Fruit Flies In The Kitchen? Pour A Shot Of Whiskey

Fruit flies are one of the most annoying kitchen pests. They seem to appear out of nowhere, and before you know it, they're all over everything. They multiply super fast — a single fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs, which will hatch literally overnight — so once they're in your kitchen, they are tough to eradicate. There are a few simple ways to make effective fruit fly traps using items you already have in your house, and whiskey is one of them.

That's because fruit flies are attracted to the alcohol that forms when overripe fruit and vegetables ferment. While any alcohol will technically work for a homemade fruit fly trap — wine, beer, spirits, and even apple cider vinegar, which are made through the process of fermentation — they seem especially drawn to whiskey's natural fruity flavor and aromas, which are the product of chemical compounds called esters. To lure these booze-loving little critters, add a swig of whiskey to a shallow dish or glass and place it, uncovered, where the fruit flies hover. They'll be unable to resist falling into the potent liquid to their demise. The smell of whiskey will also be much more pleasant in your kitchen than that of vinegar.

Of course, you don't need to use your favorite 20-year-old single malt — any blended whiskey or bourbon will do. You can even dilute the whiskey with water, since flies are attracted to as little as 3% alcohol solutions. If you have a big fly problem, make enough solution to place various traps around the kitchen and throughout the house. In case of curious cats perusing the counters, cover the containers with cling film and poke a few holes in it, so the flies can get in but not get out.

The best solution to stop fruit flies from appearing on your produce in the first place is prevention. Wipe off sticky spills from the counters and empty the compost bin regularly to eliminate odors that attract them. You might inadvertently bring fruit flies into your kitchen, as it's not uncommon that the fruit you buy at the store is already harboring their eggs. Rinsing off fruit such as bananas, which are not great to store in the fridge, is essential.

Simple things, such as growing fragrant herbs in the kitchen to deter fruit flies, are a brilliant solution that adds charm to your windowsill and keeps fresh herbs handy for your recipes whenever you need them. Also, you can try using common pantry staples to keep kitchen pests away, such as a few cinnamon sticks tucked into your fruit bowl. 

If you somehow still end up with fruit flies in the kitchen, don't worry — it happens! Deploy your whiskey traps ASAP, and if the problem gets out of hand (remember how fast those little buggers reproduce), you can try a multi-trap approach. Aside from its multiple uses around the home, a little duct tape can multitask as a fruit fly trap in combination with the deadly whiskey pools.