Fruit flies are a very familiar pest problem in any household. Although they are tiny flying insects, they can do a lot of damage to your potted plants, garden foliage, and can destroy well-maintained fruit trees.
Whether it is a few fruit flies that are crawling in amongst your plants or a swarm that is hovering over your fruit bowl on your living room table, fruit flies can make your life a misery.
The 6 Best Fruit Fly Traps
- Kensizer Dual-Sided Sticky Traps (Our Top Pick)
- 21C Dual Sticky Fly Traps
- Trappify Sticky Fruit Fly and Gnat Trap
- Garsum Fruit Fly Traps
- Fruit Fly BarPro Fly Strip
- TERRO Fruit Fly Trap
Our Top Pick for the Best Fruit Fly Trap
Our top pick for the best fruit fly trap is the Kensizer Dual-Sided Sticky Traps. These extra-large, bright yellow sticky traps can be used for eliminating fruit flies inside your home and outside in the garden or orchard.
Whether you want to save your indoor plants or orchard from being destroyed by voracious fruit flies, the double-sided traps are very effective at luring and trapping fruit flies and other flying insects. They have extra strong glue, and you can hang them on fruit trees or cut them up into smaller pieces and place them around your home.
Why put up with fruit flies, when the Kensizer sticky traps can do all of the hard work for you? Once you have set the traps, you can sit back and relax and enjoy the “fruit” of your labor.
Check the price on AmazonInvest In a Fruit Fly Trap
Is your home or garden being invaded by fruit flies? If you do not take control they can quickly become the number one pest inside your home. They can cause a lot of damage, which can result in wilting plants and decaying fruit that is unfit for human consumption. As well as invading your home, they can infest other areas around your property such as patios, balconies, greenhouses, and the orchard.
Although toxic pesticides can be used to eradicate fruit flies, there are some more natural-based, environmentally friendly ways to control fruit flies, such as fruit fly traps. The most common types of fruit fly traps are the sticky traps, which are made from bright yellow shellac paper or board, which can come in a range of sizes and shapes.
Some fruit fly sticky traps look like A4 sheets of paper and they have extra strong adhesive glue that the fruit flies get stuck on when they settle on the paper. These sheets of strong paper or board can be attached to the branches of plants or fruit trees, on a fence, or you can attach them near a patio light, where you can not only catch fruit flies but other flying insects as well.
Other sticky fruit fly traps are smaller and they may have a square base and are shaped like a butterfly or a flower and you can place them in a plant pot or in amongst your plants in a garden bed. As these types of traps are very small, you can use more than one and they make a very attractive option for protecting indoor and outdoor plants from voracious fruit flies.
If you prefer a no-mess-no-fuss approach to eradicating fruit flies, then the TERRO Fruit Fly Trap is a perfect choice for indoor pest control. Instead of having to worry about getting sticky glue on your hands, the Terro Fruit Fly Trap is shaped like an apple and the sweet liquid that is located inside the container is highly effective at attracting fruit flies.
Why are Fruit Fly Sticky Traps Yellow?
Most common flying pests such as fruit flies, aphids, leafminers, fungus gnats, thrips, whiteflies, black flies, and midges have phototaxis, which means they are extra sensitive to light. You may have seen them swarming around a porch light or heard them being zapped by a bug zapper. Bright yellow sticky traps work very much the same way and the bright color lures the insects and once they have landed on the trap, the extra strong adhesive glue keeps them well and truly stuck.
As well as sticky fruit fly traps, and apple-shaped traps, there are fruit fly traps that look like an air freshener strip that you can hang anywhere around your home where you have seen fruit fly activity. These innovative strips work by releasing odorless time-controlled vapor technology that can reach into crevices where fruit flies love to breed so that you can target their nesting areas before they reach your plants and fresh fruit bowls. These types of fruit fly traps can also be used for eliminating other insects such as cockroaches, spiders, and silverfish.
The only downside of these types of traps is that they cannot be used in areas where food is prepared and you can only use them in rooms where people are not present for extended periods of time. However, if you want a subtle type of trap that you can hide away in a cupboard or hang in your garage, air freshener-type traps are a very good choice.
4 Handy Tips for Eradicating Fruit Flies
The best way to further prevent fruit flies from visiting your home and garden is to follow these 4 handy tips as well as using a fruit fly trap of your choice.
1. Store Fruit in the Fridge
A fruit bowl that is full of fresh, bright, and colorful fruit looks good on the table. However, unfortunately, it is the number one magnet for hungry fruit flies. A swarm of fruit flies swarming over your fresh fruit is not what you want to see. So, especially in the summer months, store the fruit in the refrigerator.
2. Use Fly Screens
Fruit flies will try anything to get into your home, so one way to keep them out is to make sure that you have fly screens installed on your windows and exterior doors as well.
3. Empty and Clean the Trash Can
Fruit flies or any kinds of flying insects are not fruit connoisseurs, so they will not only target your fresh fruit bowls. However, if you have an overflowing bin inside your home, they will swarm over it in a second, so make sure it is emptied regularly.
Remove any organic matter and put it in the compost heap, and make sure that any outdoor rubbish is well secured in the trash bin. Also, wash out your garbage bins inside and outside so that there is no decaying organic matter sticking to the side of the bins.
4. Locate Fruit Fly Breeding Areas
The key to successful fruit fly elimination inside your home is to locate their breeding source and place a fruit fly trap nearby. Whether you choose a sticky fly trap, a funky-looking apple-shaped trap, or a trap that looks like an air freshener strip, place them where fruit flies hide or congregate such as near fruit bowls, kitchen counters, sinks, and around garbage storage areas.
If you want to learn more about fruit flies and the different species that run rampant in the US as well as other interesting facts, check out the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website.
6 Best Fruit Fly Traps – Reviews
1. Kensizer Dual-Sided Sticky Traps
Forget about spraying harmful pesticides on your fruit trees in your orchard or on the budding strawberries on your patio, the Kensizer Dual-Sided Sticky Traps will keep destructive fruit flies away from your prized plants.
These large, long-lasting dual-sided sticky traps have plenty of room for trapping a wide variety of crop pests: fruit flies, aphids, leaf miners, fungus gnats, thrips, whiteflies, black flies, midges, mosquitoes, and other flying insects. Each trap covers an area of 25-square-feet and the glue lasts for 2-3 months or until the trap is covered in insects.
As the traps are a bright yellow color and are coated in an extra-strong glue, they act as an irresistible lure to fruit-loving insects. Once bugs land on the traps, they will be well and truly stuck.
You can also cut the traps up into small pieces and use them to protect your smaller houseplants.
Safe for humans and the environment, the Kensizer sticky traps are non-toxic, waterproof, and sunproof, so they will never dry out.
Easy to use, the traps come with wire twist ties so that you can attach the traps to the branches of trees, on fences, or near the porch light. For trees or other large plants, you can even attach the traps on a stick (not included) and place them in the ground around plants in the garden, orchard, or pots.
You can choose from a 10, 20, or a 30-pack.
Pros
- Ideal for outdoor or indoor plants
- Specially designed for fruit flies, aphids, leaf miner, fungus gnats, thrips, whiteflies, black flies, midges, mosquitoes, and other flying insects
- Each trap covers an area of 25-square-feet
- Bright yellow color is irresistible to insects
- Extra strong, sunproof and waterproof, and long-lasting glue
- Non-toxic and environmentally friendly
- Comes with wire twist ties
- Can be attached to a stick and placed into the ground
- Available in a 10, 20 or 30-pack
Cons
- Glue is messy to work with
- Sticks are not included
2. 21C Dual Sticky Fly Traps
The 21C Dual Sticky Fly Traps are a great choice for trapping fruit flies that munch on your fruit and feed on the roots and leaves of your plants. Whether you have fruit flies inside your home that destroy your fruit or devour your precious plants in your garden or on your patio, these bright yellow insect traps are small but functional and they have a pretty flower design.
They are safe to use around your plants as they contain no pesticides and are environmentally friendly. Their small 5 x 3.5-inch size means you can use a few of them at a time and place them inside flower pots on your balcony or patio, or make an attractive border along the edge of flower beds, or use them in your greenhouse.
They are very easy to use: just place them directly into the soil, and as they come with already punched in holes, you can attach the included twist ties and hang them from larger plants or fruit trees in your orchard. What an easy way to keep your home and garden free of fruit flies and other flying insects such as whiteflies, aphids, gnats, fungus gnats, mosquitoes, thrips, leafminers, and olive tree flies.
The traps are long-lasting and they have a strong adhesive on both sides, so there is no need to replace them until they are completely covered with insects, and they are waterproof and UV-resistant. The decorative fruit fly traps come in a pack of 10 and there are 10 twist ties in the pack.
To get the best results outdoors, you need to use quite a lot of traps and they can take a while to trap a lot of insects. Be careful using these traps where pets like to roam as the extra sticky adhesive can get stuck in their fur.
Pros
- Double-sided sticky traps
- Extra strong adhesive
- Traps fruit flies and other small insects very well
- Attractive flower design
- Discreet size
- Can be placed in pots, flower beds, and hung from trees
- UV resistant and waterproof
- Easy to use
Cons
- Not ideal for use around pets
3. Trappify Sticky Fruit Fly and Gnat Trap
Take control of any fruit fly or gnat attacks on your plants with the Trappify Sticky Fruit Fly and Gnat Trap.
Perfect for organic gardening, these human and eco-friendly traps do not contain toxic chemical sprays or pesticides, so they are a natural pest control solution and your best defense against insect infestations that can harm your plants and contaminate food.
The dual sticky butterfly-shaped 3 x 5-inch cards have a bright yellow color that insects cannot resist, and the extra strong long-lasting adhesive effectively traps fruit flies, gnats, and mosquitos. Once the bugs stick to the card, they stay stuck!
Trappify has improved the design of the sticky trays which includes a shorter neck and a stronger base which makes the traps easier to place into the ground. The traps are UV and water-resistant which means they will provide long-lasting protection.
You have multiple ways of using the traps. Place a trap inside a plant pot, in a glass around your kitchen, or the garden. A handy bendable s-shaped green hook can be used for hanging the traps from stems, branches, or planters.
The fruit fly traps also come with a bonus mini gardening digging tool. To dispose of the traps, just simply wrap them in newspaper and dispose them in the bin.
The fruit fly traps come in packs of 12, 25, and 50. Trappify offers a money-back guarantee on the fruit fly traps.
Pros
- Ideal for indoor and outdoor plants
- Upgraded design
- Stronger base and shorter neck
- UV and water-resistant
- Bright yellow color attracts insects
- Extra strong long-lasting adhesive
- Dual-sided sticky cards are ideal for fruit flies, mosquitoes, leaf miners, aphids, or other flying pests
- Easy to use
- Ideal for houseplants, kitchen, or a garden
- No harsh pesticides, insecticide, or chemicals
- Human-friendly and environmentally-friendly
- Can be placed in the ground
- Bendable s-shaped green hook wire for hanging traps from stem, branches, or a planter
- Available in a 12, 25, or 50-pack
Cons
- Sticky adhesive is messy to work with
- Only catches a few insects
4. Garsum Fruit Fly Traps
As well as being extremely great value for money, this large 48-pack Garsum Fruit Fly Traps are very effective at trapping and eliminating any fruit flies from your precious plants. These bright yellow double-sided sticky traps will attract and trap any unsuspecting fruit fly that dares to invade your home to destroy your plants or feast on your fruit bowl.
Just place a few traps in the soil for a fruit fly-free environment, and the cute butterfly and flower-shaped designs make these traps an attractive addition to any flower pot.
The eco-friendly fruit fly killer traps are ideal for indoor use and organic gardening as they are covered in non-toxic and odorless sticky glue that traps the fruit flies and other small insects.
Each trap is made from strong UV-resistant and waterproof material and it is only when they are completely covered in bugs that you will need to replace them. The pointy-shaped base can be easily placed into the soil of indoor or outdoor plants. Garsum also offers the traps in a 12-piece pack and a 24-piece pack, and a digging tool is included.
Although the glue is non-toxic, it is very sticky and if you get some on your hands, just remove it with some vegetable oil and then wash your hands with soap and warm water.
Pros
- Extremely good value for money
- Very effective fruit fly trap
- Specially designed for indoor plants
- Can be placed in the soil or hung from branches
- Attractive butterfly and flower-shaped designs
- Non-toxic and odor-free
Cons
- Not very effective for outdoor fruit fly control
5. Fruit Fly BarPro Fly Strip
Keep your home and plants free from voracious fruit flies with the Fruit Fly BarPro Fly Strip.
Instead of using chemical-laden bug sprays and liquids or struggling with sticky traps, the effective Fruit Fly BarPro is a safe, clean, and odorless way of controlling and preventing fruit flies.
Using innovative time-controlled vapor technology, the Fruit Fly BarPro not only eliminates fruit flies but also house flies, cockroaches, spider mites, gnats, mosquitoes, spiders, moths, silverfish, earwigs, and beetles.
The secret to the Fruit Fly BarPro’s success is its specially formulated strip that works just like an air freshener. Fast-acting, each plastic strip contains a solid unit formula which is activated once the strip has been exposed to the air. Powerful time-released vapors are slowly diffused to provide your home with round-the-clock 24/7 long-lasting protection for up to 4 months.
Simple to use, just use the large hook to hang the strip directly above the area where fruit flies have been spotted. The strip delivers an effective treatment up to 200-feet and its vapors can sink into any nook or cranny where fruit flies breed, feed or nest.
Not only does the strip target current fruit flies but it also helps to prevent any future infestations.
You can place the strip near your plants, in a mop closet, lavatory, utility room, garage, or near your trash cans. The strip is designed specifically for use in non-food areas and rooms where people are not present for extended periods of time.
The fruit fly trap strip comes in 1-pack, 5-pack, or 10-pack.
Pros
- Can be used on fruit flies, house flies, cockroaches, spider mites, gnats, mosquitoes, spiders, moths, silverfish, earwigs, and beetles
- No-mess-no-fuss approach to eliminating fruit flies
- Smart time-release technology
- Fast-acting specially formulated plastic strips are activated when exposed to air
- Slow-release powerful vapor keeps working up to 4 months
- Large coverage area up to 200-feet
- Provides 24/7 protection
- Ideal for current fruit flies and prevents future infestations
- Can be used near plants, in a mop closet, lavatory, utility room, the garage, or near your trash cans
- Odorless to humans
- Simple to use
- Available in a 1, 5, or 10-pack
Cons
- Expensive
- Not ideal for outdoor use
- Cannot be used in food preparation areas
6. TERRO Fruit Fly Trap
If you have had enough of fruit flies swarming over your fruit bowls and infesting your favorite plants, then this ready-to-use and highly effective TERRO Fruit Fly Trap is an excellent choice. This very attractive apple-shaped trap contains a non-toxic food-based liquid that attracts fruit flies and once they are inside they cannot escape continuing breeding and multiplying.
The sweet liquid inside the apple is fast-acting and lasts for 30 days, and the cute little apple design makes this trap an unobtrusive way of trapping and eliminating fruit flies and it can be placed anywhere inside your home, inside a fruit bowl, or out your patio or verandah.
The trap is very easy to use: empty half (15ml) of the sweet liquid into the trap’s vapor chamber. Place one or more of the traps where fruit flies are active and where the trap will not be disturbed or tipped over by children or pets. Within just a few days of placing the trap near a breeding mega-center, you should experience success in the elimination or a significant decrease in the number of fruit flies in your home. Remember to discard the trap after 30 days of use.
Pros
- Very effective
- Fast-acting
- Attractive apple-shaped fruit fly trap
- Compact
- Easy to use
- Can be used indoors or outdoors
Cons
- Expensive
Our Top Pick for the Best Fruit Fly Trap
Our top pick for the best fruit fly trap is the Kensizer Dual-Sided Sticky Traps. These extra-large, bright yellow sticky traps can be used for eliminating fruit flies inside your home and outside in the garden or orchard.
Whether you want to save your indoor plants or orchard from being destroyed by voracious fruit flies, the double-sided traps are very effective at luring and trapping fruit flies and other flying insects. They have extra strong glue, and you can hang them on fruit trees or cut them up into smaller pieces and place them around your home.
Why put up with fruit flies, when the Kensizer sticky traps can do all of the hard work for you? Once you have set the traps, you can sit back and relax and enjoy the “fruit” of your labor.
Check the price on Amazon
