Tiny little flies

Have you got indoor plants?

I bought new indoor compost, re-potted some plants and it's infested with tiny flies.

They do sound like fruit flies.... We once found a banana in our mum's microwave and asked her if she was OK....! She explained that the microwave kept the banana from over- ripening and also free of fruit flies....!

I had a problem which originated in my pot plants, l use fly papers in the pots (hardly need them anymore as they seem to have cleared the problem)
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62Granny If you put Anyone else suffering from Fruit Flies? in the Search box, it will take you to a thread that was running about the flies last year. You may find some useful info on there. Good luck!

No plants as I am not very good at keeping them alive, but I will get some fly papers and see if they work.

I think someone suggested sprinkling cinnamon around the plants

The bananas really attract fruit flies. I have to keep mine in the garage.
A little shallow pot with a bit of wine in the bottom and a couple of drops of washing up liquid is a very effective trap.

I put vinegar and a drop of Fairy liquid on a saucer next to the plants. It seemed to kill the flies, but the plant didn’t like it either, all the lower leaves dropped off!

Won’t be doing that again.

I put a bug killer nearby, that seemed to work better.

The life cycle of a fruit fly used to be on the A level biology syllabus. The female lays 500 eggs at a time, that's why there are loads of them!

Hmm - have you considered the possibility of them being drain flies ?
It might be worth investigating.

It will be the bananas

These pesky little flies do love bananas -drive me crazy as you go to swipe and they are off

I've had some success with this method.
Put a couple of inches of apple cider vinegar in an empty jam jar. Squirt a little bit of washing up liquid in and mix. Then stretch a bit of clingfilm over the top and poke some holes in.
The fruit flies are attracted to the smell and drop in through the holes but don't seem to be able to get out again! I think they just drown. It may work without the cling film. Pesky things they are!!

RE flies - a VERY thorough strong clean of every nook and cranny in kitchen, especially window sills, grooves in tiles, floors and any flooring accessible underneath appliances. Clear away crumbs; never leave food out.

But BANANAS! I only learned this a few months ago. YOU CAN KEEP THEM IN THE FRIDGE!

I have small ramekins in every room with cider vinegar and a tiny amount of washing up liquid. They mop up most of the fruit flies. I replace it every few days

Any hint of fruit flesh or peel will bring them in and they multiply rapidly. The only way to get rid of them is to get any fruit that is even slightly bashed and the peels out of the house immediately. They can live and multiply in my food recycle bin. I keep the lid closed very tight and then take it outside... they fly away. They are harmless but very irritating! It takes a few times to get rid of them totally.

I have found this thread just in time, Thanks. Will try the cider vinegar version. Again, thanks Calendargirl, LadyStardust and Grandmabatty.

Don't seem to get these little flies but will soon be cluster fly time of year and these seem to come with a vengeance. Large slightly dozy things. Have hoovered up literally hundreds at a time and they seem to keep coming for weeks and weeks, really get me down and have tried all sorts of sprays and remedies none of which work. Any suggestions gratefully received.

I just keep a clean tea towel or napkin over the fruit bowl.

I have finally resorted to keeping bananas in the fridge, I discovered that although the skins go black the actul fruit stays nice and fresh. I buy my bananas in hands of 6 so that's at least 6 days and they are still nice and fresh.

I place pieces of cinnamon stick in the soil of indoors plant pots. No fruit flys so far!

As others have said, the cider vinegar and washing up liquid works a treat. Leave in an open shallow dish and the surface will soon fill with the little pests.

Callistemon213

Have you got indoor plants?

I bought new indoor compost, re-potted some plants and it's infested with tiny flies.

I 100% she with this. We were driven mad by them last year.

The solution (after much googling) was to water from the bottom up and to pop a thin layer of gravel into the top of the plant pot.

Apparently these little pests love the topmost layer of compost and set up home in there. Keeping the top dry and using fine gravel makes the pot inhospitable to them.

The good news it's they don't damage your plants at all.

We've had no problem at all this summer.

Fruit flies perhaps. I use those stick on window sunflower flykillers. Seems to keep rooms clear, even have them on a couple of windows in
the summerhouse.