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I am not a big fan of the winter months.

After enduring brutal snowstorm after snowstorm in Ohio I made my way south, serendipitously finding my own slice of paradise courtesy of Ebay.

Although the winter months are much milder than up north, it still is quite cold and I can’t wait for the first signs of spring.

Unfortunately, along with the flowers blooming and greenery slowly beginning to replace the once barren landscape, there comes an unwanted visitor: the pesky fruit fly.

There is nothing more annoying than being dive-bombed by these pests as you try to eat (or pretty much do anything at all) in the sanctuary of your own home.

Well I have come across several solutions that really tilt the playing field in your favor when waging all out war against these winged instruments of ultimate annoyance.

I think an appropriate way is to list each method by assigning a FIRE-type personality and you can pick which remedy fits best:

Tier 1: The Frugalist.

The frugalist does not need fancy accoutrements.

He or she will deconstruct an item down to its major necessary components and toss away the more frivolous parts.

This method is tried and true and essentially was the one I initially implemented in my home.

The materials are inexpensive and readily available in most homes.

Essentially it consists of taking a small bowl, filling it with the attractant (apple cider vinegar), adding a drop or two of dish detergent (to help break surface tension), and then covering tightly with plastic film.

Using a pin, carefully poke tiny holes across the film covering (avoid the tendency to make the holes too large or they can escape).

Place in areas around the house where the fruit flies bother you most and voila, you’re done.

Pros:

• Inexpensive.
• Highly effective if done right (mainly the size of the holes on the film).

Cons:

• Unsightly (a bowl full of sunken dead fruit flies is not the most appetizing stimulus especially in the kitchen).
• If you have kids (or clumsy adults) your fruit fly trap can be easily knocked over and the combination of apple cider vinegar and multiple fruit fly carcasses can quickly create a “fun” spill to clean up.
• Has the highest evaporation rate of the methods requiring more frequent apple cider vinegar refills.

Tier 2: The Repurposer.

The Repurposer is not afraid to buy items that bring pleasure to his or her life.

However rather than just tossing out that item after its intended use is over, the Repurposer will MacGyver it into another completely useful product getting more bang for the buck.

This fruit fly method essentially uses the same ingredients (apple cider vinegar and a couple drops of dish detergent) but “glams it up some” by placing said ingredients in a used wine bottle.

With a little arts and crafts prowess, a small paper funnel is created that is then placed in the bottle opening.

Pros:

• Less evaporation and better aesthetics than the first method.
• Inexpensive.

Cons:

• In a night of revelry may be accidentally mistaken as an opened bottle of wine which could subsequently lead to the quickest method of sobering up known to man.

Tier 3: Having the Joneses Over.

To up your fruit fly game to the next level requires actually buying a product specifically designed for trapping fruit flies.

The extra money buys something that can be placed in front of company without notifying them that you either a) have no idea what potpourri is supposed to look like (method I) or b) have a drinking problem (method II).

Product 1:

BioCare Decorative Glass Insect Trap

I bought this several years ago and did not find this to be as effective as the cheaper methods above.

Although visually it looked nice, the design was quite awkward and had a lot of inherent flaws:

• The opening for the fruit flies was at the bottom and thus there was a fine line between filling this container appropriately and making a mess.
  • This design also required the product to be hung to be effective.
• Cleanup was much more difficult as well and the overall capacity for fruit flies was quite low.

I no longer use this product.

Product 2:

FlyFix Fruit Fly Trap

This is by far my favorite of the ready made contraptions I have bought throughout the years.

There is a top half and a bottom half that twist on and off so it is easy to fill and clean.

This securing mechanism also gives this product the best spill prevention capabilities.

It comes in various colors and can be placed unobtrusively anywhere.

The entrance for the fruit flies is a funnel shaped opening from the top which allows this to be placed on shelves and not require being hung like the BioCare product.

And best of all this product really works:

Hopefully with these tips and products, any fruit fly problem you may have had will be a thing of the past.

Curious to see what other items are in my doctor’s bag?  

Just open the bag and peer inside, you may find something of use.

-Xrayvsn