Fall means ripe peaches, apples, pears, figs and other fruit in Delta. Regrettably, it also means exploding populations of fruit flies heading right for that ripe fruit. Also known as vinegar flies, fruit flies are attracted to ripe and decaying fruit. Fruit fly populations rise with the abundance of available new produce and they get indoor access on the fruit itself or open doors or windows. As a pest control operator, I find it almost impossible to keep them out, but they can be controlled inside by keeping all produce in the refrigerator or covered and by keeping your garbage can covered. They can be trapped either by using retail store traps or making your own homemade traps with fruit cider vinegar as lure. A simple fruit fly trap can be made using a small jar. Pour just enough cider vinegar to cover the bottom of the jar. Add a drop of dish soap (it will break the surface tension of the vinegar so the fruit flies can't just sit atop the liquid). Now, cover the jar with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top, alternatively make a funnel out of paper and tape it to the top of the jar. Once in the trap, to kill the flies, shake the vinegar around effectively drowning the flies, or place the trap in the freezer for an hour or so.
