The Great Fruitfly War of 2017

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Good grief, we're infested! Before when I've had fruitflies I put out a dish of cider vinegar with a drop of Dawn, and within a week or so they're gone.

Not this time.

They are amazing and relentless. I've been on them for almost three weeks now. I cleaned everything, bleached the drains, then Monello went behind me and did it again to make sure. I have set out the death pool where they seem to congregate, killed hundreds (maybe thousands) of them, and still they persist.

Now I'm setting out the death pool and when they gather round on the rim to discuss their kids and the latest episode of GoT, I blast them with Windex. Put out a fresh pool, wait, then blast them again. The good news is that the victims are getting younger and younger, so I'm thinking that maybe I might be winning this war. Once you take out the babies, things start to wind down.

But I can't figure out where they're coming from. We've eliminated all the usual breeding places, and yet they continue to breed. Drains, food, trash, spilled goober - all have been treated or eliminated.

WHERE ARE THESE *&^$% THINGS COMING FROM????? :banghead:
 

luvmygdaughters

Well-Known Member
We have the little sons of biatches too!! I threw away some old tomatoes my husband had picked and an orange that was just bought two days before. Whats the trick with the vinegar and dawn? They are driving me crazy!!!
 
They come into our homes via holes in the screens when we leave the windows open for the nice fall breeze. They come into our homes on the fruits and veggies we bring in regardless of where we got them from. They are horrid and the only thing I hate about this time of year.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Whats the trick with the vinegar and dawn?

Put some cider vinegar in a small dish, then add one drop of Dawn and set the dish where you see the most fruitflies (usually in the kitchen somewhere). The cider attracts them, and when they go to take a sip the Dawn kills them. It's quite satisfying to see dozens of enemy combatants at the bottom of the dish after a day or so. :evil: Change out the dish for fresh every morning until they're gone.

Another thing is that they breed in the gunk that collects in your drain. Boiling water mixed with bleach will destroy that breeding ground. Garbage disposals are notorious fruitfly bordellos, so don't forget to bleach that as well.
 

luvmygdaughters

Well-Known Member
Put some cider vinegar in a small dish, then add one drop of Dawn and set the dish where you see the most fruitflies (usually in the kitchen somewhere). The cider attracts them, and when they go to take a sip the Dawn kills them. It's quite satisfying to see dozens of enemy combatants at the bottom of the dish after a day or so. :evil: Change out the dish for fresh every morning until they're gone.

Another thing is that they breed in the gunk that collects in your drain. Boiling water mixed with bleach will destroy that breeding ground. Garbage disposals are notorious fruitfly bordellos, so don't forget to bleach that as well.

Roger that General!!! Seriously, thanks for the tips, I think I will be victorious in this battle!!!
 

terbear1225

Well-Known Member
been fighting the same war. I think we are winning finally. have used the vinegar and dawn option as well as a vinegar and fruit cocktail at the bottom of a funnel so they can't get back out
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
before you go to bed, pour bleach down all the drains and cover. then they can't get away from the bleach. if you leave the drains open after pouring bleach in them, they'll just hang out on the wall until you rinse the lines. It worked for me, hope it will work for you.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
before you go to bed, pour bleach down all the drains and cover. then they can't get away from the bleach. if you leave the drains open after pouring bleach in them, they'll just hang out on the wall until you rinse the lines. It worked for me, hope it will work for you.

Good idea - I'm open to any and all suggestions. Ugh. Hate.
 

General Lee

Well-Known Member
Same issue here. Vinegar and dawn wasn't working. Tried some Terro fruit fly traps and have been catching more with those then the vinegar.
 

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
Does the bleach in the drains really work? I haven't tried that option yet.

Also has anyone tried the traps you can buy in the store? I use the vinegar/dawn concoction...I've got about 4 traps set up downstairs but still have the flies. I cant take it anymore :cds:
 

lucky_bee

RBF expert
Oh thank god. I thought I was going nuts and I was missing some secret, filthy spot in my kitchen! Going to put out little dishes of vinegar and dawn tonight after pouring the bleach down the drain and blocking all exit points :yay: thanks for the tips!
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
:yikes: You do mean wine vinegar right??????? I couldnt imagine wasting my wine on the little fookers!!!!!

It has never been uncommon for me to have an open bottle of wine in the house that I could pour a few ounces off of. I even pour it into a wine glass. If you have some cooking wine, that would work, too. Unless, you're drinking that, too. :otter:
 

mAlice

professional daydreamer
Oh thank god. I thought I was going nuts and I was missing some secret, filthy spot in my kitchen! Going to put out little dishes of vinegar and dawn tonight after pouring the bleach down the drain and blocking all exit points :yay: thanks for the tips!

Let us know how it works out. The way you guys are talking, I'm wondering if it's worse than usual up there. I've had a few this summer, but my big issue has been house flies. I even went so far as to hang those nasty yellow strips around the outside of the house, hoping to knock down what's coming in.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
I even went so far as to hang those nasty yellow strips around the outside of the house, hoping to knock down what's coming in.

I haven't resorted to that yet because those things gag me out. I do have a fogger, and if my method of destruction doesn't work in the next few days, I'm going nuclear on them.
 

lovinmaryland

Well-Known Member
Let us know how it works out. The way you guys are talking, I'm wondering if it's worse than usual up there. I've had a few this summer, but my big issue has been house flies. I even went so far as to hang those nasty yellow strips around the outside of the house, hoping to knock down what's coming in.

They are really bad! I usually have them but like Vrai said once you set out the traps it pretty much gets rid of them. I feel like I've had my traps out for over a month now.
 
I haven't had an issues with fruit flies, but the noseeums have been getting thru the screens in the evening. I find them more annoying than fruit flies.
 
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