Here's How A Banana Can Help You Rid Your Home Of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are among the many pesky critters that make their way into our homes. Sometimes, you see just a few, but other times, there can be a lot more. Plus, they're not always easy to eliminate since they reproduce quickly. As the name reveals, overripe fruit attracts fruit flies. A banana is one of the most common fly-attracting fruits, as it rots faster than most other fruits. As an attractant, a banana can also be used to eliminate fruit flies.

All you need is a cup, tape, a sheet of computer paper, and a couple of pieces of banana to make a trap in the cup. If you want to be able to see the flies, use a glass cup. If you don't want to have to remove the paper from the cup, use a disposable one.

First, cut a couple of small pieces of banana and place them in the cup. Then, fold and tape the sheet of paper into the shape of a funnel. Place the smaller end of the funnel into the cup and tape the larger end to the cup rim, all the way around, ensuring there aren't any gaps. Once the funnel is taped in place, set the cup out in whatever area you've been noticing the flies, walk away and wait. Once you've trapped a good amount of flies, you can remove them from your home. That's it.

If overripe bananas are the only things attracting fruit flies in your home, the obvious solution is to throw the bananas away. And if you had plans to make banana bread, you'll have to cancel them, as the presence of fruit flies could mean they've already laid eggs under the peel (via What Banana). The "throw it away" rule goes for any rotting food source that the flies have been frequenting.

This should eliminate or at least reduce the amount of fruit flies around. However, if it doesn't, or if you notice them flying around in your sink drains or trash containers, that's when it's time to make the banana funnel trap. By the way, you can place banana pieces, a blackening banana peel, or both in the cup to lure in the flies.

Sarah Dees of Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls shared some other tips, based on her experience with the trap. Make sure the bottom part of the funnel opening is about the size of a dime, and no larger. The larger the opening, the more likely the flies will be to escape. She also noted that organic bananas attracted more flies than non-organic ones and that wine can also attract flies. After trying the hack for yourself, you may find some tricks or modifications of your own.