they’re not as smart as they are annoying.
Here are 3 ways to outsmart a fruit fly:
Apple Cider Vinegar
One of the most popular ways to win the war against fruit flies is to trap them using apple cider vinegar. It’s super simple to prepare, and you’ll only need 5 basic household items–apple cider vinegar, a mason jar, plastic wrap, an elastic band, and a toothpick. Here’s how to put it together:
- Fill ⅓ of the mason jar with apple cider vinegar.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and wrap the elastic band around the body of the mason jar and plastic to secure the wrap.
- Using the toothpick, poke 3 small, spread-out holes in the plastic.
It’s that easy! Once you catch a small batch of ‘em, use a spoon to scoop them out and dispose of them. This effective method is enhanced when you add some overripe fruits such as bananas.
Wine & Flies
Pour yourself some red wine from a bottle with a long, narrow neck. Maybe one glass, maybe two. Pour until there are only a few inches of wine left in the bottle. Remember, you’re drinking for a very important cause. Then, just leave that bottle on your counter and walk away. Fruit flies can’t resist red wine and will dive into the bottle without thinking twice! No need for a plastic cover since they won’t be able to navigate their way back up the narrow neck of the wine bottle.
Milk, Sugar, Pepper
This method requires the most amount of work, but after over a century of success, it’s worth it. Here’s what you’ll need:
- A pot
- 1 cup of milk
- ¼ cup of raw sugar
- 2 tablespoons of black pepper
Using the pot over low heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Add sugar and stir, then add pepper. Once all of the ingredients are mixed, pour the mix into multiple shallow saucers, and place them around your house. By the end of the day, your home should be temporarily fruit fly free.
Piece of cake, right? Well, don’t let your guard down because regardless of how well you did getting rid of those insects, they will be back. Feel like we missed something? Tweet us your go-to natural weapon of choice when dealing with insects around your home.
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