Dealing with fruit flies

Prunella · 08-31-2011, 03:16 AM

We get a pretty nasty fruit fly colony in our house in the summer, and it's kind of impossible to keep them away from everything, especially giant quantities or sugary, fermenting liquid.
My primary is a bucket and we've had some issues with flies getting inside. Does anyone else have problems like this? Has anyone had things go wrong with their beers? Any tricks to keep them away 'cause right now having the bucket wear a tshirt isn't working.

jgln · 08-31-2011, 03:21 AM

This year was not bad at all, but in past we used old fashioned fly paper hung over a glass of some beer or fruit juice. They swarm around the glass and either land on the paper or wind up in the beer/juice and drown.

**passedpawn** · 08-31-2011, 03:22 AM

Try this?

http://insects.about.com/b/2009/09/21/fruit-fly-problem-try-a-homemade-vinegar-trap.htm

Prunella · 08-31-2011, 03:32 AM

Yeah, we have traps everywhere but my main concern is keeping them out of the beer!

**C-Rider** · 08-31-2011, 03:38 AM

I was brewing in 2 gallon bucket and after 1 week took out the airlock and replaced it w/clear shipping tape. Punched a lot of pin holes in the tape. Then I put it in a rectangular colman cooler w/ice and closed the top. Some how the tape cam up on the edge and some kind of bug got into the brew. When I opened the bucket 2 weeks later all I could smell was vinegar. Had to dump two buckets like that. 3 gallons down the drain. Gonna buy a 7.1 cu. ft. freezer so I can keep the airlock inplace.

mummasan · 08-31-2011, 05:54 AM

I have similar issues with bugs. I have a glass carboy and always use a blow-off tube. I push the bung/stopper into the top of the carboy pretty hard so bugs don't get in there and so far that has been successful. I just leave the blow-off tube in place until I'm ready to rack - I don't mess with it or take gravity readings - everything stays in place.

greghatt · 08-31-2011, 02:17 PM

Get some sodium metabisulphite (wine making sanitizer) from the LHBS, mix up the recomended dosage in a sprayer bottle, and lightly coat the top of the bucket. I've been doing this for years and it works fantastically. No bugs in my beer.

jrg42 · 08-31-2011, 06:26 PM

Can you look at taking out the source of your issues (the colony)? Maybe a once a year call to an exterminator could fix the actual problem and then you would not have to look for temp solutions.

if this is happening every summer to such an extent they are swarming your beer, it might be time to seek professional help.