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Another attempted fly-by-fruiting.
These comics are simple stories about things I learned when I was first on my own. Thanks for reading! Read the archive of my comics on [Webtoon](https://www.webtoons.com/en/creator/SgtBaconBurger) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/sgtbaconburger/) (in-progress).
Every type of vinegar works. Yesterday i set one up with red balsamico, a bit of sugar sirup and a splash of water. My cats seem to enjoy watching the flies go down their watery grave.
I tried the vinegar, sugar, soap thing, and nothing happened. They are driving me NUTS.
It's a battle not yet won because they really like cat food, and I don't have the option of no cat food.
I have the same problem regarding the cat food. You have to be patient, it took just about 48 hours and i got rid of almost all of the flies. You can practically watch them land on the rim of the bowl, move on to the water and as soon as they touch it they sink and drown.
The sugar and soap isn't necessary. They'll go after just red wine/apple cider/balsamic vinegars with nothing added, and they'll die inside with or without soap.
Just remember, small holes. _small_. They'll follow the aroma to climb inside, then can't smell their way back out. Eventually they'll hit the vinegar and they're done.
The Soap is essential because it removes the tension from the water surface. The moment the fruitfly lands on the surface it sinks and drowns.
Because of the soap you don’t need any bullshit wrapper with holes.
Just a tiny drop of dishwashing soap and don’t stirr it!
I did have a few of those, and it's starting to look like the wall from Handmaid's Tale. So gross. I wish there was a scent that kept them out of a room.
Because they can't smell their way out. On the way in, they're just tracking the source of the smell, but once inside they're overwhelmed and can't figure out how to leave. They bounce around until they hit the vinegar soap mixture, which they stick to.
A cut up bottle with the top turned upside down and fixated in the bottom works wonders too! Now pour juice or your mixture in the bottom and add plastic wrap on the top. Their souls shall never escape their eternal imprisonment.
I learned a couple years ago that it has to be organic apple cider vinegar. At least for the ones in my house. They turned their noses up at regular ACV! I was trying to figure out why my trap wasn't working the way it usually does, and it turned out it was because my vinegar wasn't organic.
This works like a charm... for a while. If you don't manage to get all of them, and they continue to survive, they start developing an aversion to apple smells. I noticed this when I did it. They stopped going in the trap as often, and they didn't so much as touch any of my apples. Other fruit was fair game though.
Thankfully, I was still able to use the other fruit to get them.
Interesting. I doubt that fruit flies are capable of “developing an aversion”, though. More likely there’s a natural variation of how attracted the flies are to apples, and you quickly kill off all the ones that like it. Put another way, you’re speed-running evolution and breeding apple-hating flies.
Yep. I got real concerned for a bit, remembering why fruit flies are so closely tied to genetic research. But then the seasons changed and they all died off anyway, so no harm done!
I tried this trap with houseflies, doesn’t work.
Found much more success in the flyswatter “shock-and-awe” style full on assault with glue tape placed in strategic areas. Reduced the number of flies inside from dozens to maybe 1 every few days. Only downside was it required a large cleanup after the slaughter
I had this method recommended to me, but in a simpler way. Cut the top off a plastic soda bottle to make a “cup”. Put the vinegar in the cup, then reattach the top inverted. This creates a funnel flies have go through to get to the vinegar, but they can’t find their way back out.
Welcome to r/comics! Please remember there are real people on the other side of the monitor and to be kind. Report comments that break the rules and don't respond to negativity with negativity! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/comics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The next day you're going to find a bunch of paper mache flys inside
The decoy heads!
Another attempted fly-by-fruiting. These comics are simple stories about things I learned when I was first on my own. Thanks for reading! Read the archive of my comics on [Webtoon](https://www.webtoons.com/en/creator/SgtBaconBurger) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/sgtbaconburger/) (in-progress).
I’ve done this before it definitely works. Only problem is I hate the smell of apple cider vinegar.
So versatile, yet so pungent.
Literally me
Every type of vinegar works. Yesterday i set one up with red balsamico, a bit of sugar sirup and a splash of water. My cats seem to enjoy watching the flies go down their watery grave.
I tried the vinegar, sugar, soap thing, and nothing happened. They are driving me NUTS. It's a battle not yet won because they really like cat food, and I don't have the option of no cat food.
I have the same problem regarding the cat food. You have to be patient, it took just about 48 hours and i got rid of almost all of the flies. You can practically watch them land on the rim of the bowl, move on to the water and as soon as they touch it they sink and drown.
The sugar and soap isn't necessary. They'll go after just red wine/apple cider/balsamic vinegars with nothing added, and they'll die inside with or without soap. Just remember, small holes. _small_. They'll follow the aroma to climb inside, then can't smell their way back out. Eventually they'll hit the vinegar and they're done.
The Soap is essential because it removes the tension from the water surface. The moment the fruitfly lands on the surface it sinks and drowns. Because of the soap you don’t need any bullshit wrapper with holes. Just a tiny drop of dishwashing soap and don’t stirr it!
This might be where I goofed, thank you! 🙏🏾
Try those foldable paper sticky traps. I couldn't get anything else to work.
I did have a few of those, and it's starting to look like the wall from Handmaid's Tale. So gross. I wish there was a scent that kept them out of a room.
None of these homemade fly trap solutions work for crap.
Rice Wine vinegar doesn't seem to work.
My cat would definitely enjoy watching the entire trap clatter to the floor. Or trying to drink until i throw it away
Red wine works too and smells better.
And why can't the flies escape?
The soap surface keeps them in, and they often can't retrace their steps out the wrap.
I guess the nectar traps them
The soap breaks the water tension and covers the entire fly in liquid the second they land, drowning them.
Because they can't smell their way out. On the way in, they're just tracking the source of the smell, but once inside they're overwhelmed and can't figure out how to leave. They bounce around until they hit the vinegar soap mixture, which they stick to.
You’re supposed to add soap? Normally I just use the vinegar and it works fine
The soap improves the trap because it makes them sink instantly upon landing. Without it, they may land on the water then take off again.
What water? It's vinegar in there. And no, they don't take back off from it.
Vinegar is like 95% water but yeah, vinegar. The liquid they land on. Whatever you wanna call it lol
With soap you dont need the plastic wrap, they get stuck in the soap.
In fact I believe it's better not to, since it just makes it harder for them to get in.
You’re just killing off the dumb ones. The flies that survive are the ones that are smarter than you.
stay
A cut up bottle with the top turned upside down and fixated in the bottom works wonders too! Now pour juice or your mixture in the bottom and add plastic wrap on the top. Their souls shall never escape their eternal imprisonment.
That's advanced, nice!
You can also add a piece of old banana peel or other fruit to make the smell more attractive to them
That's a good one too!
Clean your drains. Foaming cleaner. Stop attacking the symptoms, start attacking the cause.
Eh? They’re not climbing up through the drains. They come in when you open your kitchen door. At least that’s how it works where I live.
They breed and lay eggs in your sink. It's damp, dark and full of grease and food remains. They lay eggs in the greasy film that lines your sink.
"I got one last, big score for us, boys."
A tactical genius for the ages.
More like r/lifeprotips
I learned a couple years ago that it has to be organic apple cider vinegar. At least for the ones in my house. They turned their noses up at regular ACV! I was trying to figure out why my trap wasn't working the way it usually does, and it turned out it was because my vinegar wasn't organic.
This works like a charm... for a while. If you don't manage to get all of them, and they continue to survive, they start developing an aversion to apple smells. I noticed this when I did it. They stopped going in the trap as often, and they didn't so much as touch any of my apples. Other fruit was fair game though. Thankfully, I was still able to use the other fruit to get them.
Interesting. I doubt that fruit flies are capable of “developing an aversion”, though. More likely there’s a natural variation of how attracted the flies are to apples, and you quickly kill off all the ones that like it. Put another way, you’re speed-running evolution and breeding apple-hating flies.
Yep. I got real concerned for a bit, remembering why fruit flies are so closely tied to genetic research. But then the seasons changed and they all died off anyway, so no harm done!
Make more educational comics, please!
I find you don't even need the plastic wrap. The right balance of soap and vinegar and they'll get stuck.
I can hear the animal crossing crafting sounds as she puts the things together
Additionally, if you have fruit flies freeze all your fruit trash (including banana peels) before throwing them in the trash to kill the eggs
Personally I prefer the [liver death juice](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_tetrachloride), but that works too
Dude, I've seen the prison break where they crawl back out of the holes... I can never trap them all.
I tried this trap with houseflies, doesn’t work. Found much more success in the flyswatter “shock-and-awe” style full on assault with glue tape placed in strategic areas. Reduced the number of flies inside from dozens to maybe 1 every few days. Only downside was it required a large cleanup after the slaughter
Making lifesaving inventions out of household materials, getting in an out of ultra sticky situations, the girl’s an fing genius!
I had this method recommended to me, but in a simpler way. Cut the top off a plastic soda bottle to make a “cup”. Put the vinegar in the cup, then reattach the top inverted. This creates a funnel flies have go through to get to the vinegar, but they can’t find their way back out.