How to get rid of fruit flies? A scientist teaches you an easy and effective way to kill them.
Fruit flies are small flies or gnats in the kitchen that are annoying to anyone. They get attracted to ripened or fermenting fruits and vegetables. Usually, they are more common during summer or fall, but they can also be a problem all year round.
Professor and Canada Research Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Laurentian University, Thomas Merritt, is a researcher who works on fruit flies. He and his colleagues built a trap to get rid of them in the lab.
How to kill fruit flies
Merritt said that fruit flies fly in, but they have a hard time finding their way out. So they made a simple trap that although is not perfect, but for them is okay. You could also do it at home.
Pour about two centimeters deep cider vinegar in a small jar.
Use a plastic funnel or paper funnel to cover the jar
Tape the funnel in place so that there are no gaps for fruit flies to crawl out.
Replace the vinegar every day or two.
If you do not have cider vinegar at home, you may replace it with beer or wine, Merritt said.
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How to trap works
Merritt explained the science behind the trap. He said that these flies, Drosophila Melanogaster, which is the most common fly you see on your banana, get attracted to aging fruits. They would lay their eggs on the fruit, then as the larvae hatch, the young ones feed on the ripened fruit.
Fruit flies use their sense of smell to detect things like acetic acid. It is the molecule found in vinegar that gives off its pungent odor.
Merritt said that those that are flying around your kitchen most likely come from outside. The species noted above is originally an African species, but they have scattered around the world. Researchers call them a "cosmopolitan" species because they are found everywhere there are people.
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How to prevent fruit flies at home
The easiest way to prevent having them at home is by removing all sources of attraction. Make sure to eat, refrigerate, or discard any ripened fruit or vegetables. Cutaway cracked or damaged portions of the produce.
Empty your recycling bin now and then. People who ferment goods should make sure to seal their containers properly. Equip windows and doors with tight-fitting screens.
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Why study flies
Merritt said that they research flies because they are small. He explained that it is easy to grow flies because he uses tens of thousands of them in the lab. Apart from that, they are easy to keep in the lab no matter how many they are.
The second reason he studies flies is that they are similar to humans. Essentially, all human biochemistry and metabolism are identical to the tiny bug. Sixty to 80 percent of their genes are found in humans.
