Hello - What seem to be fruit flies have appeared at a window in our mudroom during the past couple of weeks. I cannot figure out what is attracting them. At first I thought it was a plastic pail I had used a vinegar and water solution in for cleaning. I know plastic retains odors, so I washed it thoroughly, including a soaking with an ammonia and water solution. I could not detect a vinegar odor, but the flies still came so I removed the pail from the scene. But they still come! There is no food in the room. What could be attracting them and how can I get them to leave? Thanks for any helpful knowledge on the subject.
Fruit Flies
I have those little black bugs in the fall too. they aren't fruit flies although they look like them.....they are those little no-see-um things you see in swarms in the yard in the summer....
I read a hint to get rid of fruit flies is to put 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and a drop of dishwashing liquid in a cup, and it will attract the flies - and they go in and die - it does work, I tried it. I kept it on the windowsill for a couple days. I will do it again if I get more fruit flies.
Don't know if it's a different kind of bug.
THANK YOU, DEBILU! That recipe for catching fruit flies has worked amazingly well. It's hard to believe how many of them end up at the bottom of the glass. When I thought I had them all (wrong) I dumped the vinegar. This morning it was clear that not all of them were gone and I made a new mix and there must be 50 in there already.
Thanks, so much!
your welcome, got in an e-mail of tips and found it worked well for me
Debilu:
Great tip!! I'll have to remember that one. Thanks for sharing it.
When my husband mentioned the fruit flies it just happened to be the same day I read Debilu's tip and thought, for sure, I was out of the Apple Cider Vinegar but I did have it and we're both stunned at the results.
We're still enjoying tomatoes from the garden but there are always the cores that we can't use for compost. In the garbage they manage to attract fruit flies! I used a piece of Saran Wrap, made it into an odd cup shape and added the vinegar soap mix and they die in there as well.
I think the fruit flies have a warning out, to their buddies, with my photo on it.