There are few things like going to a farmers market or grocery store and bringing home a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables. That is, until your picturesque display of produce becomes plagued by those irksome insects: fruit flies.
Fruit Flies Can’t Resist a Banana Trap
Published Sept. 12, 2022.
During my recent testing of countertop compost bins, I dug into how to get rid of these seemingly impossible-to-eliminate creatures.
I reached out to the experts at the Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at the University of Massachusetts, and they shared a never-fail method for trapping fruit flies.
Make a banana trap.
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But first, the gross part.
Fruit flies are strongly attracted to bananas, and like to lay their eggs on the peels. These eggs then hatch and proceed to make your life miserable.
Creating a simple banana trap allows you to trap these pests with their favorite snack.
All you need is a banana peel, a clear plastic container, and a toothpick (or something sharp enough to pierce the container).
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There are countless models on the market. Which ones contain smells and are a breeze to use?Place the peel inside the container and poke a few holes in the top. Leave the trap next to your fruit bowl or anywhere else you notice fruit flies.
The fruit flies will be attracted to the banana scent, and will crawl in through the holes but will not be able to find their way out. Most of them will be locked inside for you to release outside or...not. Most of the flies should be in the trap within 24 hours.
Repeat this process every day for 3 or 4 days, and your fruit fly problem should be taken care of. If even after trapping them they seem to keep coming back, it may be time to clean your sink.