What helps against fruit flies?

Sweet drinks and fruit baskets magically attract fruit flies. Once they are here, you have to act quickly before they multiply at breakneck speed. An old household remedy helps.

The small fruit flies (Drosophila) are not harmful to health, but they are not very appetizing when they settle in the fruit basket or open fruit juice. In addition, infested fruit spoils more quickly, favored by putrefactive bacteria and yeast fungi.

The tiny insects enter the kitchen through an open window, for example, or the eggs of the fruit fly adhere to fruit and are thus introduced into the house. Millions of tiny flies develop from the eggs laid on overripe or rotten fruit within a few weeks. This can hardly be avoided – therefore it is important to keep the flies away from the fruit by means of bait traps.

Home remedy against fruit flies

An old household remedy against the pests is a mixture of fruit juice or apple cider vinegar and water (in a ratio of 2:1) and a few drops of washing-up liquid. The sweet scent attracts the little pests, but the washing-up liquid reduces the surface tension of the water and causes the fruit flies to drown. Placed in the kitchen, the fruit flies quickly fall into the trap.

Or better not to attract them at all, but to keep them away right away: Fruit flies reportedly abhor the scent of basil, holy herb, clove oil and sandalwood. Carnivorous plants such as butterwort or sundew can also decimate one or two fruit flies.

Better to prevent right away

To avoid attracting female fruit flies in the first place, it is advisable not to leave fruit and fruit juices out in the open. A close-meshed net or cotton cloth can help. Most fruits are even better kept in the refrigerator – at least apples, berries, grapes, cherries and other domestic fruits. Refrigerator temperatures are not suitable for exotic fruits such as bananas, mangoes, lemons and oranges. Therefore, process overripe fruits as soon as possible.

Also, wash out juice and wine glasses carefully and empty compost bins and trash cans indoors more frequently during the summer months.

Decorative fruit fly trap

About 11 cm high and 7 cm in diameter, the fruit fly trap is an original Lauscha glass art, mouth blown and hand formed from the Thuringian Forest. With glass eyelet for hanging or the feet can also be used standing.

To attract the animals, mix sugar water or fruit juice with a little apple cider vinegar and fill the trap over the opening closed with the cork to about 5 mm below the inner edge. Close the opening tightly afterwards.