A homemade fruit fly trap made from household ingredients caught numerous flies in under an hour, according to a test by Nicola Croal of the Daily Record. The trap uses apple cider vinegar, washing up liquid, honey, and optionally fruit, and costs just over £3.50 to assemble if ingredients need to be bought.
Why fruit flies are a problem
Fruit flies are a common nuisance in summer as hot weather shortens their life cycle, leading to faster breeding. A full fruit bowl on the counter is a major attraction, and once flies invade, they are hard to eliminate because females can lay hundreds of microscopic eggs at a time.
These pests enter homes through purchased produce or kitchen sink drains, and are often found near bins, left-out food, fermented fruit, and moist areas. Preventative measures include regularly emptying indoor bins, not leaving food or fresh fruit out, cleaning cupboards of crumbs, and pouring boiling water down drains to kill eggs.
How to make the trap
Croal, experiencing fruit flies for the first time in her new home, decided to try a DIY trap after other methods failed. The trap requires four ingredients: apple cider vinegar, washing up liquid, honey, and optionally fruit. All three staples can be bought at Asda for just over £3.50 if not already at home.
To assemble, pour a generous amount of apple cider vinegar into a container (a clear plastic box works well for monitoring). Add dish soap and a decent amount of honey on top, then add fruit if desired. Tightly wrap clingfilm over the top and poke tiny holes with a cocktail stick, needle, or safety pin—big enough for flies to enter but small enough to prevent escape. Place the trap in the most infested area and wait.
Results and disposal
After just an hour, Croal found many flies floating in the vinegar, impressed by the trap's effectiveness. The apple cider vinegar's sweet, fermented scent mimics rotting fruit, attracting the pests.
To dispose of the trap, open it outside, as flies may not be dead and could escape. Croal recommends using a shallower container, as some flies avoided the sticky bottom, but swishing the liquid side to side caught them all. She drained the concoction down the sink and followed with hot water to kill any eggs. Since using the trap, she noticed far fewer flies and plans to set it daily until they are gone.
