Fruit Flies? (Admit it, you get them, everybody does from time to time) I love this simple and effective trap!
This is a great way to clear your kitchen and trash areas of the tiny flying bugs that gather around them in warm months. By using a few simple items you have around the house, you can create an effective trap without using any harsh chemicals. I have experimented with a few different liquids. Apple Cider Vinegar was great for the first generation, and is the liquid pictured here. When the next generation hatched out though, they didn’t go for it as much, and I switched to hard apple cider. That attracts them much more effectively, but they don’t die as quickly, so they hang out buzzing around inside the jar.
I don’t think I’ll have a third generation since this has worked so well, but a friend reports that the vinegar didn’t work for them, but switching to red wine did the trick!
Another friend asked how to make it prettier. It had not occurred to me that a bug trap might need to be pretty, but by all means, use a nice vase and some pastel writing paper if you like, although I would encourage you to recycle in any case!
Fruit Fly Trap Instructions
Use a tall jar, and fashion a paper cone with a 1/2 inch hole to fit snugly into the jar opening. The cone should stop at least 1/2 inch above the level of the vinegar. Add apple cider vinegar to the jar. Insert the cone, then tape around the jar opening to seal the cone to the jar and prevent the flies from coming back out. Place in your kitchen and walk away.
