Fruit fly season is in full swing, and one parent put two DIY solutions to the test to find the best way to tackle the pests.
With warmer weather and fruit ripening faster, infestations can quickly become a problem. A single female fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs in her lifetime, so one fly can soon turn into a big issue.
The parent had an issue with fruit flies after bananas lingered too long in the fruit bowl, attracting the pests with their high sugar and fermented alcohol content.
Testing Two Vinegar Solutions
Two common DIY solutions were compared: white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar, each mixed with a squirt of dish soap. The mixture is placed in a tub or bowl, covered with cling film, and poked with small holes to let flies in but not out.
Within minutes of leaving the tubs on the side, flies swarmed to the solutions. After half an hour, several flies were trapped. While both vinegars worked, the apple cider vinegar was clearly more attractive.
The sweet, fermented smell of apple cider vinegar mimics overripe or rotten fruit, luring flies. The dish soap breaks the surface tension, causing flies to sink and drown.
Results and Prevention Tips
After a couple of hours, both solutions had flies, but after leaving them overnight, the apple cider vinegar trap had noticeably more—over 20 flies in total.
The vinegars used were from Lidl, costing £1.65 for 500ml bottles, and washing up liquid can be bought for less than a pound, making this a cheap and chemical-free solution.
Pest UK, a UK pest control company, recommends prevention steps such as covering fruit, refrigerating ripe fruit, throwing away overripe food, cleaning surfaces frequently, and keeping bins clean. They also suggest hanging muslin bags of basil, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, lavender, or cloves, as flies dislike these smells.
To tackle an existing infestation, Pest UK advises disposing of food where flies have hovered, scrubbing the area, and pouring boiling water down drains.
