I’ve been fighting an ongoing battle against fruit flies off-and-on ever since I moved here. The full garbage can when I first moved in, even though my roommates were all or mostly gone for at least a week and a half prior to my arrival, might be the origin of my problem.
The population started small, and slowly grew. It became a nuisance when we used my kitchen to host the first of our semi-regular dinner parties. But the nuisance was also a blessing in disguise, as it led to a significant decline in the fruit fly presence courtesy of several pairs of hands. It also added a tiny bit more protein to the dinner. …but I don’t think I should let the others know that.
….just kidding about that last part.
……..the others know.
The problem subsided for some time, until recently. I pitched an apple core in my trash five or six days ago. “Apple in a trash can” must be the new local hot spot for honeymooning fruit flies. I emptied my trash vorgestern (a single German word meaning “the day before yesterday.” Similarly, übermorgen means “the day after tomorrow,” which makes me wonder how the 2004 Dennis Quaid film title was translated, if at all).
I opened the lid to empty the trash and was greeted by a swarm of 20-30 fruit flies.
Immediately, I developed a better exit strategy than a leafy green shrub. I dropped the lid back on the garbage can, trapping about half the swarm inside. I opened my window (which is half a step from the garbage can) as much as possible, and quarantined my room, shutting my bedroom door to prevent a second front in the kitchen.
I swatted the flies towards my wide open window with a hand towel, killing the stubborn ones with my bare hands. Soon it was time to open the lid near the window, hope most of the remaining flies flew away, and start the extermination all over again.
My room and kitchen are now almost entirely fruit fly free. (Say that 10 times fast.) I say almost because I’ve seen one or two since. ..I think the regular removal of garbage from the kitchen helps, now that people live here again.
Oh yeah, by the way, people live here again.
The population started small, and slowly grew. It became a nuisance when we used my kitchen to host the first of our semi-regular dinner parties. But the nuisance was also a blessing in disguise, as it led to a significant decline in the fruit fly presence courtesy of several pairs of hands. It also added a tiny bit more protein to the dinner. …but I don’t think I should let the others know that.
….just kidding about that last part.
……..the others know.
The problem subsided for some time, until recently. I pitched an apple core in my trash five or six days ago. “Apple in a trash can” must be the new local hot spot for honeymooning fruit flies. I emptied my trash vorgestern (a single German word meaning “the day before yesterday.” Similarly, übermorgen means “the day after tomorrow,” which makes me wonder how the 2004 Dennis Quaid film title was translated, if at all).
I opened the lid to empty the trash and was greeted by a swarm of 20-30 fruit flies.
Immediately, I developed a better exit strategy than a leafy green shrub. I dropped the lid back on the garbage can, trapping about half the swarm inside. I opened my window (which is half a step from the garbage can) as much as possible, and quarantined my room, shutting my bedroom door to prevent a second front in the kitchen.
I swatted the flies towards my wide open window with a hand towel, killing the stubborn ones with my bare hands. Soon it was time to open the lid near the window, hope most of the remaining flies flew away, and start the extermination all over again.
My room and kitchen are now almost entirely fruit fly free. (Say that 10 times fast.) I say almost because I’ve seen one or two since. ..I think the regular removal of garbage from the kitchen helps, now that people live here again.
Oh yeah, by the way, people live here again.
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