I'm going to try a new solution (new to me)
I'm fed up of the little kamikaze bastards trying to sup my Ale.
Carnivorous plants!
I'm fed up of the little kamikaze bastards trying to sup my Ale.
Carnivorous plants!
Fruit fly problem.
- Thread starter Orfy
- Start date
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Oh....like the venus fly trap????
I never thought of that...I need me some, those buggers won't go away.
I never thought of that...I need me some, those buggers won't go away.
Fingers
Well-Known Member
A solution that's a little quicker is to just buy a small bottle of wine vinegar. Leave it open on the counter top and the little buggers will crawl in and die. You'd be amazed how many you'll catch.
Of course, carnivorous plants are much more entertaining even if not as effective.
Of course, carnivorous plants are much more entertaining even if not as effective.
flyangler18
Well-Known Member
The easiest to grow carnivorous plants (and attractive as well) are butterworts (Pinguicula sp.) and sundews (Drosera sp.). I wouldn't rely on them for full blown biological warfare against FFs but they are fun plants. 
When the Pings bloom, they have lovely orchid-like flowers.
Here's a shot I took of a Drosera capensis leaf in action with offending FF.
When the Pings bloom, they have lovely orchid-like flowers.Here's a shot I took of a Drosera capensis leaf in action with offending FF.
carnevoodoo
Well-Known Member
I heard a small saucer of apple juice with dish soap in it works wonders. I will be employing any strategy I can after my mega infection.
I tried a wine trap in a cup, like some of the websites say...the MOFO's just sat on the lip of the cup, only 3-4 actually drowned....
flyangler18
Well-Known Member
Apple cider vinegar is a sure-fire trap. I have them in my frog room (I keep poison dart frogs) to trap escapees.
phissionkorps
Well-Known Member
CPs are my other hobby besides brewing. Before I started med school, I had about 130 of them, but a bunch died because I'm too friggin busy to water them. Flytraps are a good choice, so are Drosera. Pings aren't bad but I always found them more effective against fungus gnats than flies. I specialized in the Asian ones though...
Here's a semi-recentish pic of one of them
Here's a semi-recentish pic of one of them
OP
OP
Okay.
I have some coming.
Tell me about the compost required.
I have some coming.
Tell me about the compost required.
flyangler18
Well-Known Member
What kind of CPs? The more or less universal growing medium for most species of CPs is 50:50 peat moss and sand, kept permanently wet.
OP
OP
Some one is sending me some "Babies"
phissionkorps
Well-Known Member
I always used 50:50 peat/perlite. Keep them in bright light in shallow dish of water (~1/4"). Unless its P. primuliflora, because that one is prone to rot. If you get one of those, just water form the top. Other than that, they're much more low maintenance than people think.
farmbrewernw
Well-Known Member
Cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap works the best for me, also dare I say it Ed's Apfelwein works as well.
menschmaschine
Well-Known Member
Shouldn't the soil be low Nitrogen, which is why they've evolved carnivorism in the first place? I remember hearing that somewhere.
phissionkorps
Well-Known Member
I always stick to using a relatively inert substrate. Orchid bark, charcoal, perlite, vermiculite, peat, cedar bark/mulch, and styrofoam in various amounts depending on the plant make up pretty much all of my mixes.
Or you could wash your bottles good. Sorry Orfy. I have had horrid FF problems since I started brewing, and not just with my empties. I wash my new empties about once a week, then they get moved to basement storage. The basement has helped alot because it separates the mostly clean from the not clean and there are lots of spider webs so they help also. I also keep, my DME,Dextrose and other ingredients separate in a sealing plastic tote.
