Damn Fruit Flies

[harleybug88]

Well, it finally happened. I bottled a 5 Gal. batch yesterday and when I finished, I took off the top of the bottling bucket ( had it on loose ) and saw a dead fruit fly in the last bit of leftover beer.

I did some research today on the "Little Bastards" and found something interesting. They can't land in a cross wind. ( makes sense cause they have tiny wings ).

So next time I bottle or rack, I'm going to have a fan going.

Thought I'd pass on the info in case anyone else has the dreaded fruit flies flying about.

 

[SquidPope]

I did some research today on the "Little Bastards" and found something interesting. They can't land in a cross wind. ( makes sense cause they have tiny wings ).

So next time I bottle or rack, I'm going to have a fan going.

Thanks for the tip! I'm (hopefully) bottling a 2-gallon batch tomorrow, and with the warm weather my apartment has been full of LB's lately.

 

[HBngNOK]

Excellent!! I've been trapping them with a shallow bowl of apple vinegar w/a drop of dish soap - which works ok, but still have a few flitting around. Next time I'm working a beer or wine, I'll set up a fan.

 

[unionrdr]

When I have the lid loose on the bottling bucket, I take the cap from the airlock & set it over the airlock grommet on the lid to keep the flies out. It's been working so far.

 

[MonsterBrew]

FlyPA

 

[Zombie Zero]

Get a 2 oz. spray bottle. Add 10 drops of lemongrass essential oil. (you can also add a few drops of orange, rosemary, eucalyptus, or mint essential oils)

Add a 1/2 tsp. of vodka, then top it off with olive or canola oil.

Boom. You've just made a natural insect repellent that won't harm you or your creations. Spray it on the outside of your airlocks, and the little buggers will stay away.

 

[flars]

When I have the lid loose on the bottling bucket, I take the cap from the airlock & set it over the airlock grommet on the lid to keep the flies out. It's been working so far.

Nice idea. I was going to post a piece of cheesecloth.
The fan may work, but air movement can mean dust movement. I go so far as to shut down the furnace/air conditioning when I bottle. The furnace is 10 feet away from my bottling setup.

 

[peterj]

Nice idea. I was going to post a piece of cheesecloth.
The fan may work, but air movement can mean dust movement. I go so far as to shut down the furnace/air conditioning when I bottle. The furnace is 10 feet away from my bottling setup.

+1. I wouldn't point a fan at the beer. Wild bugs travel on dust particles just as much as flies and the fan would exponentially increase the dust exposure.

 

[harleybug88]

When I have the lid loose on the bottling bucket, I take the cap from the airlock & set it over the airlock grommet on the lid to keep the flies out. It's been working so far.

I do that too, I also take a coffee filter saturated with star san, and cover everything I can.

Bastard still got through!

 

[harleybug88]

+1. I wouldn't point a fan at the beer. Wild bugs travel on dust particles just as much as flies and the fan would exponentially increase the dust exposure.

What about people who brew outside. Like in there garage or driveway?

There's usually a breeze.

I wasn't talking about a fan at high speed>

 

[peterj]

What about people who brew outside. Like in there garage or driveway?

They definitely shouldn't use a fan because there are even more dust particles outside! But usually people don't bottle in sustained heavy winds. I think using a fan would most likely not result in an infection, but I personally would never do it because it just seems to me that it is increasing the risk rather than decreasing.

 

[WayFrae]

What about people who brew outside. Like in there garage or driveway?

I brew outside and I don't worry about anything flying or floating into the beer or wort. I haven't had an infection yet.

 

[harleybug88]

They definitely shouldn't use a fan because there are even more dust particles outside! But usually people don't bottle in sustained heavy winds. I think using a fan would most likely not result in an infection, but I personally would never do it because it just seems to me that it is increasing the risk rather than decreasing.

I wasn't talking about using a fan outside. I was trying to compare it to having a breeze.

I still think a fan on low or med. will detour the flies without any problems. as long as you take precautions. And sanitize very well.

 

[peterj]

I wasn't talking about using a fan outside. I was trying to compare it to having a breeze.

I still think a fan on low or med. will detour the flies without any problems. as long as you take precautions. And sanitize very well.

I know, I was just trying to be a smartass!

And probably if you covered it up with the lid too, then it wouldn't expose it to much dust.