If you have had a chat with a doctor about healthy living and eating healthy, one thing you would have heard the doctor emphasized is eating fruits and veggies. The reason for this is not so farfetched as knowing that fruits and veggies are a catalyst for an outstanding nutrient that the body needs, and as such, should always be within one’s arm’s length.
While there might not be issues with veggies when they are stored up, this might not be the case with fruits, especially bananas. Often, when you store bananas up, after some time, you begin to hear the hovering sound of flies in your home, especially around where the fruits are stored.
To be frank, this is not what you bargained for. You only wanted to eat healthily and enjoy life. But now, here you have fruit flies parading your home. And the only thing you can think of is getting rid of those annoying flies.
Well, if this is the case, you don’t have to worry too much. There’s a lot you can do to keep fruit flies away from your bananas. In this post, we will tell you ten different ways to do this. But before then, won’t you like to know where these fruit flies come from and how much danger they can pose to your home? You do, right? So, let’s take a look at it.
Where Do These Fruit Flies Come From And How Much Danger Do They Pose To You?
It may not be possible to pinpoint these fruit flies’ exact locations because they are extremely mobile. But, one sure thing is that you will easily find them around rotten bananas, veggies, dustbins, moist areas, amongst other stinking places in your home.
The interesting thing (if you like, call it a dangerous thing) about these fruit flies is their rapid breeding ability. During their mating season, they may produce close to 500 larvae.
If you think this is scary, you have not heard that these larvae only take about one week to complete their life cycle. The implication of this is that under two weeks, you may have a lot to deal with simply because you have decided to follow the doctor’s advice and eat healthily.
So, as you can see, it might practically take no time for your home to be a relaxation center for those fruit flies.
Though you can “shoo” them away, how effective will this method be, especially when you consider the population of the fruit flies you might have at a particular time? This is why other important and effective methods are desirable.
The question now is, what are these methods of keeping fruit flies away from your bananas? Let’s take a look at 10 different methods.
10 Effective Ways To Keep Fruit Flies Away From Bananas
One thing you should keep in mind is that fruit flies are resilient. Most times, as you drive them away, they make their way back or even refuse to leave. This is why you should always look out for and adopt effective methods at keeping these fruit flies away from your bananas and away from your home. Below are ten effective methods you can adopt.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar Way
One of the best methods you can employ in driving out fruit flies from your home is using apple cider vinegar. How do you do this, though? What you have to do is simple. Get an empty container and pour some apple cider vinegar in it.
After this, use plastic wraps to cover it, and hold the plastic wraps in place with a rubber band. Then, poke some tiny holes on the plastic wraps to accommodate an average fruit fly.
After you do these, place this container near your bananas or wherever you have sighted the fruit flies. The Apple cider vinegar will create an attraction for these fruit flies, and when they land on the container with the tiny holes, they will crawl into it. Once they get in, that’s all. They most definitely won’t find their way out again.
This method is easy and effective, but it works better where the infestation is not over the line. This means you should use this method immediately you see the fruit flies in your home, as you might not see satisfactory results with a great number of fruit flies.
2. Dish Wash Soap And Apple Cider Vinegar Way
This is another method you can try. The only difference between this and the first method we examined above is that you add dish wash soap to the solution. If you are curious about what this dish wash soap does, we will tell you. The dish wash soap makes escaping impossible by adding surface tension to the mixture and the container’s interior.
The same method you followed above applies here. So, there’s pretty much nothing new or anything to worry about with this method.
3. Paper Funnel Way
Here’s another method that will help you trap the fruit flies in your home. This method requires you to make a funnel with paper and trap the fruit flies in a container. How do you go about this, though? It’s quite simple and effective.
You have to make a funnel with paper and get a container, preferably a bottle you can use. Add some substances that will attract the fruit flies into the bottle (you can use apple cider vinegar or any other known thing that fruit flies love).
Once you do this, put the paper funnel in the bottle. Ensure that the tiny part enters into the bottle while the wide part of your paper funnel is outside. This is so that the fruit flies can have a wide space to perch on and gradually crawl into the bottle through the tiny funnel end.
Once they get inside the bottle through the tiny end, it becomes impossible to get out. This method is also most effective when there are not many fruit flies in your home yet.
4. Freezing The Fruit Flies Out
If you have noticed, flies don’t do well under extreme temperatures. So, it makes sense to use very cold temperatures to drive out or kill the fruit flies in your home.
As simple as anything, all you have to do is increase the temperature of the place you have cited the fruit flies and leave an opening (probably a window) that leads outside. With no time, the cold will drive out the fruit flies, and with that, you have eliminated them.
This method is effective where your fruit flies are in an enclosed area, and you don’t have places around where the fruit flies can hide. Once all these situations are present, you have nothing much to worry about. But then, it all depends on how much you can withstand cold temperatures in your home, especially where the fruit flies are found in a frequently visited place like the living area in your home.
5. Fruit Washing Way
No doubt, you wash your fruits and bananas when you want to eat them. This probably is to ensure you are eating clean fruit. But what if we told you that this simple method could also help you eradicate fruit flies in your home? How so, you may ask. Well, let’s get to it.
Most times, while your bananas are still in the stores, they may accumulate larvae of fruit flies, which might not even be known to the storekeeper. Buying these bananas and bringing them into your home may just be an invitation to a party with fruit flies.
The best thing to do in situations like this is to have your bananas washed before bringing them inside your home. This will help you get rid of the larvae that might be lurking on your bananas.
6. Fruit Flies Trap Way
If you check very well, you will see that the first three methods we explained above are ways you can trap those fruit flies and subsequently eliminate them. So, finding another way to trap fruit flies might prick you about how effective this method can be. It is very effective, and using a fruit flies trap is a great way to go.
These fruit flies traps have been formulated with great attractant to draw the fruit flies, lure them inside the trap, and hold them until you are ready to let them go or leave them to die.
You can check online stores like Amazon or eBay to buy some of the fruit flies traps you need. Please, ensure you read the instruction manual before using it. This is so you can follow the guidelines for effective results.
7. Basil Herb Repellant Way
Many herbs do well to repel fruit flies in your home, and one of them is the basil herb. Basil herb has a strong scent that fruit flies don’t like. So, by placing these kinds of herbs on your bananas, you can repel fruit flies. However, keep in mind that this method alone may not be as effective as you want it to be.
So, it is better, for an effective result, to use this method alongside other methods that we have explained above. This way, even if the basil herbs don’t entirely repel the fruit flies, the other method can trap, freeze or eliminate them.
8. Refrigerate Your Bananas
As we have explained above, flies don’t do well under extreme temperatures. So, it makes sense to use very cold temperatures to drive out or kill the fruit flies in your home.
Due to this state of things, you can begin to refrigerate your bananas once you discover that they are beginning to ripe. This will ensure that there are no conditions created for fruit flies to perch in your home.
Nonetheless, keep in mind that this method, though effective at giving fruit flies no chance, may not keep your bananas for long. So, in situations where you are not ready to eat your bananas very soon, you can try another method.
9. Cover Up
What better way to not giving fruit flies chances in your home than by blocking their access to those bananas? This is why you should ensure that your bananas are covered all the time, and you only open up when you need to pick one or two to eat. This way, you would have eliminated any means of the fruit flies being attracted to the bananas.
10. Get An Exterminator
Oh, yes, you read that right. As you might come to find out, the methods above may not entirely get rid of the fruit flies. The reason for this may be because of the population of fruit flies.
In situations where they have gotten out of hand, your next sure bet may be to secure the service of an exterminator. With this, you have nothing to fear, as you would be dealing with experts. The only thing might be what you have to pay the experts. But, not to worry, this is not something you can’t afford.
Conclusion
For lovers of animals, fruit flies may be some innocent insects just trying to survive, but at the same time, they cause a great problem for a homeowner. This is why, as much as possible, ensure they are trapped, and once you do this, you can release the fruit flies into the air. That solves your problem and preserves nature as well.
