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monica
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| Posted: Nov 16 2007 at 8:40am | IP Logged
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a few weeks ago a bunch of those little fruit flies appeared with some peppers. they have been driving me bonkers. they are so little and quick a fly swatter doesnt get them. any one have any non-insecticide solutions. i try to keep all our food covered, but they land on anything, even the baby's bib.
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kristina
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| Posted: Nov 16 2007 at 9:19am | IP Logged
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Monica,
We just dealt with this. We took an empty jelly jar, poked holes the lid, smeared the underside of the lid with honey and put about 2 ounces of apple cider in the jar then covered it with the hole-poked honey lid.
It collected a bunch of them. 
While you are trying to get rid of the fruit flies, do not leave fresh fruit out, store in the fridge. If you have bananas, cover the tops where they are connected to each other with a piece tape. They seem to like the damp stems the most.
Also, our kitchen window was opened for a few minutes each day just to circulate fresh air.
Good Luck!
Blessings,
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kristina
yesterthoughts
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Mary Chris
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My dad just retired as a science teacher, he gave me a bunch of his teaching materials. One is a book called Bottle Biology, in it has instructions for a Fruit Fly Tray using a 2 liter bottle. I can scan it and and email it to you if you like. 
Otherwise, put everything into the fridge. You can't keep anything out on the counter. We had fruit flies late in the summer, before I got the cool science stuff, and they are a pain to get rid of. Don't put scraps of fruit and veggies in the trash, put it all down the garbage disposal.
I have a a little luck with leaving some liquid dishwashing soap in a small bowl on the counter, they fly in and get stuck. It was not the most effective trapping method.
I hope you get some good ideas. Hopefully it will soon be getting cold where you live that will help with the problem.
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Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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Michaela
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When we had them during the summer, DH read to put vinegar (or was it apple cider vinegar  ) in a dish or cup. They went in and drowned. We did this two nights in a row, and they were all gone.
Vinegar flies (AKA fruit flies)
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Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Elizabeth
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The key here is not to put vinegar anywhere but the trap. I was washing clothes with it and using it as a cleaner. I had fruit flies anywhere I'd sprayed with vinegar. I switched to Mrs. Meyers and eliminated the fruit flies with some traps. Make sure you don't pour the vinegar from the trap down the drain--they can breed there. And watch diaper pails. They love those, too.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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lilac hill
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Put a bit of cider vinegar in a jar with a few drops of dish liquid. I cannot believe how easy it was after dealing with them for so long. I puit the jar on the counter.
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Viv
Wife to Rick (7/83), Mom to dd#1(6/87), dd#2(1/90), and dd#3(6/94) in central PA.
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Kristie 4
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I did the apple cider vinegar in a jar, but I put and cone made of paper in and taped the edges. Then when the fruit flies fly in if they don't drown then they are trapped anyways!
We had SOOOOO many it was nuts- we had a party here and someone asked if mosquitos were out before they remembered that no, September is too cold for mosquitos.
Elizabeth, I also was cleaning everything with vinegar- explains why they loved my kitchen cupboard fronts and bathrooms so much!
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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Tami
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I'd add that it helps to keep all dish clothes, towels, sponges (even bibs) put away. They will hang on those endlessly.
Likewise, I'd remove all plants from the room until they're gone. The flies will settle on those as well.
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God bless,
Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: how to get rid of annoying fruit flies
