How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

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How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
Inspired by conversations on the Food52 Hotline, we're sharing tips and tricks that make
navigating all of our kitchens easier and more fun.
oday, a disclaimer! "o fruit flies were harmed or killed in the writing of this post. #$ut we can't
say we'd be sad if they had been.%
What's the only creature that loves fruit more than you do? Fruit flies. In the world of science,
they're known as drosophila and have been crucial in the understanding of basic genetics. But in
the world of your kitchen, they're known as annoying black specks so small you wonder if
you're hallucinating that orbit around your face every time you try to eat.
!on't be embarrassed if you have a fruit fly problem it happens to the best of us. "he little
buggers seem to come from nowhere and are practically impossible to get rid of.
But you have the power to do the impossible. #rmed with a few basic tools, you can rid yourself
of fruit flies and begin your new fruit flyfree life.
>>RELATED: Learn how to store your food to keep flies away.
First, you must understand your enemy. Fruit flies live for $ to %& days and the females lay up to
'&& eggs at a time. "his translates into rapid multiplication( lots and lots of little fruit fly babies.
"o rid your kitchen of fruit flies, the first step is to destroy their breeding ground. Fruit flies lay
eggs on the surface of ripening fruit, so for the time being, move your produce into the fridge.
Fruit flies also spawn in sink drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles, and damp sponges, so be
e)tra vigilant with your kitchen cleanup.
*ven when you've removed the surfaces fruit flies are attracted to, it's likely there are still fruit
fly larvae lurking in the corners of your kitchen, ready to develop into adults. "his is where traps
come in.
+adly, in order to break free of the fruit fly shackles, you must kill adult flies. ,ou can purchase
traps, but these !I, methods are as, if not more, effective.
The Funnel Method
"ake a sheet of paper and form a coneshaped funnel. +eal the funnel with tape and stick it into a
-ar or wine bottle that's baited with a small amount of apple cider vinegar or a ripe banana. .lace
the trap in the most afflicted area of your kitchen. "he flies, not clever enough to reali/e that they
can e)it by way of the entrance, will accumulate in the -ar. 0nce you've amassed a nice
collection, either spray them with insecticide or, if you're an animal lover 1and a risktaker2,
release them into the great outdoors.
>>RELATED: The est re!ipes with "ine#ar $$ for when you%re not usin# it as ait.
The &lasti! 'rap Method
.ut apple cider vinegar in a small -ar of bowl and add a few drops of dishwashing li3uid. 4over
the vessel with plastic wrap 1fastened with a rubber band for e)tra security2 and poke three or
four holes in the plastic. "he fruit flies will not only be trapped, but they will also be destined to
drown. "he soap in the dishwashing li3uid alters the surface tension of the vinegar so that instead
of landing on the surface, the flies fall in
We recommend using apple cider vinegar as bait. Heat it for 10 seconds in the
microwave to help release the fragrances that attract the fies. If you don't have
vinegar on hand, wine, teuila, and rotten or ripe fruit will also attract fruit fies.
How to (eep )erries Fresh for Lon#er
By sarah -ampel 5 6une 7&, 7&%8 5 %9 4omments
! "ave #$
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Inspired by conversations on the Food52 Hotline, we're sharing tips and tricks that make
navigating all of our kitchens easier and more fun.
oday! &on't let your berries boss you around.
Berries( can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. :ike many coveted ob-ects, berries are both
precious and frustrating, e)pensive and fragile. What is more maddening than splurging on vivid,
-uicy berries at the market only to find that your fruity -ewels have turned to mush or worse,
have been overtaken by dreaded mold when you return to them for a midweek treat?
!on't despair -ust yet( this berry horror story does not have to be your destiny. "he culprits
behind berry mold are the evil, microscopic mold spores waiting to make a home of the friendly,
moist skin of your gorgeous berries. Fortunately, there is a simple way to kill off the mold spores
and bacteria that find your berries as delicious as you do.
More: E"en if your strawerries are past their pri*e+ they%ll e perfe!t in strawerry
rhuar ,a*.
It might seem counterintuitive to wash your berries before you're ready to eat them. 0ne of the
cardinal rules of keeping berries moldfree is to leave them unwashed until the moment before
consumption.
But by washing your berries in a solution of vinegar and water, you can e)tend their shelflife by
days 1sometimes even weeks;2. In a large bowl, make a diluted vinegar bath % cup vinegar, 8
cups water and give your berries a dunk. "he vinegar will eliminate any pesky mold and
bacteria.
<e)t, drain your berries in a colander and rinse them under cool running water. "his guarantees
that you won't be able to taste any lingering traces of vinegar later on.
<ow that you've washed your berries, it's time to dry them as thoroughly as possible. !o not be
fooled( moisture is still the enemy. "he same salad spinner you use to dry off greens can be used
to wick the water from your berries. :ine it with about 8 layers of paper towels in order to create
a pillow for your berries, then spin your berries for about %' seconds, or until they are
completely dry.
Instead of putting the berries back into the container they came in, where they will crowd each
other, upgrade their digs. .lace them in a sealable container lined with paper towels and leave the
lid partially open as to avoid trapping moisture.
But what if you return from the store with pints of berries only to reali/e there's no vinegar in the
pantry? # 3uick bath in hot water will also work to destroy bacteria and mold spores.
!unk your berries in water between %7& and %=&>F for appro)imately 8& seconds. !ry and store
them in the same way you would after a vinegar wash.
0nce you've learned how to e)tend the lifespan of your berries, the real 3uestion becomes( what
will you do with them? If you can resist eating all of your berries fresh, a blueberry tart, summer
berry pudding, or raspberry swamp pie might be the ideal ending to your ne)t summertime feast.
&o you have any tricks for keeping your berries fresh' (et us know in the comments)

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