Small flies - Ready to declare war. Ideas?

[CZroe]

My brother has been in this apartment for 10 years and these little flies have been around almost all of them. He has tried to manage them and sometimes they nearly disappear for months before coming back in force. Even then, it's always been only a minor nuisance, but there has been a recent population explosion worse than ever before. He has company coming and we'd like to finally be rid of them.

They are tiny like fruit flies but don't seem particularly more attracted to fruit than other foods. The do not appear to be gnats (short legs) and he has no plants around to support gnats. I think they are either phorid or fruit flies. We leave no trash exposed and plugging the drains doesn't appear to do much. There is a litter box but they don't seem particularly interested in it. They do seem a little interested in the bag of scooped litter if it is not taken out right away. There was an issue a few months ago when some raw chicken breast in broth defrosted and leaked in the fridge and they went NUTS, but we meticulously cleaned inside and out. Strangely, they recently seem to be attracted to the same areas despite cleaning repeatedly with cleanser and bleach.

I removed the screen from the window and put up a fan blowing out. I am also making a vinegar trap. If the vinegar trap is successful, should I assume that they are, indeed, fruit flies? Will am outdoor bug zapper work on flies as small as fruit flies? If so, I can bring one from my place. If not, do they make bug zappers for flies this small?

It is a loft apartment and the ceilings are way too high to consider self-fumigating.

I think a well-placed oscillating fan with some bait will get rid of a lot of them. They probably avoid turbulent air so it would need sweep them into the vortex of a box fan in the window then move away from the bait before sweeping by again.

 

[Carson Dyle]

"You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar."

 

[smackababy]

I have had luck keeping flies away by hanging ziplock bags of water. I've been told something with the way the light reflects through it messes with their eyes and keeps them away.

Something is attracting the flies to the apartment, though. Perhaps, you aren't removing your trash enough (daily?). You don't have to leave food out for a week to get flies, just a few days in a closed garbage bin is enough to start a colony, from what I've found.

 

[Newell Steamer]

 

[Markbnj]

One thing I didn't see in the OP was "called a professional pest control company."

 

[manimal]

Any weird smells?

Have you completely scrubbed out your pantry and your cupboards?




dead animal in a wall?

 

[rsutoratosu]

fruit flies ? something spoiled.. it could be like something in cereal box..

best bet as said above. scrubbed pantry.. you can get those sticky tape things hang them and remove before people show up... but its definitely something spoiled or rotting away somewhere

 

[smackababy]

I am also confused on how self fumigation isn't an option. Even with a loft, wouldn't it still work? I can't imagine a high ceiling foiling the gas, if you use enough.

 

[cirrrocco]

This worked for me

http://www.amazon.com/TERRO-Fruit-Fl.../dp/B002EJLLEE

or go to a hardware store and they have a fly trap for clothes and one for kitchen area.

One week later , no more flies around and lot of dead ones in the trap

 

[RossMAN]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012X1K12/

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CRYOPMQ/

 

[keird]

http://www.amazon.com/SKELL-INC-Orig.../dp/B00AB88UDA

 

[poofyhairguy]

One thing I didn't see in the OP was "called a professional pest control company."

Of course, this is ATOT. "Unless you are a programmer I can learn your trade in a weekend."

 

[smackababy]

Of course, this is ATOT. "Unless you are a programmer I can learn your trade in a weekend."

I don't think programming would be an exception here.

 

[Carson Dyle]

One thing I didn't see in the OP was "called a professional pest control company."

For some goddamned fruit flies?

Right.

 

[Maximilian]

Mobile ICBM... what a beast!!

Wonder if it could win vs a tiger though :hmm: it would definitely beat a lion.

 

[smackababy]

Mobile ICBM... what a beast!!

Wonder if it could win vs a tiger though :hmm: it would definitely beat a lion.

How much PSI is an ICMB though? It doesn't look very agile, but if it has enough PSI, it might stand a chance against a tiger.

 

[Markbnj]

For some goddamned fruit flies?

Right.

When they've been around as long as the OP said, yeah I think I would ask someone who knows what they're doing.

 

[Carson Dyle]

When they've been around as long as the OP said, yeah I think I would ask someone who knows what they're doing.

First, you ask SOMEONE. Which is what he's doing.

 

[smackababy]

First, you ask SOMEONE. Which is what he's doing.

I would probably ask someone who is in the realm of the profession for what I am inquiring about; not some random people on ATOT.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Biggest problem is that he lives in an apartment building and has no control over what his neighbors are doing or not doing to either attract or control the flies. If they've truly been around for 10 years, he's not going to exterminate them by anything he does within his own apartment. He's too close to others. Move, or live with them.

As for the recent "outbreak", I've seen them a lot in the past couple of weeks in different bars and restaurants. It's just that time of year.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Flypaper really works.

I had a fruit fly infestation once. I dropped a strawberry in the drain and left for a couple days. When I got back, there were clouds of 'em.

Cleaned everything I could find but the swarm was endless. But once I hung up that paper, it was all over for them in, like, maybe a day and a half.

I attempted a repeat performance more recently (it was my housemate's fault this time) but the cats got in the paper. That didn't work. So we cleaned everything with a fine-toothed comb and they were all dead soon. (I think they only live like 2 weeks.)

 

[Maximilian]

How much PSI is an ICMB though? It doesn't look very agile, but if it has enough PSI, it might stand a chance against a tiger.

http://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/icbm/r-36m.htm

Looks like between 300 and 6000 PSI depending on its mood or something, quite a bite!

 

[waggy]

we get them. with kids and tons of fruit we always end up with fruit flies.

best solution i found is a beer (I had the best luck with Oberon). pour in about 1-2 inches into a disposable cup. put sarane wrap on the top and poke small holes in it.

after 2-3 days its filled with the damn things.

 

[CZroe]

"You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar."

A certain type of fly.

I have had luck keeping flies away by hanging ziplock bags of water. I've been told something with the way the light reflects through it messes with their eyes and keeps them away.

Something is attracting the flies to the apartment, though. Perhaps, you aren't removing your trash enough (daily?). You don't have to leave food out for a week to get flies, just a few days in a closed garbage bin is enough to start a colony, from what I've found.

I've heard of that but they are not being attracted here. It is an established, sustained population.

One thing I didn't see in the OP was "called a professional pest control company."

Before I've tried declaring war on them myself? Bah.

Any weird smells?

Have you completely scrubbed out your pantry and your cupboards?




dead animal in a wall?

Exterior wall is brick. If it were a dead animal like a mouse then I assume it would have finished decomposing several years ago.

fruit flies ? something spoiled.. it could be like something in cereal box..

best bet as said above. scrubbed pantry.. you can get those sticky tape things hang them and remove before people show up... but its definitely something spoiled or rotting away somewhere

Traps, sticky tape, fans, zappers, I am going to deploy everything. Did I mention that I already bought some Venus Fly Trap plants?

We thoroughly clean every inch every year or so, which leads me to believe they are breeding in the drains or the AC when they survive anyway.

I am also confused on how self fumigation isn't an option. Even with a loft, wouldn't it still work? I can't imagine a high ceiling foiling the gas, if you use enough.

This loft is from a converted factory with HUGE ceilings. It would take enough to fumigate an entire house just to do this one room and I am still unsure of how effective that would be.

This worked for me

http://www.amazon.com/TERRO-Fruit-Fl.../dp/B002EJLLEE

or go to a hardware store and they have a fly trap for clothes and one for kitchen area.

One week later , no more flies around and lot of dead ones in the trap

I will try these but I still am not sure that these are fruit flies. Perhaps it will work either way?

Of course, this is ATOT. "Unless you are a programmer I can learn your trade in a weekend."

This wouldn't be my first order from DoYourOwnPestControl.com

 

[Ns1]

I use a combination of vinegar traps laid out all around the apartment, constant washing of dishes + dirty surfaces, constant removal of trash, and vacuuming any remaining flies I see.

Keeps the population under control and there are long periods of time where I don't see any at all.