The best homemade fruit fly trap often involves using rotten fruit. Here's a breakdown of how to create an effective trap:
Rotten Fruit Trap: A Step-by-Step Guide
This method is simple, effective, and utilizes readily available materials.
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Gather Your Materials:
- A bowl or jar.
- Overripe fruit (banana peels, apple cores, or other decaying fruit work well).
- Plastic wrap.
- A rubber band or tape.
- A toothpick or small skewer.
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Prepare the Bait:
- Place the chopped, overripe fruit into the bowl or jar. The riper, the better, as the strong scent attracts the fruit flies.
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Create the Trap:
- Tightly cover the bowl or jar with plastic wrap. Make sure there are no gaps around the edges. Secure the plastic wrap with a rubber band or tape to create an airtight seal.
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Make the Entry Points:
- Using a toothpick or skewer, carefully poke a few small holes in the plastic wrap. These holes should be large enough for fruit flies to enter, but small enough to prevent them from easily escaping. Aim for holes that are around 1-2mm in diameter.
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Placement and Monitoring:
- Place the trap in an area where you frequently see fruit flies, such as near fruit bowls, sinks, or garbage cans.
- Monitor the trap regularly. You should start seeing fruit flies trapped inside within a few hours.
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Disposal:
- Once the trap is full of fruit flies (or after a few days), carefully dispose of the entire trap (bowl, fruit, and plastic wrap) in a sealed bag or outside trash can to prevent the fruit flies from escaping and multiplying.
Why this works: The rotting fruit emits a strong, attractive scent that lures fruit flies into the trap. Once inside, they struggle to find their way out through the small holes, eventually becoming trapped.
