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It’s summer time and a lot of nice fruit is in season.   Fruit is one of the best foods there is.  If you know what’s up, you buy and eat a lot of it.  However, fruit flies like it too and you may at one time find yourself with a swarm of the annoying buggers.  They find the mature, ripe, and rotting most attractive.  They don’t really go away on their own unless you give the kitchen a good clean and remove all attractants.

If you have an emergency, such as company is coming over, the absolute quickest way to clear a swarm is to use a vacuum with a hose attachment, or a Dustbuster.

But for more passive, lasting maintenance, make a trap:

1. Put a little apple cider vinegar in a shot glass.
2. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
3. Poke a few holes in it, large enough for them to fit, maybe a little bigger.

They fly in and can’t get out.  This trap will last a while too, mine has been up for a week.  You can “freshen” it by giving it a good swirl.  Yummy.

You can also use wine, beer, OJ, or regular vinegar I guess.  I chose ACV because I have a bottle of it which I no longer use.  I’ve also seen mention of adding a drop of dish soap, but I didn’t find it necessary.  The idea there is it removes the surface tension on the liquid and they get stuck easier.  Probably only necessary if not using the plastic wrap.

(I don’t take credit for this trap, it’s on the net in various places)

Many tips and infos on fruit flies here.

Update: I tried mixing a good-sized drop of dish soap in with the ACV.  The soap breaks the surface tension of the liquid so as soon as they touch it they drown in seconds and sink to the bottom shortly thereafter.  This is now my preferred method, the plastic wrap isn’t even needed, which attracts them better as well.