Get Rid Of Fruit Flies With A Homemade Fruit Fly Trap

How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies With A Homemade Fruit Fly Trap

Anyone who has ever left a few bananas sitting out or forgotten to change their garbage knows all too well the problem with fruit flies. It seems that once they've invaded your kitchen, you can't get rid of them. You can scrub, clean, remove tempting fruit and spray the garbage can with disinfectants, but they always come back. You can't help but cringe just looking at them.

We have always had problems with fruit flies, with one of the main reasons being that we live in an apartment and by law - must recycle. Because of where we live, we have to keep our recycling containers inside until they can be disposed of once a week.

If the recyclables aren't cleaned well enough after being used, they make a perfect breeding ground for fruit flies. They love bits of rotting food remnants and seem to thrive in even the smallest amount.

When fruit flies move in, they just don't want to leave and will lay eggs in and on anything they can find - fruits & vegetables left on the counter, sink drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles & cans, garbage bags, and even mops and rags.

A Few Fun Facts About Fruit Flies:

- Can lay up to 500 eggs at a time
- Their entire lifecycle is complete in about a week
- While considered mainly a pest, they have the potential to contaminate food with dangerous bacteria

We all know that removing the food, getting rid of the garbage & cleaning up plays a big role, but we also know what it's like to move a piece of fruit and have a swarm of fruit flies fill the air only to escape your attempts at killing them.

Where are they gonna go? Obviously the ones flying around can't be easily captured or killed, so they'll linger about until they find some other place to lay eggs and the whole cycle starts again.

In all my attempts, I found the best way to capture and remove the ones that escape is to create a simple trap using a jar, plastic wrap and a piece of food. Here's how it works:

1. Get a small jar you don't plan on using again ( like a baby food jar or something similar ) and wash it out well. Make sure it is not a jar with a funky smell such as a used pickle jar or anything that use to have strong spices. You want a clean, odorless jar.

2. Take a chunk of banana and place inside the jar. This is why you want a clean, odorless jar - so that the banana smell won't be overpowered by other not-so-tempting smells. Banana seems to work the best, but you can experiment.

3. Fit a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the jar, making sure that it fits tight and well sealed around the edges. Then take a pen or pencil and poke 4 to 5 holes in the plastic, just big enough for a fruit fly to fit into. Once a fruit fly crawls in, it can't get out. You would think they would just fly back out through the holes, but they won't!

4. Place the jar in an area where you have seen the most fruit flies. Depending on the amount of fruit flies you have, you can expect to start seeing the jar fill up within just a few hours. After 24 hours, you will discover just how bad your fruit fly problem is!

This simple, inexpensive & safe method works perfectly and if you don't want the jar on public display, you can always slip it behind the garbage can, in the cupboard or even under the sink (Just don't forget about it!). You will want to empty the jar every 3-4 days before any eggs have a chance to hatch.

While adult fruit flies can't easily escape through the holes, their maggots can very easily, and besides that - they are disgusting to see crawling around in the jar. You don't want to see these things crawling on your counter!

Cleaning out the jar shouldn't be a problem. If you have a kind heart, you can choose to let them go outside. Personally, I spray the little buggers with bug spray, wash out the jar and start the whole process over again if I think there are still some fruit flies left to capture.

For bad fruit fly problems, you will want to use this method for a good two weeks to make sure you've captured the majority of fruit flies. You might even want to use a few jars in different places. Before long, your kitchen will be back to normal.

by Carole Nickerson

Carole Nickerson has been a web developer and internet marketer since 1998. Visit http://www.thenetter.com for more free articles, tips and software.

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You Think You’ve Got Pest Control Problems?

A little bit of humor to keep everything in the proper perspective.

You Think You’ve Got Pest Control Problems?
By Aldene Fredenburg

Ants in your kitchen? Silverfish skittering around your bathroom floors? Invisible mosquitoes dive-bombing you in the middle of the night?

This is nothing compared to the horrors of bug infestation immortalized by Hollywood over the past sixty years. From the sweet sadness of "My Girl" to the creepy-crawliness of "Arachnophobia," from the hysterical, fifties "ban the bomb"- inspired monster movies like "Them" to the species dysphoria in "The Fly," insects and spiders have been playing the heavy in movies for decades.

In "My Girl" (1991), young actress Anna Chlumsky plays the preteen daughter of a widowered small-town funeral director. The girl develops a friendship with her neighbor, played by a post-"Home Alone" Macaulay Culkin.

Everything is going swimmingly until Culkin ticks off a colony of bees (or is it wasps?) and dies of a massive allergic reaction to bee stings. Or wasp stings. Or hornet stings. Luckily, Anna's father is the mortician, so...

In "Arachnophobia" (1990 - and no, spiders are not insects, they're arachnids; but they're still bugs!) a South American spider with attitude hitchhikes to the U.S. in a crate containing a dead guy, gets romantic with a local spider babe, and starts creating thousands of cute little baby spiders.

Unfortunately, these little baby spiders, apart from being very cute, are also very, very poisonous, and have inherited their parents' attitude. People start to die, and moviegoers start to develop... arachnophobia!

Ant problems? Consider the hapless victims in "Them" (1954). While TV audiences were ignoring the Cold War in favor of "The Milton Berle Show," moviegoers were scaring the living daylights out of themselves with movies portraying menacing aliens and the frightful consequences of atomic radiation.In "Them," a nuclear test results, unbeknownst to nearby townspeople, in the development of a nest of giant mutant ants.

When folks start disappearing or turn up dead, looking suspiciously like they've been chewed on by giant ants, the police bring in the FBI, who brings in a bug expert (and his beautiful daughter); the motley crew finds and destroys the mutant ants, but not before two queen ants and their drone buddies fly off to breed...

Anyone with a touch of gender dysphoria? You and Christine Jorgenson got nothin' on the poor slob in "The Fly." This interspecies mix-up was originally filmed in 1958 and then remade in 1986, and features a scientist obsessed with his creation, a teleportation device. Of course, the creators of the "Star Trek" franchise later worked the bugs out of the whole teleportation issue, but in 1958 a fly ended up in the ointment when an actual fly flew into the teleportation device as the scientist was experimenting on himself.

The result? A man's body with the head and arm of a fly, and a little teensy fly with the head and arm of a man, and a tiny little voice crying, "Help me! Help me!" to a horrified wife. Flyswatter, anyone?

The 1986 version, with Jeff Goldblum as the unfortunate scientist, puts a modern spin on the story and adds a bit of dark humor, amazing special effects costuming, and -eighties production quality, but doesn't surpass the horror of the original.

So the next time you see a few ants skittering across your kitchen counters, or jump when a silverfish scoots across the bathroom floor, relax. Things could be a lot worse.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. She expresses her opinions periodically on her blog, http://beyondagendas.blogspot.com She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com

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How To Get Rid Of Spiders (And How To Prevent Them)

Here's a good site on getting rid of spiders, and there are some things you can do to prevent the spiders in the first place, or at least reduce the possibility of them invading your home.

I found another article on spiders I thought had some good information. The whole article can be found on Get Rid of Spiders Frugally. Some of the information is pretty common sense, I only mention it here because if you follow the advice, the spiders will be definitely reduced.

Here is an excerpt to the page for your convenience:

Even the worst cases of spider infestation will respond to the simple and frugal cures listed below:

Find and seal all cracks in basement walls and in window casings and doorways. If there is just a tiny crack in your house, spiders will crawl through.
Make your house unfriendly to other bugs. Spiders eat bugs, plain and simple... and if their dinner isn't handy, there's no reason for them to hang around.
Vacuum up spiders as you find them. It's simple, safe and more effective than poisons. Vacuum the area thoroughly to get the egg sacs, too.
Keep clutter picked up inside the house so spiders won't have a place to hide. They won't stay in an area that is completely smooth and clutter free.
Keep your trash bins away from the house because spiders will stay around them, hoping to catch the bugs that are attracted to them.
Remove old vegetation or wood from against the house foundations. Spiders like to hide in these things and often find entrance from there.
Trim back trees, bushes and other vegetation from touching the house walls.
Keep pet food tightly covered to keep from attracting bugs which attract spiders. (Don't leave pet food in a dish all day.)

Try some or all of these tips so that your need for chemical solutions is reduced.

Cat Repellent, How to Keep Cats Out Of Your Garden

Cat Repellent or How to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden

Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from using garden as litterbox? Tell me how to keep cats out of my garden. These are common questions of concern to all gardeners but is there a real answer?

The first line of defence is to ensure that your yard boundaries are secure. Any gaps in your fence should be blocked to deny low level access. But cats can jump so fix a taut wire or string some six inches above the top of your fence to deter this approach.

Once inside your garden many people say that the best cat repellent is a dog who will soon see off any feline invader. If you are not a dog lover then you will have to resort to more passive methods. Since cats like to lie on freshly dug soil you should lay mulch on your borders so that no bare soil is left exposed. Seed beds should be covered with wire netting or twigs arranged as a barrier.

Young trees should have plastic guards fitted around their trunks to protect them against use as a scratching pole. Your garden pond should be covered with netting to keep your fish safe.

Cats are generally known to dislike water so a well aimed bucketful or a squirt with the hose will certainly make an intruder run. After one or two dousings it may learn the lesson and stay away.

To protect plants and borders both mothballs and citrus are said to be effective deterrents. Place the mothballs, orange peel or lemon rind in the borders. Alternatively spray cloths with orange scented air freshener and place the cloths around the plants you wish to protect.

Other known cat repellents are cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, eucalyptus oil and mustard oil.

Certain herbs are said to deter cats. In particular rue but not catmint which has the opposite effect. Coleus canina is another plant which is marketed by one merchant as a cat repellent.

The broadcaster Jerry Baker has suggested treating your yard with a tonic made from chewing tobacco, urine, birth control pills, mouthwash, molasses, detergent and beer. A small holder has reported success using dried rabbit blood but you may feel that the ingredients listed in the previous paragraph should be tried first.

If you visit your local garden center or hardware store you will find several cat repellent products on sale. These range from electric water sprinklers and ultrasonic devices to sprays and granules.

Motion activated sprinklers act in the same way as a burglar alarm using an infra red detector. When the cat enters the area covered by the detector the sprinkler shoots out a jet of water to scare the animal away. It is claimed that, after one or two encounters with the jet, the cat will learn to avoid the area.

Ultrasonic devices emit a high frequency sound which is annoying to cats (and dogs) but is not audible to humans. There are various different models some of which operate continuously and others which have an infra red detector and only emit a pulse of sound when the cat triggers the device.

To be successful you need to ensure that the model is powerful enough to cover the area you wish to protect. In addition make sure that the sound frequency is designed for larger animals since some models are intended to deter insects and so would be no use for cats.

There are also commercial scent cat repellents. Those that use chemicals should be kept away from any food crops but the essential oil based granule varieties act in the same way as orange and lemon peel mentioned above. Another way to keep a cat out if the garden is a repellent evaporator which consists of a container holding puffed rice which has been impregnated with essential oils. These are effective for three to four weeks and can then be refilled for a further period.

Another natural product which many people claim really keeps a cat out of the garden is lion's dung. You may need to visit your local zoo to obtain this although some stores do stock zoo poo.

In Ontario, Canada the local township provides a cat trap service. Once the animal enters the cage it cannot escape but is completely unharmed. The owner has to pay to recover his pet and so should be encouraged not to let the cat stray in future.

Apparently few owners bother to reclaim their cats but just obtain another kitten. However this sounds like a good way of dealing with a cat that cannot be deterred by any other method. If there is no such scheme in your area, just buy your own trap.

So, to recap, the first priority is to secure your boundary fences. Then you have the whole selection of suggested cat repellents ranging from homemade recipes to expensive commercial gadgets. I would suggest that you try the orange peel and prickly twigs for a start.

If you are around when the intruder appears, try the bucket of water or hose. Even if you miss, the shock may be a sufficient deterrent. If these do not do the trick, then you may have to consider the commercial alternatives.

by Hugh Harris-Evans

Hugh Harris-Evans is the owner of The Garden Supplies Advisor where you will find further articles, gardening tips and product reviews.

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Does Natural Pest Control Work?

Natural Pest Control On The Rise, But Does It Work?

The growing concerns over health and environmental issues continue to drive awareness and usage of alternative methods for pesticide-free pest control. These methods range from home-made remedies to professional pesticide alternatives that are currently being adopted by several national pest control providers.

Today there are only a few pockets of smaller specialized natural pest control operators around the country, but the demand from consumers are creating a noticeable growth pattern in this untapped market as well.

Many cities, state and federal government entities including schools around the country are leading the way in adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs to reduce or even eliminate the use of pesticides all together. Why the shift to alternative methods? We are beginning to see well documented medical and scientific studies on the negative effects of pesticides being used today.

For example, the U.S. Geological Survey recently released Pesticides in the Nation’s Streams and Ground Water, in March 2006. This study was a 10 year survey from 1992 to 2001 which reveals concerning residual effects of pesticide use.

Every year, nearly one billion pounds of pesticides, many of which are linked to cancer, birth defects, neurological disorders, and environmental impacts, are used in the U.S, much of it ending up in our nation’s waterways.

National Pesticide-Free Resources & Information Many organizations and grassroots movements continue to educate communities and citizens through the tireless efforts of concerned individuals. These efforts are no doubt creating an impact on consumer awareness and product purchasing requirements.

Information on IPM is available at sites such as the EPA at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ipm and the IPM Institute at http://www.ipminstitute.org/. A very popular and informational grassroots organization called Beyond Pesticides at http://www.beyondpesticides.org is also informative on new legislation, pesticide news, and pesticide reduction information.

A Balanced View of Effective Pest Control The safe control of unwanted insects and weeds must be pursued with a balanced and global view of efficacy, cost, consequential effects on human health and the environment.

Until today, there has been the perception that safer alternatives cost more or don’t even work at all. Thus, giving rise to the continued use of more toxic forms of pest control. If we don’t see the negative effects immediately, it easily becomes out of sight and out of mind.

Costs for pesticide free alternatives are very comparable to traditional pesticides. The difference in cost per square foot is nominal or even irrelevant when compared to the health benefits of the building occupants.

Does Natural Pest Control Work? So the biggest question I receive from both residential users and professional applicators is: Does it work? In short, YES! As with any pest control product, there are solutions that maximize the control of specific types of pests whether you have ants, roaches, scorpions, termites, mosquitoes, ticks, weeds, or whatever.

Choosing the right products however, is often difficult. So we always recommend those products that meet the performance requirements of organic farmers or professional applicators since they also have a significant financial interest in their effectiveness. Having distinctions from OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) and Food Tolerance Exemptions also helps filter through the marketing hype while adding another layer of product safety assurance.

If you are fortunate to have a friend or acquaintance that uses natural pest control or IPM methods, getting a personal endorsement is invaluable to help you save time and money. Lastly, always read the label. You’ll find a lot more information than you think.

Don’t overlook the many proven alternatives that will keep your building free of hazardous pesticides and unwanted pests. If you use a professional pest control service, inquire about pesticide free alternatives. If you are doing it yourself and can’t find what you are looking for on your local store shelf, ask the store owner to stock them.

by John Bennett

John Bennett is the President of Eco Safety Products, a national Green Building & Facility Maintenance Supply Distributor. For more information, the company website is at http://www.ecosafetyproducts.com.

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Termites & Wood-boring Insects

Termites: Unwelcome Guests, Part I Wood-boring Insects & Fungi
By Gil Strachan

Mold and mildew can occur in your home at almost any time of the year, if the moisture content of building materials is twenty percent or greater. (You should start to notice mouldy odors.)

A good plan of attack begins with decreasing dampness and increasing ventilation. Maintain a negative slope away from your house; and ensure that evestroughing, down-spouts and drains are free of debris, and properly directing water away from your foundation wall.

Wood-decaying fungi attack wet wood, or wood in extremely humid, unventilated areas. They can cause serious damage to wooden structures. To inhibit rot, remove the source of moisture and improve ventilation, the same as for mould and mildew.

Wet rot is characterized by dark, spongy wood, and members infested with dry-rot become brittle and cracked.

Subterranean termites are found in Southern Ontario and British Columbia, where they feed on wood and can damage houses. Termite colonies nest underground, foraging for wood to satisfy their appetite for cellulose. Termites can travel above ground, and often into houses, via shelter tubes constructed of sawdust and saliva. Termites are similar to ants, but with straight bodies and antenna.

Carpenter ants and powder-post beetles are also common in Southern Ontario. They don't ingest wood as termites do, however colonies nesting in wood can cause considerable damage. Look for sawdust and frass (excrement) near exit holes in wood.

Carpenter bees are similar in appearance to bumblebees, and nest in exterior spaces such as behind fascia, soffits or other trim.

Make your house less accessible, by avoiding wood-earth contact around the house and keeping exterior trim in good repair. Keep shrubbery trimmed back, remove tree stumps and inspect regularly for shelter-tubes or any signs of damage, especially in dark, unventilated areas.

Pay particular attention to wooden decks and stairs, and areas where the structure rests on the foundation wall, and especially in crawl spaces or any area with an earthen floor. Probe wooden structures with a sharp tool, as termites often leave no surface indications.

Look for shelter tubes, seal cracks in foundation walls and check where pipes enter exterior walls. Termites swarm to create new colonies closer to sources of cellulose; so be on the lookout, especially in the spring, for large numbers of flying insects or discarded wings.

If you suspect a colony, especially of termites, contact your local environmental agency, or call a licensed, professional exterminator.

Copyright Gil Strachan - All rights reserved.

Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.

The Home Reference Book
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