Of all the gifts that good weather brings, there’s only one we’d like to find and never see again: fruit flies. These tiny, stubborn gnats have an ability to demoralize us that has nothing to do with their size, if only because their appearance makes our once gleaming kitchens look so dirty. They are also very difficult to get rid of, as their eggs are capable of hatching even after they have killed the visible adults. Sometimes, solutions – usually vinegar-based – can also leave an unpleasant odor in our homes. So what to do? Whip up this simple trap from Grant Thompson’s book “The King of Random,” which uses only a lemon and a Tupperware container, and may even leave a good smell in your kitchen.
Have you figured out how it’s done? Let’s recap!
You’ll need
- A small plastic container with a lid
- A lemon
How to make it
Use a sharp knife to cut a flat piece of lemon on both sides.
Squeeze some juice from the lemon wedge into the container, then place the wedge inside.
Drill, cut or make a small hole in the lid of the container. Make sure the hole is large enough for the fruit fly to pass through, but small enough that it cannot easily find it once it has passed through. Place the lid on the container.
Place the trap where you see flies and wait for them to find their way into the trap.
Once the trap is full of flies, drop a few drops of water down the hole and place the trap in the microwave. Turn the microwave on full power for 15-30 seconds to completely kill the flies.
Discard the contents of the trap in the garbage can and repeat the process as many times as necessary until there are no more flies.
Is this trap easy to use?
It’s also a great way to get rid of lemons that are starting to lose their freshness.
Have you ever trapped fruit flies this way?
What are your own tricks for getting rid of them?
