Fruit Flies

[Flafemina]

I have moved my wine into a carboy and keep seeing fruit flies in the air lock. I see little white things floating in the wine. I assume the larvae. Is my wine damaged or ruined? How can they survive in there? What should I do now?

 

[Flafemina]

You can see the fly

 

[Arne]

I think you are probably ok. It is amazing those guys can get thru the little holes in the cap of the airlock. Don't think the floaties are larvae. Not sure, but don't think so. More likely pieces of yeast floating around. Good luck with it, Arne.

 

[Boatboy24]

Highly unlikely your wine has suffered any damage. Make sure you're appropriately sulfited (if that's even a word). There are a gazillion ways to trap/kill them if they are a persistent problem.

 

[Rocky]

No problem at all. We had them in the wine coming out of our barrels long ago. They are just a nuisance. They do add a trace amount of protein to the wine and we could not drink the wine on Friday (back then)!

 

[Floandgary]

How they could possibly get thru the tiny holes of an airlock is a head-scratcher for sure. Since I got tired of scratching I replaced the snap-on cap with a piece of muslin and a rubber band. Nothing but air passing thru now!!

 

[JohnT]

Fruit files can carry the bacteria that will turn your wine to vinegar. Very important to ensure that your wine has the proper amount of kmeta added.

 

[Flafemina]

Thank you. Excellent information.

 

[barbiek]

Just put a lil of your must in a glass and put it by the fermenter this will attract the little buggers and they will drown in their own indulgence. Works better than those messy fly strips!

 

[Rocky]

Just put a lil of your must in a glass and put it by the fermenter this will attract the little buggers and they will drown in their own indulgence. Works better than those messy fly strips!

Yes, like BarbieK said and I have heard that some people put a little liquid dish soap in the must to kill them off quickly.

I think I read somewhere that they only live for a day or so but you could not prove that by me. I have a little guy flying around my area that I have tried to rein in to no avail.

 

[menerdari]

They get through the holes in the airlock but then die right there, very doubtful that that fly lived long enough to lay eggs and then the eggs survive long enough to become larvae.
That said, I prefer the 3 piece airlock. whatever gets in, like the flies, lay in the bottom and the way they work and suck back will not likely pull anything in. plus I use vodka in mine as well, hopefully it will sanitize any flies that get into the airlock.

 

[Sage]

I have a lot more than usual this year too. I put a little fruit juice with a couple drops of insecticide in an old yogurt cup. It's full of them now.

 

[Flafemina]

Those are the little things in my wine I thought were fruit fly larvae.

 

[chasemandingo]

My lhbs actually had fruit fly specific fly traps with replacement attractants! Might try one this spring....I still have some float in round My apt but soon they will all be dead.....getting cold outside at night.

 

[kryten]

I have caught a good number of fruit flies in my airlock as well. I'm of the opinion better there than in my wine.

 

[4score]

I have a little wine room in my garage. It's sealed very well and air conditioned. I still have a bunch of fruit flies that get in there and fly all around my car boys and barrels. I have a few of the three-piece airlocks and I do find a lot of dead flies that somehow got inside the cap. I also use vodka and it amazes me that they still want in there.

 

[sour_grapes]

I have a few of the three-piece airlocks and I do find a lot of dead flies that somehow got inside the cap. I also use vodka and it amazes me that they still want in there.

At least they died happy.

 

[barbiek]

View attachment 25520
Those are the little things in my wine I thought were fruit fly larvae.

Are you talking about the white in the pic that looks like scratches on side of carboy? Can't sees very well but is that carboy only 1/2 filled?

 

[Flafemina]

It is only half filled I am transporting that to bottles tonight. There are these little white rice looking things floating in the wine. Both my 5 gallon and the one in the pic. Wasn't sure what it was but kept finding fruit flies in my airlock and figures no way it could get in through the little holes. I assumed the rice looking things were larvae.

 

[JohnT]

Time is of the essence!

Grab the fruit fly by the scruff of the neck, smack it on the back, and yell "SPIT IT OUT"!!!!