The DIY Fruit Fly Trap

Have you ever found your kitchen filled with tiny fruit flies and wondered where they all came from? These tiny little pests seem to appear out of nowhere, and multiply so rapidly that you wonder how you’ll ever get rid of them all.

Fruit flies have an extremely short life span, growing from their egg stage to adult stage in just 8-10 days. This means that they reproduce ridiculously fast. They thrive in a moist environment, so you will often find them near your kitchen sink or garbage disposal.

They are built to seek out and find fermenting (rotting) fruit. They can smell it from a distance, and will find any way into your home – because they are so small, they can often gain access to your home through screens or small gaps under windows, etc.

Sometimes they catch a ride home with you from the grocery store – there may be fruit fly eggs in the fruit that you have purchased. So, this explains why they sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere in your once fruit fly-free home.

Once they enter your home, they will find that bowl of fruit on your kitchen counter, reproduce like mad, and completely infest your home. Oh, and these pesky little guys don’t even need fruit in order to reproduce and continue on their life cycle! They can reproduce and lay eggs in your garbage disposal, that sour old kitchen sponge… pretty much anywhere moist!

Some of you may have dealt with fruit flies in the past, but some of you may be wondering how to get rid of these pesky things once they’ve taken over your home. Some pest control companies now make fruit fly traps that can be purchased in your local grocery store, but they are over-priced and generally only last 30 days (or until the liquid solution dries up).

Save yourself some money! We are going to tell you how to create your own inexpensive fruit fly trap using materials that you may already have in your home!

Materials you will need:

• Glass Mason jar (quart size, preferably)
• An 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Liquid Dish Detergent (Dawn, Seventh Generation, etc)
• Measuring cup
• Something to stir with (I used a disposable bamboo skewer)

Directions:

1. Pour 2/3 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar into the Mason jar.
2. Add a few drops of dish detergent in with the Apple Cider Vinegar.
3. Mix together well.
4. Use your 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper to create a cone.
5. Place this into the jar – be sure it does not touch the liquid.
   • The purpose of the paper cone is to help trap the fruit flies in the Mason jar until they come into contact with the Apple Cider Vinegar/dish detergent mixture.
6. Place on your counter near your fruit dish.
7. Wash Mason jar and replace liquid mixture every 1-2 months, or as needed.