Picking fresh apples led to a fruit fly invasion...help!

[paysensmom]

Literally, these flies are ALL over my house. We got rid of all the apples, but the flies are still everywhere. They are in the kitchen, upstairs, down stairs, on the ceiling, on the walls. I tried a cup with plastic over it with little holes with apple juice inside. That got rid of some, but there are TONS!!!

 

[Sarahlovy]

I do vinegar or juice with a few drops of dishsoap added. They are attracted to the sweetness, but then the soap poisons them. I also scrub everything down super well to make sure there is nothing lingering that they could be feeding on/ breeding in.

 

[daisyduck123]

I tried a cup with plastic over it with little holes with apple juice inside. That got rid of some, but there are TONS!!!

You need to do this every day, with multiple cups spread throughout the house. It will help & eventually, they'll all be gone.

Good luck! I was invaded last week, although not as badly as you are. I used apple cider vinegar. They are FINALLY gone (knock on wood).

 

[Tistal]

I've found cheap, fruity wine works the best. I use a 2 liter bottle (http://www.bottlebiology.org/investigations/fruit_fly_trap.html). I don't put cans or the cardboard at the bottom; I dump cheap wine in the bottom. Instead of 1 hole, I put multiple holes throughout out the whole turned upside down top part.

I loathe getting fruit flies. I love fresh fruit, but I don't love the potential fruit flies.

 

[Carina]

I use a shot of apple cider vinegar in a tiny bowl with one small squirt of dishsoap added

As someone mentioned above the dishsoap kills them

You dont need to mess around with holey saran -this works way better and way faster

I've had dozens and dozens die this way in well under an hour

Put 1-2 bowls in each room - in the morning prepare to be discusted at how much you've caught.

Works like a hot damn!

When it gets too buggy and gross looking just dump down the drain and add another shot of AC vinegar and dishsoap. In a few days it will be just a memory!

 

[Duckyiam71]

This really does work. I live in Germany and you can see the fruit flies all around in the air. GROSS! I had an infestation of them last week...50 to 60 on my window at any given moment. Put out apple cider vinegar and dish soap...GONE! One week free of the nasty buggers. I can still see them outside but I can't take them inside. Good luck!

 

[torinsmom]

I got fly paper in a discount store and that stuff hung above any water source worked like a charm, much better than the juice in a cup trick.

 

[n2mm]

You need to do this every day, with multiple cups spread throughout the house. It will help & eventually, they'll all be gone.

Good luck! I was invaded last week, although not as badly as you are. I used apple cider vinegar. They are FINALLY gone (knock on wood).

I just did this for the past few days and agree, they are gone. I kept seeing a few, but had no idea how many there were until I did the vinegar/soap solution. However, I just used regular white vinegar and it worked perfectly. I kept tomatoes on the window ledge this summer, so that's probably how they made it in. But I noticed you're in MD and I'm in WV and everyone I've talked to has had the same problem here. I think it's because of all of the rain we've been having this summer. Not sure where in MD you are, but we are outside Wash. DC. I did this solution for 3 days and today I didn't see any when I got up! I was happy to not have to spray bug spray in my kitchen. I've been trying to get the word out about this easy solution.

 

[bas71873]

ewwww. i'm now reconsidering my apple picking plans for this weekend!

 

[hineshm]

Another vote for apple cider vinegar with dish soap. I have used it before and it does work. You may want to take it a step further and use fly paper also. Hope you get rid of those pest soon.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

ewwww. i'm now reconsidering my apple picking plans for this weekend!

I didn't pick apples, I picked them up at a local farm market. I was sure to use them that night (I make and freeze apple pies). I planned it that it was the day before the garbage man came, so I had the peelings and junk in the garbage outside right away. I have some apples left over but I put them back in the box and back in the trunk of my car. I plan to make a few apple dumplins to freeze with those tonight. No fruit flies here!! I was very cautious as I had quite a few the last 2 weeks and just finally got rid of them!

 

[mom2boys77]

I am sooo grateful for this thread..we kept seeing these bugs but had no idea what they were. Sure enough as soon as I put the apple cider vinegar out this morning, I caught quite a few. Thanks so much!

 

[duffy]

We put a piece of fruit into the bottom of a tall glass or similar container. Then, roll a piece of paper into a cone shape. Put the cone into the glass, so it acts like a funnel.

Heck, just use a funnel! The point is, the flies crawl down in to get to the fruit, and then can't get out.

We put one out and then the next morning, I take it outside, remove the funnel and gently shake out all the flies.

 

[Swimalie]

My house suddenly has them as well. I brought home apples last week and I always have bananas in the house. I put the apples in one of those Green Bags and it's helped a bit. Last night I put out the vinegar in a cup and only caught one this morning. I see at least 2 more flying around. Grrr. Darn bugs.

 

[girli565]

Thank you for this!! We always have bananas and I don't like to eat them until they are a few days old so we always get fruit flies. They drive me crazy!!

when I get home I'll be putting out the AC vinegar and dish soap!

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

We have them in our apartment, too. We put out a bowl with apple cider vinegar and some dish soap with water. The vinegar attracts them, then they get stuck in the bubbles and the soap poisons them. It got rid of our flies pretty quickly, but we didn't have too many, and live in a smaller space. I agree that you should put out multiple bowls/cups around the house. That will help you catch them faster.

 

[bas71873]

I didn't pick apples, I picked them up at a local farm market. I was sure to use them that night (I make and freeze apple pies). I planned it that it was the day before the garbage man came, so I had the peelings and junk in the garbage outside right away. I have some apples left over but I put them back in the box and back in the trunk of my car. I plan to make a few apple dumplins to freeze with those tonight. No fruit flies here!! I was very cautious as I had quite a few the last 2 weeks and just finally got rid of them!

Care to share your apple pie recipe and tell me what kind of apples to pick? We plan to go this weekend, but I was going blind as to what to pick and what to make

 

[barbarabini]

I had them and used the nozzle part of the vacuum to suck them up and out of the air.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

Care to share your apple pie recipe and tell me what kind of apples to pick? We plan to go this weekend, but I was going blind as to what to pick and what to make

Sure! Though I'm probably too late for ya

It's easy, apparently unusual and also apparently yummy (I don't like apple pie)! I use only Cortland apples.

I cheat, use store bought deep dish pie crust, so that's step one.

1/2 c butter with 1/3 c sugar melted in a large skillet. Then you top with apples to fill the skillet. I sprinkle generously with cinnamon, mix the apples up and you let simmer until the apples are starting to soften... basically the smaller slices are kinda mushy but the bigger ones are firm yet. I stir them again at least once while they are cooking and sprinkle with more cinnamon. Then I scoop them into the pie crust however full you want them (I heap it) and top with second crust. I take the second crust and make shapes, a turkey, christmas tree, leaves, whatever, and put them on top. I do this now and freeze them, so I put them in the freezer till frozen, then wrap them in press and seal stuff. Or you can bake them right away, I think it's a half hour with foil on the edges, then another 15 min with the foil removed.

I get so many complements, even my MIL raves about it, and trust me, that's a big deal!!

 

[SandrA9810]

I'm gonna try your recipe with some granny smiths I just bought today. Surprisingly enough, I actually have all the ingredients.