October 16, 2026, 8:42 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Fruit flies can appear year-round, but they become a problem mainly in the warm months and fall. During these times, the insects find ideal conditions with ripe fruit in the kitchen or fallen fruit in the garden. At temperatures of about 77 degrees Fahrenheit and above, they reproduce particularly quickly: Just one piece of exposed fruit is enough for the flies to lay their eggs on it. Within a day, larvae hatch from these eggs, and in about ten days, they develop into new fruit flies. A small infestation can quickly turn into a full-blown nuisance. myHOMEBOOK editor Katharina Regenthal shows how to build an effective fruit fly trap with simple means in the video series “Easy Home.”
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What You Need to Build a Fruit Fly Trap
This fruit fly trap attracts the insects with a mixture. Here’s what you need:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dish soap
- Spoon
- Bowl
For this type of fruit fly trap, put three to four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Add a dash of dish soap. Stir the mixture, and you have a ready-made fruit fly trap. The scent attracts the fruit flies, and they usually land directly in the bowl. If you prefer to catch the flies alive, you can opt for a gentler method.
Gently Get Rid of Fruit Flies
This fruit fly trap is much gentler. You’ll need the following items:
- A glass
- Piece of apple
- Sheet of paper
- Adhesive tape
To catch the fruit flies alive, place a piece of apple in a glass. Then roll a sheet of paper into a funnel shape and insert it into the glass. It’s important to leave a small opening at the bottom—just like a real funnel. The fruit flies are drawn to the piece of apple, enter through the opening, land in the glass, and can’t find their way back out. You can then release them outside through the window.