Tip of the Week!! Die flies!!, Die!!!

I am so excited to be sharing this ‘Tip of the Week’ with you. I have been dealing with a pesky problem for several years & recently found the solution — and it works every single time & is practically free.

Over the last 3-4 weeks my entire home has been invaded by FRUIT FLIES. They drive me crazy!! I am totally grossed out when I pick a banana or get a clementine and a cloud of fruit flies emerge. But last year I learned the trick to killing them – fast and simply.

Well, I started researching pest control options and learned fruit flies are LOVE apple cider vinegar. So, I poured apple cider vinegar in several shallow dishes and placed the dishes all over my kitchen. Although they were attracted to the apple cider vinegar, they were not getting trapped by it. So I researched some more and realized Dawn dishwashing soap plays an important role in capturing the pesky flies…((something about surface tension)). I added the Dawn and it seemed it be slightly more effective but they were still thriving in my kitchen & quickly spreading throughout the entire home. 

Next, I thought I would cover the shallow dishes with plastic wrap, just leaving a small opening for them to get into the apple cider Dawn mixture. That worked a lot better – but the flies were still winning.

OKAY – at this point I am starting to look at the tiny fly and imagine it’s “brain capacity” if you can even call it that and compare it to mine… Do I have some deficiencies I am unaware of??? How can this thing be so pesky and hard to capture and KILL??? You and your 100 brothers must DIE!!

Thank you to Pinterest, after more research – I found the trick which I refer to as ‘Hotel California’:

Last thing I remember, I was

Running for the door

I had to find the passage back

To the place I was before

“Relax, ” said the night man,

“We are programmed to receive.

You can check-out any time you like,

But you can never leave! “

OH flies, I have your number!!

The trick is making a funnel with a pea-sized opening! Here are the steps:

• Place about 1/2 -2/3 c apple cider vinegar in a glass jar (the jar’s opening should be no bigger than 2″)
• add a few drops of DAWN to the vinegar
• create a funnel with a sheet of white copy paper, adjust the opening to be about the size of a pea.
• tape the funnel to maintain shape
• place paper funnel in the opening of the jar – making sure the paper does not touch the vinegar.
• Watch the flies swarm to the newest hotel in town — there are plenty of vacancies but the stay is FOREVER!

I have used the same trap for up to 3 months – I know it seems gross but it is so satisfying to see scores of these pesky things…DEAD!!

The kids love it too – always counting our booty! Within one week we captured over 100!!