Summer’s here.

The sun’s shining.

There’s loads of lovely summer fruit to munch.

We’ve even managed – somehow! – to grow some in the garden.

And the fruit bowl’s full of NOT at all lovely fruit flies!

Yuk! Yuk! Yuk!

So what can you do to get rid of fruit flies naturally?

Without spraying nasty stuff around your kitchen.

As most commercial fly sprays contain d-Phenothrin and Prallethrin.

Which are not thought to be toxic to humans – unless swallowed in quantity.

BUT are highly toxic to pets. And to acquatic life. And to really useful bugs like bees.

So the more we can keep them out of our homes and local environment the better.

And anyway there are a whole host of natural ways to get rid of fruit flies. I’ve got 6 must know hacks for you here.

BUT it’s even better to prevent fruit flies naturally in the first place.

Because the thing about the pesky fruit fly – just like the pesky ants who won’t stay out of our kitchens either! – is, once you’ve got one you’ve got a million!

Once the fruit flies lay eggs in your fruit bowl they multiply.

Like crazy.

So preventing fruit flies getting on the fruit bowl in the first place has got to make sense.

Which basically means ditching that pretty little fruit bowl.

(With the slightly dodgy stuff at the bottom – or is that just me?)

And storing each fruit in the way that best preserves it, out of reach of the fruit flies.

So here goes, these are the best ways I have found to store fruit.

And prevent fruit flies naturally.

How to Store Fruit to Prevent Fruit Flies

1. Freeze Your Bananas

The bananas are a big culprit for attracting fruit flies aren’t they?

(Though NOT suprisingly you’ll discover in a moment the worst!)

And unfortunately, they don’t like the fridge.

So I cut ’em up and freeze ’em.

They can then be shoved in smoothies, muffins, banana cakes & sundaes (aka plonked on top of some icecream) when needed.
 

2. Put Apples In A Plastic Carrier In the Fridge

Did you know?

Apples in a carrier bag at the bottom of your fridge, will stay crispy and juicy for ages?

Yep, seriously.

We pick apples in the autumn and that’s how we keep them.

For months.

Genius. Pears as well.

 

3. Buy Peaches Ripe and Eat Them Straight Away

Yumscious peaches are unfortunately beacons for fruit flies.

And are fussy little things.

They reach their very height of yumsciousness when perfectly ripe.

But totally refuse to ripen in the fridge.

And become a bit blaaah!

So best way to prevent fruit flies partying on them, is buy them ripe and eat them instantly.

Or buy them absolutely ripe and pop in the fridge to eat as soon as you possibly can.
 

4. Watch Out For The Citrus Fruit!

Citrus fruit don’t seem like the most guilty for attracting fruit flies, do they?

But research shows they actually are.

Mum fruit fly likes to lay in citrus fruit, because the waspies who eat her babies hate them.

Who knew?

So actually, that lovely bowl of lemons on the kitchen table –

or, in my case, of slightly squished satsumas –

they need to go at the bottom of the fridge as well.

Just take them out a bit before you need them to get their juice flowing.

And there you go.

4 easy ways to store fruit to prevent fruit flies naturally.

Do hope this helps keep the little pests out of your kitchen.

But if they’re already in NEVER fear – I’ve got 6 easy natural ways to get rid of flies for you right here …

Photo: Apricots in a bowl / Aprikosen by Marco Verch under Creative Commons 2.0