# Fruit flies escape!



## HappyHippos1 (May 7, 2007)

So as I've mentioned in the title I've somehow had fruit flies escape. They've taken over the bananas in the kitchen and have made it even to the shower! I don't know if their just renegades that came in from somewhere else but I assume they got out of a container. I have a two year old and I just discovered that he loves to punch holes in the lids. His fingers fit perfect for it. Haha. My flies in the cultures are non fliers but I've had them change to fliers before.

The main problem is that I think it has gotten worse ... meaning they're breeding somewhere. I've put the flies up high so I know no more are getting out. All my tanks are covered so they aren't in there and the frogs would eat em. I do have one grow out tank that is partially covered so I've been watching it closely to see if there are flies. 

Any suggestions on how to get rid of them? I haven't searched on the site so I apologize if this has already been discussed. A quick google search said to get rid of all plants, insecticide sprays, etc. which aren't very feasible.


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## salix (Mar 28, 2008)

I've read a small bowl of apple cider vinegar will attract them, but here's a website that takes it a whole lot further.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies - wikiHow

I googled "apple cider vinegar fruit flies" and got 26,700 results. There's got to be something in there that will work for you. 

Deb


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## atlfrog (Dec 31, 2006)

HappyHippos1 said:


> So as I've mentioned in the title I've somehow had fruit flies escape. They've taken over the bananas in the kitchen and have made it even to the shower! I don't know if their just renegades that came in from somewhere else but I assume they got out of a container. I have a two year old and I just discovered that he loves to punch holes in the lids. His fingers fit perfect for it. Haha. My flies in the cultures are non fliers but I've had them change to fliers before.
> 
> The main problem is that I think it has gotten worse ... meaning they're breeding somewhere. I've put the flies up high so I know no more are getting out. All my tanks are covered so they aren't in there and the frogs would eat em. I do have one grow out tank that is partially covered so I've been watching it closely to see if there are flies.
> 
> Any suggestions on how to get rid of them? I haven't searched on the site so I apologize if this has already been discussed. A quick google search said to get rid of all plants, insecticide sprays, etc. which aren't very feasible.


I might have missed something? Are they breeding in the tank or in your house in regards to the FF's? If they are in your tank you can use the CO2 method, removing the frogs of course and any cultures around that specific area. Much research must be done to use this method, but it is very beneficial to plants and kills all insects. In regards to your house, find the source and kill all buggars. I have had this problem and once I found the source a combination of vinegar, letting them die off, fly strips, killing them myself and many others the flies eventually disappear.

PS: If they are in your tank, I just leave them be. As they will either be eaten or die off.


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## atlfrog (Dec 31, 2006)

salix said:


> I've read a small bowl of apple cider vinegar will attract them, but here's a website that takes it a whole lot further.
> 
> How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies - wikiHow
> 
> ...


Great site by the way!  Very helpful.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

I have found that a 50/50 by volume dilution of balsamic vinegar and water with a little dish soap works very well. If you think they are coming from the frog room, put a couple of the traps there as the flies are showing up in the shower looking for water. 


Ed


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## SLEDDER23 (Mar 17, 2005)

atlfrog said:


> Great site by the way!  Very helpful.


Some of those go a bit too far! Geezee!! The Oven Trap? yeah, the wife will buy off on that. 

The hair dryer trick sounds fun, but I can just see myself wrapped up in hair dryer cord laying on the floor with a concussion and blood all over the place after tripping and falling from trying to outmanuver a flying insect with a hairdryer. I think Darwin would have something to say about that.

I think I'll stick with the previously mentioned 50/50 vinegar + a drop of dish soap. That does work BTW. And if you have fish, they'll eat the "marinated" FF's, once rinsed of course.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Vaccuum cleaner with the long wand attachment.......easy AND fun 

When you get really good at it....you can even snag fliers out of the air..


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## frogsanddogs (Jun 21, 2008)

I've had mixed results with the vinegar cup... they seem to be just as attracted to a cup of water. I will have to try the addition of basamic- perhaps to sweeten the deal a bit. I bought a shipment of flies last week since I cut back too much in my production and unfortunately all of the melo cultures I bought were filled with "fliers". Of course I found out too late- after opening several only to have a bunch flying out... so dealing with the same problem... having some luck just putting a ripe piece of fruit out in each room for an hour or so and then when it is covered just carrying it outside... it has caught more than I have ever had luck with using a cup of vinegar. I will have to compare to some of the other posted methods... I too have done the dustbuster with long attachment along the sides of my tanks too but not as effective for me with these "fliers".


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## Dragonfly (Dec 5, 2007)

I'd also consider keeping the cultures secured from the youngster - and your tanks as well. No telling what a curious kid will get into. my partner hates when i have a fly explosion - usually when my melanos take off and you can hear me smacking the ones that i see who escaped when i am getting ready to serve my babies - pdfs. Which is really a minor issue for us. But if our overly curious boy (age 14 going on ...) were to open a tank on his own, well the odds are I would come home to dead babies


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## frograck (May 1, 2005)

I use baby food jars with a centimeter off apple cider vinegar. They also freakin L-O-V-E salsa. So I dip my finger in salsa and wipe it on the inside of the baby food jar. If I notice some fliers in the house and put out a jar, within a day or two they are all dead in the jar!!!


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

We find them in the cats water bowl everyday and have to change their water at least twice a day.My gf can't stand it, however this is the only place I notice them besides around the tanks. Never in any other room. I've tried taping the corners of the vivs where they might escape but still somehow manage to get out. 

Definitly going to try the basalmic vinegar water mix


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

A little cheap red wine in a shallow bowl.


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## SLEDDER23 (Mar 17, 2005)

pl259 said:


> A little cheap red wine in a shallow bowl.


drink enough and you won't care?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

frogsanddogs said:


> ... having some luck just putting a ripe piece of fruit out in each room for an hour or so and then when it is covered just carrying it outside


If you are going to put out a piece of fruit, try getting a glue board and putting the fruit in the glue board and then bending the board into the triangle. The flies will land on the high point and then go to run down to the fruit and get stuck. Also hangling one of the stucky fly strips above the fruit will also help cut down on the flies as when they are disturbed they fly up and land on something above the fruit. 

Put the traps in the frog room to minimize the ffs getting into other areas. For me the ones which are most prone to escape are the hydei. 

Ed


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

SLEDDER23 said:


> drink enough(red wine) and you won't care?


Absolutely!


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

I was going to try the idea of the water/balsmaic vinigar mix but my gf is afraid our cats will try and drink it (not always the smartest things) anyways if I placed it higher up on my rack do you think it was still attract enough flies to make a differecne


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

have your cats ever shown any interest in vinegar?

Putting up high is fine. 

Ed


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

Ed said:


> have your cats ever shown any interest in vinegar?
> 
> Putting up high is fine.
> 
> Ed


two of them show interest in just about anything they can eat or drink. However they are my g/fs cats and she thinks that they would be tempted to try it. I think i will place it out of sight on the backs of the vivs, we'll see how that works


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