and plague you and your perfect, ripening fruit. Here’s how to get rid of them. You

will need Household insecticide or fruit fly trap, Airtight containers, Airtight plastic

bags, Disposable garbage bags ,1/4 c. cider vinegar, Liquid soap, A cup Red wine, Plastic

wrap And a wide dish (optional) Insecticidal soap and diatomaceous earth

Step 1. You can kill fruit flies by using household

insecticides (making sure to follow the instructions on the label) or purchasing fruit fly traps,

but the best approach is to make sure they don’t reproduce. No need to freak out--fruit

flies are harmless. So stay calm while eliminating the pests. Step 2. Fruit flies are attracted

to ripening fruit and vegetables, so don’t leave fruit and vegetables in open containers

for more than a day or two--or at all if they’re already overripe. Keep the rest of your fruit

and vegetables in airtight containers or in plastic bags in the fridge. Step 3. Wash any

containers you use to store fruit or vegetables in the open every other day with soapy water

to get rid of any fruit fly eggs. Step 4. Line all of your garbage containers with disposable

plastic bags and dispose of the bags frequently. If you don’t want to use plastic bags or

discover that yours has sprung a leak, wash your garbage containers at least every other

day. Step 5. Soda and beer cans attract fruit flies, so rinse empties well before you put

them in your recycling bin--or close your bin with an airtight cover. Step 6. If you

maintain a compost pile or bucket, keep it as far away from your house as possible. Step

7. If you notice flies around your houseplants, treat the soil with insecticidal soap or kill

maggots by mixing in diatomaceous earth. Step 8. Squirt a drop of liquid soap and a quarter-cup

of cider vinegar into your cup. Add water until the soapsuds reach the lip. Place the

cup near the source of the flies, who will get trapped in the bubbles. Step 9. If that

doesn’t work, leave out a small amount of red wine in a wide dish. Add a drop of liquid

soap. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and poke holes in the cover. Change your trap

every few days. Soon, no more hovering dots. Did you know Experiments with the lowly fruit

fly led to the understanding that genes are carried on chromosomes.