Re: Conquering fruit flies - what worked for me

[Guest guest]

>>It’s a two-fold approach. First, I found some coffee filters

(single-serving, cone-shaped things) laying around and place them over the tops

of my jars, then secure them with a rubber band.<<

Isn't that just a normal choice for a breathable covering for a booch jar? How

does that keep fruit flies from being attracted to booch? I have tried

handkerchiefs, tea towels and cloth napkins. The flies can still smell the booch

and sit on the covering.

>>For my larger crock with the plastic ‘ring’ around the top but no lid, I

folded a clean cotton dishtowel (not terrycloth) in half, placed it under the

ring, and put some weights on top.<< What are your weights? I have yet to think

of a way to weight down that ring and I have wanted to from the start. The only

thing I can think of is a plate, but that will keep the air from reaching the

scoby.

Then I took some delicious kombucha (about 1/3 C), put it in a shallow dish,

added a drop or two of dish detergent (to reduce surface tension), placed it on

the counter next to my brewing jar, the one with all the flies on the coffee

filter, and let the flies fly in to drown. One week later, no new fruit flies!

I have a little glass with booch that draws flies, but more keep coming after

them.

Carolyn

>>I've conquered the fruit fly problem<<

Do Tell! How do you do it?

[Guest guest]

>>It’s a two-fold approach. First, I found some coffee filters

(single-serving, cone-shaped things) laying around and place them over the tops

of my jars, then secure them with a rubber band.<<

Isn't that just a normal choice for a breathable covering for a booch jar? How

does that keep fruit flies from being attracted to booch? I have tried

handkerchiefs, tea towels and cloth napkins. The flies can still smell the booch

and sit on the covering.

>>For my larger crock with the plastic ‘ring’ around the top but no lid, I

folded a clean cotton dishtowel (not terrycloth) in half, placed it under the

ring, and put some weights on top.<< What are your weights? I have yet to think

of a way to weight down that ring and I have wanted to from the start. The only

thing I can think of is a plate, but that will keep the air from reaching the

scoby.

Then I took some delicious kombucha (about 1/3 C), put it in a shallow dish,

added a drop or two of dish detergent (to reduce surface tension), placed it on

the counter next to my brewing jar, the one with all the flies on the coffee

filter, and let the flies fly in to drown. One week later, no new fruit flies!

I have a little glass with booch that draws flies, but more keep coming after

them.

Carolyn

>>I've conquered the fruit fly problem<<

Do Tell! How do you do it?

[Guest guest]

i use coffe filters, but was thinking tyvek as a reusable/washable long term

solution. coffee filters are too small for my 10l wide mouth fermenter...

other than tyvek, plain 100% cotton t-shirts & tea-tovels will work perfectly.

>

> It’s a two-fold approach. First, I found some coffee filters

(single-serving, cone-shaped things) laying around and place them over the tops

of my jars, then secure them with a rubber band. For my larger crock with the

plastic ‘ring’ around the top but no lid, I folded a clean cotton dishtowel

(not terrycloth) in half, placed it under the ring, and put some weights on top.

That keeps the jars secure.

>

>

>

> Then I took some delicious kombucha (about 1/3 C), put it in a shallow dish,

added a drop or two of dish detergent (to reduce surface tension), placed it on

the counter next to my brewing jar, the one with all the flies on the coffee

filter, and let the flies fly in to drown. One week later, no new fruit flies!

>

>

>

> Carolyn

>

>

>

> >>I've conquered the fruit fly problem<<

>

> Do Tell! How do you do it?

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

i use coffe filters, but was thinking tyvek as a reusable/washable long term

solution. coffee filters are too small for my 10l wide mouth fermenter...

other than tyvek, plain 100% cotton t-shirts & tea-tovels will work perfectly.

>

> It’s a two-fold approach. First, I found some coffee filters

(single-serving, cone-shaped things) laying around and place them over the tops

of my jars, then secure them with a rubber band. For my larger crock with the

plastic ‘ring’ around the top but no lid, I folded a clean cotton dishtowel

(not terrycloth) in half, placed it under the ring, and put some weights on top.

That keeps the jars secure.

>

>

>

> Then I took some delicious kombucha (about 1/3 C), put it in a shallow dish,

added a drop or two of dish detergent (to reduce surface tension), placed it on

the counter next to my brewing jar, the one with all the flies on the coffee

filter, and let the flies fly in to drown. One week later, no new fruit flies!

>

>

>

> Carolyn

>

>

>

> >>I've conquered the fruit fly problem<<

>

> Do Tell! How do you do it?

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

We take advantage of their attraction (the booch is bait). We periodically bring

in the vacuum cleaner and just put the nozzle up close to the top. The fruit

flies at first resist but as soon as they jump they are sucked up. You just

gotta be careful not to suck up the top cover. Pretty easy once you get the hang

of it. Sure, more flies will come later, but this method is clean and easy and

keeps the numbers at an acceptable low number. - Woody

Subject: Re: Conquering fruit flies - what worked for me

To: " original kombucha " <original_kombucha >

Date: Friday, June 8, 2012, 8:50 PM

 

...

Isn't that just a normal choice for a breathable covering for a booch jar? How

does that keep fruit flies from being attracted to booch? I have tried

handkerchiefs, tea towels and cloth napkins. The flies can still smell the booch

and sit on the covering.

...

[Guest guest]

I keep my booch in my fish/grow-room. Have three or four flies that

haunt the coffee filters, but since there's no soil in my aquaponics

plants, I don't have any breeding places for them so their numbers stay

very subdued. Only when I have potted plants with moist soil close by do

I have problems. Or a bunch of bananas going over-ripe. Keep your trash

emptied and move your houseplants further away and a little drier and

you may see their numbers reduce to more manageable levels.

Be well,

Mike

--

Zone 8, Texas

http://www.taroandti.com/ Exotic Plant Info and More...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organichomesteading/

http://www.naturalbeefarm.com/ Natural Beekeeping

> We take advantage of their attraction (the booch is bait). We periodically

bring in the vacuum cleaner and just put the nozzle up close to the top. The

fruit flies at first resist but as soon as they jump they are sucked up. You

just gotta be careful not to suck up the top cover. Pretty easy once you get the

hang of it. Sure, more flies will come later, but this method is clean and easy

and keeps the numbers at an acceptable low number. - Woody

[Guest guest]

I keep my booch in my fish/grow-room. Have three or four flies that

haunt the coffee filters, but since there's no soil in my aquaponics

plants, I don't have any breeding places for them so their numbers stay

very subdued. Only when I have potted plants with moist soil close by do

I have problems. Or a bunch of bananas going over-ripe. Keep your trash

emptied and move your houseplants further away and a little drier and

you may see their numbers reduce to more manageable levels.

Be well,

Mike

--

Zone 8, Texas

http://www.taroandti.com/ Exotic Plant Info and More...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organichomesteading/

http://www.naturalbeefarm.com/ Natural Beekeeping

> We take advantage of their attraction (the booch is bait). We periodically

bring in the vacuum cleaner and just put the nozzle up close to the top. The

fruit flies at first resist but as soon as they jump they are sucked up. You

just gotta be careful not to suck up the top cover. Pretty easy once you get the

hang of it. Sure, more flies will come later, but this method is clean and easy

and keeps the numbers at an acceptable low number. - Woody