Fruit flies - I think

Perfect10_2

I've had tiny little flies twice in my last house.

First time they were living on the soil of my house plants. I hate flies so I just chucked the plants in the garden but my step dad says you can cover the soil with a layer of sand, put a small tube (drinking straw) through sand into soil for watering purposes. This stops them living on the top soil apparently?!

Second time there were flies in kitchen and living room and under stairs cupboard. Did the washing up liquid and vinegar trap several times and caught loads. Turned everywhere upside down looking for food! Eventually (as in weeks later) found what was left of a banana in the bottom of a bag that had an air bed in from camping that summer - was disgusting!! Had to empty a whole can of fly spray in direction of the bag before I could even try and throw the whole lot away....

StarryNight

Get rid of any fruit you have out (in fruit bowl for e.g.) and get rid of those herbs. Once the flies have cleared out you can bring new herbs, etc in. That's the only thing that worked for me!

bluebag

i find they can be attracted to any kind of fruit smell. So fruit that is ripe can do it. Food caddies as mentioned and compost in house plants.

I use a sterilised compost when potting plants and keep most fruit in the fridge now. I will not have a food caddy, revolting!

Auntie_Sceb

All my fruit is in the fridge. Well one of the herbs is basil which they're not supposed to like! I'm reluctant to get rid of the herbs. I'm amazed I've kept them alive! Maybe I'll look for the window trap and put it behind the herbs.

bluebag

Auntie_Sceb wrote: »

All my fruit is in the fridge. Well one of the herbs is basil which they're not supposed to like! I'm reluctant to get rid of the herbs. I'm amazed I've kept them alive! Maybe I'll look for the window trap and put it behind the herbs.

You may not have to get rid of the herbs, it's possibly the compost they are attracted to,

Re-pot them with sterilized compost. Not too expensive and hopefully will sort it.

Auntie_Sceb

Well I may do that and try to split them so I have two of each as I saw on a money saving site. So it won't feel so totally wasted.

I've caught one fly in my washing up trap! Didn't have cider vinegar so as it hadn't worked very well so I've now added a drop of white wine and a date (no fresh fruit in the house it seems!)

pigpen

I keep fruit in the fridge.. apart from bananas which they seem to love. The food caddy, I open it and let the flies settle then spray with raid.. excessively and obsessively!!

Wipe ALL surfaces down and wash the fruit/veg, they will breed on a bit of fruit juice or in the 'juice' from the bottom of the fruit bowl. They are nasty!

kazwookie

Put the herbs out in the garden for a day or so to see if that helps.

softpad

Auntie_Sceb wrote: »

. Are they like fly paper?

No search for window sunflowers. It is a sticker that is pretty and sticks on the window must be in the top corner where the flies go. Its impregnated with insecticide so when they touch it they die

D&DD

They may be coming from your potting compost Auntie. I got a bag from Wyevales and it was shocking..
Had to resort to buying some of those dangly fly thingies I always end up stuck by my hair to,forgot they did the window ones..