Holy Fruit Flies Batman!! HELP!!!

[broadwy247]

So, I give Murphy (DYH Amazon) fresh fruit and veggies everyday and leave them in the cage during the day (not all night) so that she can pick at them... you know how they are. Problem is that I am getting fruit flies like you wouldn't believe. I have made 2 traps (a glass jar with plastic wrap and bait" which work, but aren't controlling the problem. What else can I do??? Please help!

[4HAND]

I am dealing with those little buggers too!Try removing all garbage every evening and don't leave ripe fruit on your counter either.I'm currious how to make one of those traps.
Tena

[stepht25]

Wash all fruits and veggies as soon as you bring them home. I don't know how long you're leaving the fresh foods out for - but maybe shorten the time a bit? If the flies are really bad - instead of throwing the fresh food out at the end of the day- put in a zip lock bag and place where in an area the flies seem to the worst. Leave it over night and in the morning - zip the bag closed as quickly as possible. You'll be able to trap quite a few this way. When throwing out fresh foods - put them down the garbage disposal - or if you don't have one - seal the food in a bag before tossing in the garbage. They actually make fruit fly traps you can buy Pest & Insect Control

[kathleen]

Ok, ok this is what's happening to me..

I've had problems with fruit flied before and I did the jar and bait thingy and it worked rrreeeaaalllyyyy well. It took about a week or two to get all of them.

Now, I have the problem again. It's just a couple but I don't want it to get worse. So I set up the jar with bait and I find the little guys sitting around the rim together. I think they are having a debate and it goes like this
"You go"
"I'm not going. You go."
"I'm not going. Are you crazy?"
"I'll go if you go."
So, no one is going.

Ok, don't think I'm totally nuts. I don't actually hear them. It's just what I imagine them saying because the jar is empty.

[Valo's Moirana]

Originally Posted by kathleen

Ok, ok this is what's happening to me..

I've had problems with fruit flied before and I did the jar and bait thingy and it worked rrreeeaaalllyyyy well. It took about a week or two to get all of them.

Now, I have the problem again. It's just a couple but I don't want it to get worse. So I set up the jar with bait and I find the little guys sitting around the rim together. I think they are having a debate and it goes like this
"You go"
"I'm not going. You go."
"I'm not going. Are you crazy?"
"I'll go if you go."
So, no one is going.

Ok, don't think I'm totally nuts. I don't actually hear them. It's just what I imagine them saying because the jar is empty.

i know i shouldn't, but i HAD to laugh..... LOL
try steph's advice... sounded good to me

[ROYJOY]

i brought some home with bananas once. i didnt want to use any poison or sticky stuff, because of my birds, but they died in a couple days cause they have a short life cycle. now i check my fruit closely before i bring it in. the trouble with fruit flys is, ya cant swat um cause they never land, they just keep flying around in circles.

[jriley]

I had the same issue a few months ago and my pest control company told me that a lot of times what we think are fruit flies are actually a type of fly that breeds and lives in plumbing (yuck!). He said that they are attracted to fruit and rotting food but aren't true fruit flies. He suggested pouring baking soda and vinegar down every drain in the house and then running hot water. I did it and also instituted daily paper changes (back then I was lazy and only did it every two or three days) and they were gone within a week.

I tried the traps, but my flies ignored them. It drove me nuts: I'd be having a glass of wine and the darn things would swarm me, but if I used some of the wine in a trap they'd ignore it! Guess they only like to drink in company :)

Julie

[Monica]

Fresh food shouldn't be left in the cage for more than 2 hours... you might get away with a max of four, but in hot climates it may be better to not leave fresh food in the cage for more than 30 mins to an hour...

Good suggestions have already been made, however, on how to get rid of them.

[CALVINS MOM]

Take a wine goblet and fill it about 1/3 full with either wine or grape juice. Leave it out for a day or so in the vicinity of the highest concentration. They are attracted to the liquid and end up drowning. It really works.

I like Steph's idea, too!

[kathleen]

I'm sure mine are true fruit flies because in college we did experiments on them and they look exactly the same. I'm going to put some vinegar in the drain, anyway. Can't hurt that's for sure.

Last night, I saw my new roommates sitting around my bait jar and I think there's some romance in the air. One was behind the other and they were flapping their wings real fast. I think it's some mating dance. I'm expecting to see a tiny disco ball hanging soon.

Valo's Moirana...it's ok to laugh. I giggle at them sometimes, too.