Truscifi Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I'm pretty sure they are coming from the bananas we've been getting at the farmer's market. I put the peels in the compost, and the composter the next day is filled with the little gnats/flies. So I stopped putting them in the inside composter, but I still have the gnats. They seem to come from the bananas we haven't eaten yet as well. Can I wash the bananas when I bring them home, or would that make them spoil faster? Please help, they are driving me nuts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mavy Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Are they gnats or fruit flies? If they are fruit flies, here are things that have helped us: Cheaper methods: Put a banana piece or balsamic salad dressing in a container that has a top. Leave the container out and wait for the bugs to come. Snap the lid on quickly to catch them, and then release them outside. Pour three cups of bleach in all your drains for three days. This kills them were they are breeding. Change your trash often, keep your disposal clear, and keep fruits and veggies in the fridge. More expensive methods: The above works ok, but takes more work on your part. This year I bought fruit fly traps off of amazon. They work well for about a month. I also bought fly tape to put on the windows(also on Amazon). These having been good because they also trap house flies and Mosquitos that get in. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Find where they congregate and vacuum them up. Do it several times in a day. Within a day or 2, the population will be seriously depleted. If you get a new crop, repeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I'd say they are probably fruit flies. I 'd take a plastic container (I've used a ketchup bottle in the past) with holes cut in it at the top. Put a piece of fruit (even just the trimmings/things you might throw out/compost) in the bottom with an inch or so of water and a few drops of dish soap. Leave it out on the counter near where they congregate and give it time. They'll head there like a moth to a flame... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 They look like gnats to me - don't fruit flies have the wider, almost heart shaped wings? OTOH, they do seem to be centered on the bananas, so maybe. Even if they are gnats, they are fruit-loving gnats, so maybe the same tricks will work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I'd say they are probably fruit flies. I 'd take a plastic container (I've used a ketchup bottle in the past) with holes cut in it at the top. Put a piece of fruit (even just the trimmings/things you might throw out/compost) in the bottom with an inch or so of water and a few drops of dish soap. Leave it out on the counter near where they congregate and give it time. They'll head there like a moth to a flame... I did a similar thing. They are probably fruit flies. First get rid of all overly ripe fruit. Next check all trash cans for where kids have tossed out a pit or peel. Next take a glass and fill it with about an inch of apple cider vinegar. The put a piece of saran wrap on top, and secure with a rubber band. Poke a tiny hole in the top. Set it near your fruit. They will be attracted to the fermenting fruit smell, will go in the glass, and die in the vinegar. Worked like a charm for me! I left it there for about a week or so I guess, until they were gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I sit a bowl out about 2/3 full with apple cider vinegar and add a couple drops of dish washing liquid. You will catching gnats like crazy. I wish I could say I didn't know this works, but the gnats are driving me crazy this year too (and it definitely works). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I read the title of the post really fast the first time and read: "How do I get rid of goats in my kitchen?" Sorry, that made me :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I sit a bowl out about 2/3 full with apple cider vinegar and add a couple drops of dish washing liquid. You will catching gnats like crazy. I wish I could say I didn't know this works, but the gnats are driving me crazy this year too (and it definitely works). :iagree: Works like a charm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I did the apple cider vinegar thing, too, but without the dish soap. I took a small jar, put an inch or so of vinegar in it, and covered the top with plastic wrap that I poked numerous holes into. I caught a ton of fruit flies that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie75 Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Also, make sure you don't have an overwatered plant somewhere in your house. I have had gnats come from there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 Okay, apple cider vinegar is on the counter, sinks have been bleached, there is still some produce on the counter because there is no room in the frig but nothing overripe. They should be gone soon, right? Right? :tongue_smilie: ETA: Houseplants don't like me, so no worries there, all my plants stay outside! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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