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Introduction
Fruit flies feed on the sugars in decomposing fruit. Their sweet tooth also means that any sugary liquids are attractive to them as well. There are natural methods you can use to get rid of fruit flies, so you don't need to introduce pesticides into your kitchen. This page outlines how to get rid of fruit flies organically.Fruit flies are one pest that you don't want to consider using toxins to get rid of, as they live and breed in your kitchen. Any toxins that you introduce could easily be ingested by your family. Begin your organic fruit fly control by preventing them from taking up residence in your house. If you've already got fruit flies in your home, consider making an organic fruit fly trap - or using some other non-toxic method to eliminate them.
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Natural Ways to Eliminate Fruit Flies
"Natural living" expert Lauren Roy demonstrates in this video how to get rid of fruit flies naturally. Roy explains how to prevent the pesky insects ... read more"Natural living" expert Lauren Roy demonstrates in this video how to get rid of fruit flies naturally. Roy explains how to prevent the pesky insects in your kitchen by using a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. She also explains how to make a fruit fly trap by using a cider vinegar-filled jar.
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Step 1: Keep Fruit Flies Out of Your House
- Fruit flies can enter your house in two ways - hitching a ride on fruit, or flying in through a window.
- Carefully inspect fruit before you buy it, to make sure it isn't bruised or damaged. Fruit flies tend to lay their eggs in soft spots. Wash fruit immediately after bringing it home.
- Make sure your screens are in good repair. Fruit flies can enter through small holes or tears, so repair or replace window screens if they are damaged.
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Step 2: Don't Feed the Fruit Flies
- Fruit flies will eat anything sweet, and lay their eggs in the fruit as well, so their larvae will have a food source when they hatch. Make sure that you clean up sweet and sticky spills quickly, don't leave soda or beer glasses unwashed, and throw out or refrigerate bruised fruit immediately.
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Step 3: Eliminate Fruit Flies Organically
- Even if you've carefully inspected your fruit, and sealed up your house, you may find yourself battling an infestation. Don't worry, there are organic methods you can use to kill fruit flies without introducing toxins into your kitchen.
- First discard any damaged fruit.
- Refrigerate any fruit that doesn't look obviously infested that you would like to try to salvage, because it may still harbor fruit fly eggs.
- Set up a trap for the remaining fruit flies. You want to trick them into thinking they have found a new food source, while luring them to their death. Because fruit flies have a lifespan that's measured in days, if you can kill them before they breed, you can eliminate them quickly.
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Make a Fruit Fly Trap
- Take a container, such as an old soda bottle or can, a jar, or even a bowl.
- Fill it with vinegar, wine, juice, or a mixture of rotting fruit and water.
- Cover it with a lid with holes pocked in it. This can be a jar lid, or plastic wrap.
- The fruit flies will fly in and drown.
- Replace the trap daily, until you are no longer catching any fruit flies.
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