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Using fruits to attract some stuff?

I've searched on the forums for stuff about placing apples near their plants so as to attract fruit flies, and I've found a lot of posts, but I was wondering exactly how one should do this? And is it very successful, especially in winter? Is it harmful?

Thanks,
-Ben
 
I did that at the lab and in our attic. It's like a Field of Dreams thing... If you offer them, they will come. Trust me, the fruitflies will come and propogate and provide the sundews & butterworts with live food. Not harmful, AFAIK, just smelly and a bit of a grossout factor!
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Lol, thanks. About how long does it take for the lil suckers to get to the fruit?

-Ben
 
Within a couple weeks or so. It may be hard to attract them during the winter, though.
 
Ok. I see them fly around all the time, usually more like fungus gnats, I guess. But, one did manage to make its way into my growroom and get sorta attacked....
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-Ben
 
is it white with little red eyes? then its a fruit fly!
 
LOL I got in BIG trouble from my wife for doing this- we had a bunch of apples or something in a garbage bag that had gone off (we didn't have our composter set up yet) and flies were all coming out of it, so I brought it into my growing room= she came in and asked what the horrible stink was and I simply kicked the bag and flies swarmed out all over my collection- I was smiling and well pleased, but her, not so much

If you "get lucky" and get fruit with flies already on it, you can have flies literally overnight, it realy doesn't take long, best bet is like a banana peel and maybe some apple cores in a little jar or something (left open, natch) and you should have more flies than you'll ever need- just don't expect anyone else in your family to enjoy it is my only caveat
 
I leave a banana peel next to my plants. I put it in the shade so it doesn't dry out. Occasionally I'll pour some water on the peel to keep it moist.
 
Something about that method that irks me, though it seems effective... can't the flies get a little... out of hand? Those things drive me insane, constantly ramming into your head and stuff. Little buggers... but yeah I'd imagine CPs would just love you for doing that.
 
  • #10
Nope, it was just a regular old gnat.

The fruit flies won't like try to eat me will they?

-Ben
 
  • #11
Can anyone elaborate a little bit more on the smell factor inside a room? Is it tolerable? I am willing to try it outside, but I don't want my room to smell like the garbage dump:p

Anyone know if the common house fly will lay eggs in fruit?

[If this works out, it will save me lots of money towards my mantid's food.]
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]The fruit flies won't like try to eat me will they?

not unless you're a fruit!
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yeah I'm planning to do something like that in the summer.
 
  • #13
Lol, ok. Joosa, AFAIK, house flies only lay eggs in rotting animal stuff.

-Ben
 
  • #14
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Drosera36 @ Jan. 08 2007,2:46)]The fruit flies won't like try to eat me will they?

-Ben
Nope. But I'm positive they'll try and eat your mother.

xvart.
 
  • #15
[b said:
Quote[/b] (xvart @ Jan. 08 2007,5:30)]
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Drosera36 @ Jan. 08 2007,2:46)]The fruit flies won't like try to eat me will they?

-Ben
Nope. But I'm positive they'll try and eat your mother.

xvart.
Which gives me even more of a reason not to tell her about this.
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-Ben
 
  • #16
Joossa- if you use a banana peel, say, it doesn't smell much at all, like a ripe banana pretty much- the REAL stink will happen if anaerobic bacteria start to grow- just a banana peel in a cup or on a plate will make plenty of flies happy before it ever gets really bad- the story I posted above about the stink geting me in trouble, that was in summer and the rotting stuff had REALLY gone off, so it was hot and stinky, but in winter a single apple core or banana peel will not be much of a big deal- and if it IS too much for you, toss it out and the smell will go away with it
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  • #17
Thanks mabudon.
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  • #19
Oh yeah, I get those flightless guys all the time, but they cost money and I usually don't have any. So, I figure free fruit flies are good fruit flies.

-Ben
 
  • #20
All you need to do is buy a bag of culture mix and some tubes. Every couple of weeks or however long the culture lasts just mix up a new batch, pour it into a new tube, shake in a dozen or so flies and off you go with the next generation.
 
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