Do you ever have problems with fruit flies?

[Road Runner]

I never did until a few years ago.  About every summer now, they attack me, mostly my kitchen area.  It started about the same time I had a new HVAC system installed.  I think the installers left an opening somewhere that the tiny buggers are coming in through.   

[AirwickWithCheese]

They are attracted to dirty laundry, just saying.   

[AirwickWithCheese]

 

[jsharr ★]

1 minute ago, Road Runner said:

I never did until a few years ago.  About every summer now, they attack me, mostly my kitchen area.  It started about the same time I had a new HVAC system installed.  I think the installers left an opening somewhere that the tiny buggers are coming in through.   

condensate emergency drain.  Mine vents outside and into a floor drain, but the drain from the unit is also vented into the attic...  So they could get in the drain outside and come out the vent in the attic.

I find that this works well to trap them.

Take a water bottle and cut the top off about 1/3 of the way down.  Turn it over and insert the cut off top back into the bottle to make cone or funnel.  Pour in some apple cider vinegar and dish soap.  Set this where you see the flies.  They will fly down the funnel and get stuck in the vinegar soap mix and die.

[AirwickWithCheese]

Mean!!!

[Road Runner]

I saw something similar on TV recently.  I bought some commercial sticky strip stuff.  It works great.  I hang it up in the kitchen near the garbage can.  Small as they are, they land on it and get stuck and can't get loose.  It also catches big flies if one ever sneaks in when I open the door.  

[Road Runner]

43 minutes ago, jsharr said:

condensate emergency drain.  Mine vents outside and into a floor drain, but the drain from the unit is also vented into the attic...  So they could get in the drain outside and come out the vent in the attic.

The drain lines were one of my first thoughts.  But that seems like a long way for them to come.  I put some screen over the outside drain, but tiny fruit flies are probably not deterred.

[jsharr ★]

Just now, Road Runner said:

The drain lines were one of my first thoughts.  But that seems like a long way for them to come.  I put some screen over the outside drain, but tiny fruit flies are probably not deterred.

Any open drain would do it.  shower, sink, any place where the P trap may have dried up.  dryer vent?  

[Dottleshead ★]

Just the one's in my brain.

[AirwickWithCheese]

4 minutes ago, Dottie said:

Just the one's in my brain.

This is funny because it's true. 

[Zephyr]

We do not buy bananas in the summer.  They seem to be the worst offenders

[Dottleshead ★]

10 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

We do not buy bananas in the summer.  They seem to be the worst offenders

You inspired a google search:  https://www.hunker.com/13406031/how-to-keep-fruit-flies-from-bananas

[petitepedal ★]

Empty your garbage daily..you can make a similar trap with red wine the drop or 2 of dish soap in a jar cover with plastic wrap and a rubberband..poke a couple of holes in the saran wrap.

Also flush the drains with hot water and bleach.

[ChrisL]

2 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

Empty your garbage daily..you can make a similar trap with red wine the drop or 2 of dish soap in a jar cover with plastic wrap and a rubberband..poke a couple of holes in the saran wrap.

Also flush the drains with hot water and bleach.

This is what we do.

Yeah we get them often and sometimes their numbers explode. I whack the shit outta them with a fly swatter too.  Kill em before they multiply.

[Kzoo]

7 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

Empty your garbage daily..

Right.  Tell the guy that never does his laundry to empty his garbage daily.  Barking...... wrong tree.

 

[Chris...]

I blame MrsChris. She has a bad habit of not running the disposal. 

[jsharr ★]

16 minutes ago, Chris... said:

I blame MrsChris. She has a bad habit of not running the disposal. 

Can you post that picture of her in the kitchen from way back, just to support your case?  

[Chris...]

37 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Can you post that picture of her in the kitchen from way back, just to support your case?  

 

[jsharr ★]

4 minutes ago, Chris... said:

 

No, as I recall it was colder in your kitchen that day and not a sausage fest.

[Chris...]

[jsharr ★]

38 minutes ago, Chris... said:

WOW!  If that is your wife, you are one lucky man.    If that is one of your daughters, I am not even going to reply.

[Road Runner]

8 hours ago, ChrisL said:

Yeah we get them often and sometimes their numbers explode. I whack the shit outta them with a fly swatter too.  Kill em before they multiply.

Exactly what I did until I bought the fly ribbon.  Once they are stuck on the ribbon, they can't multiply.  

 

[Ralphie ★]

8 hours ago, Zephyr said:

We do not buy bananas in the summer.  They seem to be the worst offenders

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

 

[Road Runner]

[AirwickWithCheese]

I like fruit flies. Nice memories of the peach orchids in late summer. We would sit in the aluminum chairs and watch the migrant workers toil under the sun. Fruit flies by day and lightning bugs at night. Homemade peach ice cream sitting on the front porch listening to the crickets.