fruit flys

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rob

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Is it just me or any of you seeing fruit flys around your carboys this year, we have had alot of rain this summer, never have had a problem till now... All carboys are tight with air locks are they smelling the fumes coming out the top?
 
where u from rob? we've had very very little rain here in west ky:(
i have seen * 1 * fruit fly...lots of biting flies outside though:(
 
any fumes will attract them..any decaying remains of summer fruit etc....they dont wait for harvest and fermentation
 
I am from Eastern Iowa, how they get way down in the basement is something, no decaying fruit or any thing close to it, I do have more carboys this year working, 5
 
I am from Eastern Iowa, how they get way down in the basement is something, no decaying fruit or any thing close to it, I do have more carboys this year working, 5

iowa, gotcha, you have had alot of rain. i think all the rain has stayed north of us this year:(
 
You might also try leaving an open bottle of wine near your carboys with about an inch of wine in it. Also place 3-4 drops of dish soap detergent in it. Do not let the soap hit the sides of the bottle as you put the drops in. The flies will smell it.
 
I had a massive attack of flies on my grape vines. I hung 2 strips. 2 days later there we easily a hundred on each. At trash day I just removed the tack and they dropped in my garbage can, then to the curb for pick up.

I got mine at Home Depot, 4pak for @ $2.00?????
 
I remember reading that the fly strips contain chemicals that you may not want to have in you wine room.

I use wolf's suggestion (with a twist). I also find that the flies are repelled by dish soap, so I clean the outside of the DJ/CB with a soap solution. I then leave a 1/2 full bottle of wine or must at the other end of the room.

Amazingly, in 1 to 2 days I get hundreds of them in the "trap" bottle, and only a few buzzing around.

ONE MAN'S OPINION: Fruit flies stuck in your teeth is akin to a badge of honor. You know when you are a wine maker when you instinctively cover your tasting glass with something to keep the fruit flies out. :)
 
OK I had an issue with like two fruit flies bugging me in the cellar so this morning I made up a trap as I explained earlier in this thread. Since I was in Home Depot today I also decided to pick up some fly strips like Steve and Tom described. As I was putting up the fly strip tonight i decided to check the first trap. BINGO I got the SOB. Fruit flies multiply quickly and are difficult to get rid of if you don't have a plan of attack at first sign of them. Thanks to Luc and an earlier post of his, This "bottle of death" worked well.

DSCN2135.jpg
 
Down here in citrus country if you want to see a panic talk about seeing fruit flies..
They are always on the watch for the Mediterrain Fruit fly which could be devasting to our citrus industry.
If they find one or two in a county, out comes the planes and helicopters with malathion.
I do my best to keep all my pulp dumped out on my compost pile as quickly as possible,, they can stay out there and enjoy the mess.
 
I only had one pesty little fruit fly that I knew of when I made my bottle trap. I also put up a fly ribbon. Since that day the bottle trps has four fruit flies and the fly strip zero. IMO the bottle Luc told us about wins hands down!
 
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