Non-Toxic Fruit Fly Pest Control

BREAKTHROUGH!

Because of the changing nature of garbage, compost, and recycling collection many people find themselves faced with a new problem: fruit flies.

While may be handy if you're conducting genealogical research and is not especially unsanitary, it is annoying.

There are a variety of natural pesticides that are non-toxic but they are direct application sprays and must be applied directly to the insect. (Putting them in a squirt gun can create a whole new form of home entertainment but is really not a very effective way to rid one's home of the little f-ers)

But over the last two days I have conducted experiments that have rid my house almost entirely of the pests.

Normally, flypaper is only partially effective. In the proximity of a trash or recycling bin they may become stuck if they pause to rest on it. But I have changed that with a simple innovation: the application of a few dabs of fruit juice or sugar to the flypaper strip.

I tried 3 strips- one with a squeezed bit of plum, one with honey, and one with sugar.

In that order they attracted 15, 6, and 5 bugs.

Tonight, though my bowl of fruit is full, my house is fruit fly free!I realize that others may have figured this out but I have not seen it anywhere. Please feel free to share this widely.