Armed But Not Dangerous

What began as a minor inconvenience quickly turned into a major nuisance. The fruit fly population in my kitchen had exploded overnight. All it took was a few hot, humid summer days, and the critters had seized control of my kitchen and bathroom.

Fruit flies generally live about 1–3 weeks, depending on their environment, and they reproduce frequently. They thrive in warm, moist conditions and are drawn to leftovers. And killing the insects can be tricky. There are sticky fly traps, sprays and even bleach-based products that promise to do the trick, but none of these solutions are particularly eco-friendly.

Fruit fly defensive

Thankfully, there are a number of homemade natural remedies. One popular method of trapping the pesky flies calls for a half-full bowl of vinegar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or, better yet, cheese cloth), and poke a few holes in the top with a fork. The fruit flies, attracted to the smell of the vinegar, will fly in through the tiny holes, but they won’t be able to escape.

The bottle method is another popular solution to combat a fruit fly invasion. Thrifty 20 something provides an excellent description and diagram of how to make an eco-friendly fruit fly trap. You’ll need a wine bottle (with a small amount of wine), a piece of paper, a drop of dish soap and a small piece of fruit.

Fill the bottom of the bottle with about ¾ inches of wine and add a piece of fruit. Pour in a drop of dish soap (this will break the surface tension, trapping the fruit flies in the wine). Roll the piece of paper into the shape of a cone, and tape it in place (positioned like a funnel) at the top of the bottle.

If the fruit flies insist on continuing their kitchen party despite your best homemade efforts, hardware stores often carry all-natural traps. Lee Valley sells fruit fly traps (set of two for $17.50) that use a non-toxic acidic lure—an ingredient similar to lemon juice. It can hold hundreds of fruit flies, and is supposed to be effective for about a month.

Other common pests

When it comes to eco-friendly insect control, fruit flies are actually easier to manage than some of the other pests. Ants, for example, generally require some type of poison if you wish to kill off their colonies. However, there are a few ant-repellents that could chase them away. Gomestic  suggests sprinkling baby powder, black pepper or red chilli powder to keep the ants away from your floors or counters. A squirt of vinegar in ant holes may also work.

Insects can cause headaches inside your home, but when we venture outdoors, everyone likes to reach for the mosquito repellent. Many sprays on the market contain high concentrations of DEET, but although the chemical is effective against insects, it’s also a pesticide that can be harmful to your health and environment.

Some people break out in rashes, experience soreness or blistering after applying DEET to their skin. It’s also toxic to birds and aquatic life. You can read more about the adverse effects of DEET at Environmental Defence.

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly solution to fend off mosquitoes, try lighting a few citronella candles. DesignSponge, our favourite blog of the week, has a great guide to making your own citronella candles. Choose sprays or creams that contain Picaridin and Lemon Eucalyptus—the U.S. Centre for Disease Control recommends them as effective alternatives to DEET. The natural-based methods may not last as long as DEET sprays, but they are less harmful to the environment.