LIKE most people living in the UK, fruit flies have taken over my life in the past few months.
Every time I step into my kitchen, I’m met with a cloud of the pesky little pests swarming me before quickly dispersing all over the room.
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I’ve taken on all of the tricks from social media to keep them away, from changing my bin multiple times a week to pouring boiling water down the sink, none of which has worked.
Desperate for an end to their reign over my house, it was time to bring out the big guns and set traps.
Online, there were three different traps that people kept recommending and instead of sticking to just one like a normal person, I decided to give them all a go.
Here, I reveal after a week which of the fly traps worked best and which one was a total dud.
FUNNEL METHOD
The first method I decided to try out was the funnel method, which consists of making a funnel with baking paper.
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This apparently helps guide the fruit flies down to the glass filled with water and a concoction of sugar, washing up liquid and vinegar.
Vinegar works wonders to catch fruit flies as it produces the same scent as rotting fruit, their favourite snack.
Not only does it signal an ‘all-you-can-eat buffet’ and the perfect place to lay eggs.
Most insects are covered in natural oil to keep them safe, washing up liquid is a degreaser, removing the oil and making the flies unable to swim out of the potion.
Many say vinegar and sugar can be used interchangeably, I added both for luck.
I first filled a clear glass with the liquid before cutting the baking paper and attempting to make it a funnel.
After a few failed attempts, I managed to get it done and placed it in the glass, only to find it soaked in the water.
So I decided to switch the tumbler glass for one of wine glasses.
The trick with the funnel is to make sure it doesn’t touch the water but also fits tight with the top of the glass to make sure flies don’t escape.
This proved to be more hassle than it was worth and I constantly found it bending off to the side and having to adjust it.
In the end, it caught a total of three flies in a week, making it the worst of the traps.
Rating: 1/5
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GO BANANAS
Shockingly, fruit flies love fruit, so many people suggest using them as a trap instead.
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After eating my morning banana, I took some of the peel and placed it into a glass with water and washing up liquid before sealing it shut with a cling film top.
I used a fork to make holes at the top so the flies could come in and waited patiently to see what my trap caught.
While it did catch around five flies, I wasn’t massively impressed and it made the kitchen stink.
The banana kept floating to the top of the cup instead of submerging in the water, meaning I watched in anger as flies jumped on top before making an escape through the holes in the cling film.
Rating: 3/5
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Keep pests out all summer
IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here’s what you need to know.
Hornets and wasps – hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay.
Moths – acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent.
Flying ants – herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents.
Mosquitoes – plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass.
K.I.S.S (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID)
The last trap I tried was using the same concoction of vinegar, washing up liquid, sugar and water in a glass jar.
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Only this time, I used the cling film top rather than the funnel.
I was amazed and also grossed out by just how many flies this one caught as there was a pile at the bottom of the jar.
It was effective, easy to put together, didn’t smell too bad and was super cheap to make.
Rating: 5/5
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