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Tiny black flies

(18 Posts)
Maggierose Fri 29-Apr-22 12:33:34

I’ve noticed tiny black flies around lately. I don’t leave food out uncovered except for green bananas and hard avocados in the fruit bowl. Any suggestions for getting rid of them?

GrannyGravy13 Fri 29-Apr-22 12:35:44

Easy, shallow bowl with a vinegar and sugar solution cover with cling film tightly then pierce with little holes.

The flies will get in through the holes but cannot escape. I was sceptical at first but have used this method for 15+ years and it works.

Grandmabatty Fri 29-Apr-22 12:38:33

I do a similar thing to*Grannygravy*. Cider apple vinegar in a small dish with a little washing up liquid and cling film over the top with holes in it.

Jaylou Fri 29-Apr-22 12:40:38

I will try those remedies, as I have them too. If you have house plants, they can sometimes be the cause of the flies, so a bowl near them may catch more.

Callistemon21 Fri 29-Apr-22 12:41:18

GrannyGravy13

Easy, shallow bowl with a vinegar and sugar solution cover with cling film tightly then pierce with little holes.

The flies will get in through the holes but cannot escape. I was sceptical at first but have used this method for 15+ years and it works.

Oh, I'll try it!! ?

Make sure they're not carpet moths, MaggieRose
However, if they're just round the fruit bowl they will be flies.

tanith Fri 29-Apr-22 13:27:03

Have you got a new or repotted houseplant? I recently repotted some and then noticed the flies, on investigation I realised it was the compost. I put the whole lot on the garden and bought a different bag which was fine.

jerseygirl Fri 29-Apr-22 13:30:39

They sound like fruit flies. They are a pest buy try some of the remedies suggested and dont leave fruit out. Good luck

Baggs Fri 29-Apr-22 14:20:20

I agree they are probably fruit flies. I don't think they do any harm to fruit unless it is already over-ripe or rotting. I like the bowl with cling film idea though up till now I've never really found the beasties an actual problem.

LadyGracie Fri 29-Apr-22 14:46:19

I covered the compost on my houseplants with fine grit, I've had no little flies since.

Chocolatelovinggran Fri 29-Apr-22 14:52:27

They might be drain flies- are your drains ok?

Parsley3 Fri 29-Apr-22 17:58:31

I get an infestation of fruit flies whenever I put pots of herbs on the windowsill but I use the vinegar trap described above and it soon gets rid of them.

animoosh1 Fri 29-Apr-22 18:32:06

simple easy tray vinegar of any kind a few drops of soap liquid-stir
for fleas do the same use a bigger flat pan put a tealight in a clear glass/ i keep a old cake pan for this
soap drowns them vinegar draws them
no need for plastic wrap
the flea one works better dark room- fire draws the fleas in
spring- they mate and hatch
pour a 4oz of vinegar down all drains
do not flush the drain until about half hour

Maggierose Sat 30-Apr-22 08:43:47

Thank you for all your suggestions. I will try the vinegar and soap method.

Caleo Sat 30-Apr-22 11:13:47

I had them under the window seals . I killed them with thick bleach that I trickled along the bits of wondow seal that seemed to be affected.

Visgir1 Sat 30-Apr-22 14:07:45

Maggierose

Thank you for all your suggestions. I will try the vinegar and soap method.

Reading this reminded me of an Aunt who would trap Wasps/Flies by putting some Jam into a old clean jam jar with sealed lid on, stabbed with holes so they could get in but not out.

EMMF1948 Sat 30-Apr-22 14:12:14

Fruit flies! The year we moved here as a very harsh winter and in May we thought we had a black lace blind in one room! Apparently the sugar beet had rotted in the hard ground and the fruit flies were having a beano!

timetogo2016 Sat 30-Apr-22 14:17:54

Yes,fruit flies for sure.
Apparently they don`t bite.

growstuff Sat 30-Apr-22 14:24:20

They could be thunder bugs (thrips).