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TOP-5 Best Fruit Fly Traps Worth Buying in 2022 | Buyer’s Guide

Are you tired of thousands of flying insects swarming your yard and home? We are right there with you, and with the summer months fast approaching and the call of the great outdoors, makes getting rid of nuisance insects a top priority. Here you’ll find proven methods and entomologists’ advices of how to get rid of fruit flies, homemade traps and 5 best fruit fly traps designed by the professionals that work.

So, you’ve got flies at your place? They don’t bite, but they are a nuisance. First, let’s figure out what kind of flies or moths inhabit your house. At first glance, they all look the same and people often confuse them, but since they represent different species, different control methods and extermination products should be used. Note where you find them most often.

What You Will Learn from This Guide:

How to Tell Fruit Flies and Other Moths Apart?

  1. If they fly out of your sink , they are drain flies ( read our review to find out how to get rid of them)
  2. If they swarm in the flowers , most likely they are fungus  gnats (read about getting rid of fungus gnats ).
  3. If they attack your wardrobe,  they are clothes moth (read  how to get rid of moths )
  4. If the moths have occupied fruit, stale beer, soft drinks or other food products, they are definitely fruit flies.

Fruit flies are arch enemies of fruits and vegetables, as this is their favorite spot to lay their eggs, so you will find them wherever fruits and veggies are such as in, grocery stores, cafes, and gardens or your garbage bin. Fruit flies congregate en masse and feed on the decaying materials until any food source is gone. Anyone who has ever encountered these tiny insects knows that it’s not easy to banish these flies from your house.

When we say fruit flies, you can think of dozens of similar  tiny flying bugs. So let’s talk about identifying these little pests.  They can be recognized by their tan to brownish yellow or brownish black colored oval bodies, and translucent wings.  They have large bright red (most common) or black  compound eyes and feathery antennae.  There are many types of fruit flies, with adults growing to be (2.5 to 4 millimeters) 1/8th of an inch in length. They’ve got 4 symmetrical neat wings and 6 legs.

Do Fruit Fly Traps Work?

There are three types of devices positioned as fruit fly traps on the market. All of them attract flying insects and don’t let them get out. However, their action and effectiveness vary. The first type is a liquid vinegar-based solution which acts on the fruit flies’ biological peculiarities such as their preference for sweets and rotting fruit. It is, therefore, the most effective method. Sticky traps, on the other hand, are more suitable against gnats living in houseplants or your garden.

  • Traps with a liquid lure like TERRO. This trap resembles an apple and contains liquid vinegar-based bait. Not only fruit flies, but also ants get trapped by this tight jar. People are especially fond of this product as its unique and stylish design that will fit into your interior esthetic rather than ruin it.
  • Sticky Traps are small and, obviously, sticky. They are supposed to be set inside the plant pots. All flying insects hiding in the flowers or fruit trees in the garden stick to the tape.
  • Electric Fruit Fly Trap is a UV device which cannot only remove flying insects but also catch the microbes. A sticky sheet can be found inside the trap that collects the microbes in the room.

Best Fruit Fly Traps that Work

If you don’t want to engage in homemade traps and be concerned over sweet and sticky liquids, then we’ve picked the best 5 traps designed by the professionals.

BEAPCO 6-Pack Drop-Ins Fruit Fly Traps

BEAPCO 6-Pack Drop-Ins Fruit Fly Traps: photo

BEAPCO 6-Pack Drop-Ins Fruit Fly Traps is the best selling trap. This is a set of 6 compact transparent traps designed especially for fruit flies. This product has a rather high customer rating as each trap can serve you for about a month. Some elementary school math will tell you that in this case a single set should last for about 6 months of consecutive use.

Lure, a non-toxic liquid bait is pre filled in these traps. BEAPCO trap action combines the advantages of liquid  bait and traps the flies. They get into the plastic box through a  hole, and are unable to get out. They are not poisoned, they are simply trapped. Unlike bulky handmade traps, these traps can be placed anywhere in the house, and you won’t need to worry about their leaking, rolling over or exuding unpleasant odors. They are safe for your family and home and last up to 30 days! After which you toss them into the recycle bin.

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A small number of users, though, believe that the brand attractant is less effective than natural ones, and thus they recommend you to “Fill it with apple cider vinegar and fruit flies are fighting among themselves to see who can get there first”.

What do buyers say?

«So we moved into a brand new apartment building and after one day we found ourselves fighting fruit flies!  The remedy BEAPCO trap.  And you can easily make an attractant  on your own and re-use these traps if you want to. However these containers are GLORIOUS. Not only can you place a bunch all over in attempt to find the source, but you can additionally see how many flies you’ve caught. And also if you’re bold, you can even clean them out as well and re-use them with your own attractant. 

Drop-Ins Fruit Fly Traps: Check current price

Terro Fruit Fly Trap T2500

TERRO Fruit Fly Trap: photo

Terro Fruit Fly Trap T2500 is another trap which is designed especially for fruit flies – it is even shaped as a ripe apple. I would bite it! By Everything about TERRO reminds us of BEAPCO trap.  The apple is sealed well, smells nice and works for 30 days. It’s got the same benefits and drawbacks. “Apple” is also sealed, smells and kept “alive” for 30 days. It has the same problems and the same advantages. The only thing that is different is the attractant; here it is simply colored apple cider vinegar. It is possible to use this trap both indoors and outdoors. This trap is much less popular with the customers. Many users complain that the trap isn’t working and that the flies don’t even fly close to it.

However, maybe if this trap isn’t working, then the problem is not in the trap itself? People often confuse different types of flies, since they are so much alike. Perhaps, you don’t have fruit flies, but another species? And if the flies aren’t attracted by such a lure, maybe it is the drain flies or other moths or gnats, for example, that have infested your house? In that case, the means of insect control will be completely different.

Terro:  Check the current price

Aunt Fannie’s FlyPunch

Fruit Fly Traps

Aunt Fannie’s is a well liked natural trap that is for use indoors. It can be safely used around food and in the kitchen. It uses a powerful attractant made with a unique blend of specialized vinegar and ferment, which fruit flie can’t resist. to use it it, simply open it up and leave it on your counter near your fruit or wherever you have seen the problem, until you no longer see any fruit flies. This attractant is also said to work on gnats too.

Just open the flip top and set FlyPunch where fruit flies are seen. Make sure it is open during the day as the flies are not active at night.  Though this product does work on fruit flies, if you have a different variety of fly it may not do the job, so careful identification is helpful.

Check the current price

As you can see, no fruit fly traps can do everything, and all of them are made from natural ingredients that you can find in any household. Aunt Fannie’s FlyPunch Fruit Fly Trap, for instance, is made of vinegar, citrus pulp and ethyl lactate (found in alcoholic beverages).

 

Electric Fruit Fly Trap

Electric Fruit Fly Trap: photo

Awoco is positioned as an electric sticky fruit fly trap and killer. Just like others, it is odorless. The insects are attracted by light. As you know, fruit flies are more attracted by odor than light, so it is no as attractive or powerful enough against fruit flies.

As the manufacturer admits, the trap works well only at night time as, naturally, most insects fly to a source of light. Its main advantage lies in the UV light that has bactericidal action and removes pathogenic microbes found in the air. As for the drawbacks, we’d note its fragility as the glass is bound to break and cut your hands if the device falls. For that reason, make sure you install the trap somewhere that’s not accessible to kids.

Only a few customers have bought this expensive insect pest killing machine, but this minority are satisfied by the outstanding effect it has when used at night. Mosquitoes, wasps, flies, fruit flies and large whiteflies have all been lured by sticky bait. Other owners of the trap note the safety of its use: the hot lamp is conveniently covered by a plastic case so that a child won’t burn themselves when it’s on or won’t stick to the glue.

Flies in House Plants

If you’ve got flies in your house-plants, most likely they are fungus gnats, which are small, mosquito-like insects. Colorado State University scientists give the following recommendations:

  1. Suspend plant watering as the gnat eggs laid and / or larvae die of dehydration.
  2. Apply pyrethroid-based insecticides, available for use on houseplants including those containing the following active ingredients: bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin, and lambdacyhalothrin.
  3. Buy some roundworms which emit a bacterium that digests the internal contents of the larvae. Fungus gnat larvae die within three to four days. The roundworm species Steinernema feltiae is particularly effective against fungus gnat larvae.

Safer Brand Houseplant Sticky Traps

Safer Brand Houseplant Sticky Traps: photo

Those who need a sticky trap tend to order safer houseplant stakes which you can use even on your balcony. Pests stick to it as long as you change the sticky sheets in a timely manner. They are quite small, 1×2 inches long and are barely noticeable in the pots. Judging by the reviews, two hours later, some pests can be found on the sticky surface.

Its main disadvantage is that the sticky part is odorless and does not attract insects. Moreover, you can accidentally get into the glue when watering the flowers. According to the scientists, the trap is designed mainly against insects that inhabit moist soil.

sticky Trapro from fruit flies: photo

Use larger sticky sheets in the garden, such as Trapro. These sticky traps are effective against small mosquitoes, whiteflies, mushroom mosquitoes and wasps.

Fruit (Vinegar) Flies in Your Garden

Bonide Products 857 Pyrethrin Spray

So you have some flies in your garden and feeding on the strawberries or fruit bushes (raspberries, blackberries). These annoying pests are the first cousin of the fruit flies and are called Drosophila suzukii or Vinegar Fly. Dealing with them is the same as dealing with the fruit flies. First of all it is necessary to remove all (!!!) of the rotten infected fruit from the plants (that’s where the flies lay their eggs) and to remove or bury it, and then proceed to eliminate the rest with insecticides.

Speaking of organically acceptable methods of vinegar fly control, University of California entomologists advise using pyrethrin sprays. You can try Bonide 857 Pyrethrin Spray Concentrate as protection of your garden and backyard. It exterminates other garden pests such as fungus gnats, aphids, and caterpillars.

Bonide spray:  Check the current price

Fruit Fly BarPro

Fruit Fly BarPro Fly Control Strip: photo

Fruit Fly BarPro Fly Control Strip, a self-proclaimed Fruit Fly Killer #1 in America, is another product we should warn you about. These strips evaporate Dichlorvos, an insecticide that cannot be used at home. Without any doubt, Dichlorvos is a very strong killer, but it is best for use outdoors or in garbage areas, where there are few people who could potentially inhale this dangerous insecticide.

If Flies Have Infested the Sink

Invade Bio Drain Gel: photo

If flies have inhabited the sink or other parts of sewage systems, be sure to buy Invade Bio Drain Gel. It’s wonderful product for cleaning the pipes. It can also dissolve organic matter and thus exterminate the flies and their offspring. Invade gel doesn’t contain any aggressive chemicals and can be sprayed. For that purpose, you’ll need to pour it into a good spray bottle. It also smells good, since the deadly mixture is made of orange oil and secret live germs. Not only will your clean sink shine, but it will also smell pleasant.

Excerpts from buyers’ 

«I never ever had drain flies before as well as didn’t recognize what they were up until I discovered some little black moths/flies in my washroom. A couple of days later on many more showed up in the shower room. I utilized 4oz of Bio Drain Gel, putting it around the sides of the drain. It’s a syrupy consistency so it stays where you need it,  But, actually, after the very first application, I did not see any more of the drainpipe flies. It’s ideal to let the Bio Drain have time to rest over evening without any utilizing of the drain. Worked!! Now I do not have those bugs».

Invade Bio Drain Gel:  Check the current price

Best Fruit Fly Traps Comparison Chart

Product Type
BEAPCO 6-Pack Drop-Ins 

BEAPCO 10036 min: photo

Fruit fly trap.
Terro Fruit Fly Trap T2500
TERRO Fruit Fly Trap T2500 min: photo
Fruit fly trap.
Aunt Fannie’s FlyPunch
Aunt Fannies FlyPunch min: photo
Fruit fly trap.
FlyFix Fruit Fly Trap

FlyFix Fruit Fly Trap min: photo

Fruit fly trap.
 Electric Trap

Electric Fruit Fly Trap min: photo

Electric insect/Fly Trap.
Bonide 857 Pyrethrin Spray 

Bonide Products 857 Spray min: photo

Concentrated insecticide.
Safer Brand Houseplant Traps

Safer Brand Houseplant Sticky Traps min: photo

Sticky trap.
Trapro

sticky Trapro min: photo

Sticky trap.
 BarPro

Fruit Fly BarPro min: photo

Fruit fly strip with dichlorvos.
Invade Bio Drain Gel- 1 qt

Invade Bio Drain gel min: photo

Drain gel.

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3 Best Homemade Fruit Fly Traps

Homemade fruit fly traps are very different from drain flies, mosquitoes or larger flies traps.  You need to come up with some special schemes to catch fruit flies.

Below we’ll describe three of the most popular handmade traps for you. The principle of their functioning is the same as the insects are drawn into the trap with the help of an attractant and later they are unable to leave the trap.

1. A conic trap. First, find an empty glass jar and then put something “delicious” there,  for example, a some rotten fruit or an orange which is the flies’ favorite. Roll a steep paper cone over the spout of the jar so that once again, as a result, the insects, will fly into the jar, and will not be able to leave it. The amount of the insects trapped and their behavior can be tracked visually.

conic trap for fruit flies

2. “Banana trap”. Gnats are very similar to fruit flies. They are also small, yellowish and very fond of bananas. This similarity is what you’ll take advantage of. Put a banana peel in an empty plastic bottle or even a plastic bag, punch some holes in this container with a toothpick or fine needle and then place it closer to the habitat of the insects. Within a day of two, most of their population will fly into the bag, but won’t be able to fly out as their chaotic flight path simply will not let them find any holes since they are drawn by the smell of the attractant and since they are unable to identify a source of fresh air.

3. Liquid trap. There are several liquid traps recipes online. For the simplest ones it’s recommended to merely pour a mixture of syrup, honey, beer, or wine and juice in a deep bowl. Wine vinegar is also often added there. The insects are said to land on the liquid and drown in it. But we advise you to modify this design and to pour into the bowl a mixture of white wine (you can also use wine or balsamic vinegar), put some peeled fruit there and cover everything with a kitchen wrapping film. All you have to do afterward is make some holes in the film with a fork or a toothpick … and the liquid trap will be ready for use. The flies will sink faster when covered with such a transparent “ceiling.”

Liquid fruit fly trap: photo

10 Crucial Facts You Should Be Aware of in Order to Find and Catch Fruit Flies

Some of the peculiarities which are typical for this species exclusively make the extermination more difficult.  Did you know that…

1. Fruit flies breed extremely fast.  Fruit flies develop into adults within one to two weeks at room temperature. The egg and larval stages span approximately eight days, while the pupal stage lasts six days. The adult fruit fly can live for several weeks.When a female fruit fly lays her eggs, the larvae will hatch in about 24 hours. By the way, the University of Georgia experts warns that “The best way to avoid problems with fruit flies is to eliminate sources of attraction. Produce that has ripened should be eaten, discarded or refrigerated.  and here’s why. A single, rotting potato or onion forgotten at the back of a pantry or fruit juice spillage under a refrigerator can breed thousands of fruit flies, as can a recycling bin stored in the basement that’s never emptied or cleaned.” What a non-stop process!

2. They lay their eggs right under the skin of ripe or overripe fruit. They can’t bite through a very thick skin, though. Therefore they hardly inhabit whole watermelons or regular melons, etc. They prefer softer fruit.

Where Do Fruit Flies Come From?

3. Fruit flies are able to lay eggs in decaying organic matter. That’s why they can settle in the clogged sinks alongside with the drain flies and hence the confusion of the two species.

4. Moths are born early in the morning. People are asleep at that time and are unaware of the swarms of insects suddenly, out of nowhere.

5. Other potential nests of fruit flies include flower pots, silage heaps, and full trash bins…

6. The flies’ taste preferences are unpretentious. Tephritidae, this species, feeds on and breeds in over 400 species of plants, for instance.

7. They can also enter your house through open windows and doors. Flies love to live in the same place, but being deprived of food, they can still carry out serious flights with their feeble wings. The strategy of exterminating fruit flies is based on this simple idea: leave no nutrition for them and they’ll fly away.

8. There exist natural fly attractants, such as dung, lake water, spicy and sweet smells. Even the air fresheners which smell like orange, lemon or cherry can attract them. If there are no insects at your place yet, you’d better not overdo it with these scents, or else they’ll be sure to come.

9.  Fruit flies are slow, but attentive . They are able to detect quick movements and fly away. Therefore, be as invincible as a ninja when fighting them.

10.  Flies love moisture and are deterred by the dry surface.  They are almost not afraid of frost and they also adore liquor.

Summarizing!

Fruit flies breed fast, so mind the necessity of a systematic approach. Only dichlorvos(an insecticide) will be able to kill the flies within a day or two. But why would you spray such chemicals at home? It’s better to be proactive and take the time to improve the cleanliness and order at your home. Focusing on food storage areas, trash receptacles and general cleanliness. In this way, you’ll be able to both exterminate yet another fly generation and to avoid relapse.

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{youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSD_sbzrbnQ}

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26 thoughts on “TOP-5 Best Fruit Fly Traps Worth Buying in 2022 | Buyer’s Guide”

    1. Terro Trap T2500 was designed especially for trapping fruit flies, which is why it is highly unlikely to be able to attract other insects, including gnats, mosquitoes and house flies((

    2. Bait in the Terro Fruit Fly is a fruit fly remedy based on apple cider vinegar. It is unlikely to help eliminate gnats, as they are not attracted to vinegar. To kill gnats, you need to look where you have water sources at home (or nearby outdoors) – that’s exactly where those nasty gnats breed!

    1. You can easily use this fruit fly trap multiple times. After 30 days of use, clean it out on the inside, pour the mixture of apple cider vinegar and a drop of soap and then you’ll be able to use it for another month.

  1. How much time do I have to wait for the fruit flies to fly into the Terro Trap? I’ve installed the trap, but so far the flies only circle around it.

    1. Maybe you have very different insects, as there are a lot of other similar flies?! Maybe that’s why the Terro Trap does not help? It really helped me, and, according to other reviews, this is a great fruit fly killer.

    2. As a rule, you’ll be able to notice some trapped fruit fly within the first day of using the trap. So don’t worry and keep waiting. The flies won’t be able to resist the bait.

    1. Stranger, you can easily use it both inhabited and uninhabited rooms, in the kitchen, in the office and even in small closed spaces. There will be no smell as the traps are too tiny.

        1. Yes, it is. You simply have to fill the trap with the bait and leave it in spots where there is fruit fly infestation. A single trap will last for 30 days. By the way, when I run out of the attractant, I fill it in with apple cider vinegar – it works too.

  2. Good day! Very useful article! Before, I did not know how to get rid of fruit flies, but you helped me a lot. Flies often appear in my kitchen, and I even tried catching them using sticky traps, but now I understand that that doesn’t work and that I need to take the special fruit fly trap.

  3. Recently, I was faced with the problem of fruit flies in the kitchen and immediately decided to read on the Internet how to get rid of this trouble. The most effective fruit fly trap in my case turned out to be a trap cone with fruit on the bottom of the glass. But then I got tired of messing around with these improvised pieces and I ordered the Terro Fruit fly trap, even though nobody believed it would work. And now there are no flies here — so, who was right ?! 🙂

    1. As for me, if you are looking for the best way to get rid of fruit flies, it’s certainly not the self-made trap. They did not help me clean the house from all the fruit flies- just decreased their amount. So, I agree with you – it is better to buy ready-to-use traps and not wait for these flies to flood the whole house.

  4. After reading this article, I now know how to kill fruit flies for sure. They were very annoying in the kitchen and even frightened my little children … Thank you very much for the excellent advice in the fight against these intruders.

  5. Hi everyone! I have not tried any of the methods of combating these insects, and now I think that they have invaded my entire kitchen! Please tell me what is the most efficient and effective way to quickly kill fruit flies?

  6. I have always had problems with fruit flies, even though I try to keep my house clean. I tried a bunch of ways for a long time and nothing helped. Who else is faced with a similar issue? Mmaybe it would be interesting for you to read how do you get rid of fruit flies?

  7. Those who have tried to get rid of flies home, is killing fruit flies quicker when it’s warm? I don’t want to even see them any more, or want them to enter the kitchen. I close all fruit and sweets, but they still appear out of nowhere! Help!

  8. Please, help me, what is the best fruit fly trap to buy? I am a rookie in this matter, have come across this article recently and become interest in trapping. Thanks in advance.

    1. Well, you can try buying terro fruit fly traps. I used them and they showed decent effect, though I tried nothing else to compare with.

  9. So it is the most effective fruit fly trap, right? Has anyone else used other types? I wanna see a couple of more reviews to compare the traps.

  10. I had no clue how to get rid of fruit flies and decided to buy BEAPCO 6-Pack Drop-Ins Fruit Fly Traps. I can only praise this device, it works very well. It now seems as if there have never been any flies, so I think both traps are pretty effective.

  11. There are so many threads devoted to traps, I wonder what is the best fruit fly killer? I only heard of Bonide 857, what about others? Do they kill at all or is it better to use traps?

  12. For the second time we are faced with the problem of fruit flies this year. For the first time they somehow disappeared, after a couple of days, they had to hide everything in the fridge from the table, they immediately took out scraps for garbage. This year we try to use beapco fruit fly traps. So far, only found, the result is not clear. Let’s see what will happen next.

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