07 Apr Bananas or Other Fruits

Our kitchen fruit fly trap is designed for multi-bait usage. The same bait just doesn’t work for everyone. So our design accommodates any baiting system for maximum fruit fly capture rates no matter where you live.

We often have the best success with ripe fruit as bait. After all, it is most likely the ripe fruit currently in your home that is attracting fruit flies and causing your problem.

Which Fruit to Use

Anything you have on hand will work but keep in mind that it is natural yeast in the air feeding on the sugar in your fruit, producing carbon dioxide gas that attracts fruit flies. The fruit with one of the highest sugar contents is bananas and that is why they are so attractive to fruit flies. Chances are that you have one laying around.

Preparing the Fruit

Use very ripe fruit and mash a 2 cm (3/4″) piece into a pulp with a few drops of water and one of dish soap. To boost the fermentatoin add a pinch of dry active baking yeast. Yeast is used in the manufacture of all types of alcohol as a fermenting agent and will make your fruit ferment faster, attracting more fruit flies.

The downside of using fruit as bait is that in a few days it discolors and could take on a slight odor that can be off-putting. To prevent this you can add a preservative. Vitamin C is a common preservative and most people have either Vitamin C tablets or powder handy. Add a generous pinch to powder or grind up half a tablet and add to your fruit.

For an extra kick, add a pinch of baking powder to your mixture. Baking powder, when added to a liquid produces carbon dioxide gas. That’s what makes your biskets rise and fruit flies love it!

Placing your trap

The trick is to make your trap more attractive to fruit flies than anything else in the vicinity. At least temporarily remove any other ripe fruit laying around and then place your eek-o trap where the fruit flies linger.

In half a day or so your trap will be collecting all those pesky fruit flies and have them out of your way for good!