# beetle food problem



## robo mantis (Sep 30, 2006)

I have been feeding my beetles regularly and some of the banana gets old and then fruit flies come out and they are on the beetles and some are going into my house and i don't want them so i set a trap with a banana in a cup and plastic wrap over the top with a little hole in the top do you think this trap will control the fly population?


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## infinity (Oct 1, 2006)

It should... I have the same problem with those flies- they get everywhere! Best advice is to prevent them from getting to the banana in the first place. Clean the soil (say with boiling water- or replace it) - so there are no pupae/ larvae still there and then cover all air holes with a fine crade muslin/ netting. - This will allow ventillation but keep the flies out.


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## robo mantis (Oct 1, 2006)

ok i'll try would cleaning the bowl help?


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## infinity (Oct 1, 2006)

Cleaning anything would help... Anywhere where something is rotting or decomposing will attract flies. Clean/ remove any unused food-scraps and they will lose interest and/or die out.

Only exception I can think of where this is a bad idea are millipedes- as they leave vital nutrients/ proteins in their faeces for their young.


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## HoldThePickle (Oct 5, 2006)

I'll let you in on a little secret. The best fruit fly trap by far, that is. You get bottle, somewhat tall, with a long neck. You the roll up a piece of paper into a funnel so it's long a narrow with the "small" end's opening being about the size of a pea or so. The "large" end of the funnel should have a size of about a golf ball or maybe a quarter. You then pour in about an inch of Apple cider vinegar which is certainly the best bait for fruit flys. Place the funnel into the bottle, small end first, so that the tip of the paper is only about an inch away from the surface of the vinegar... this should leave most of the paper funnel being inside the bottle. There you have it! The fruit flys fly into the funnel to get to the vinegar, then they come out of the small end of the funnel into the bottle and cannot find their way back out. Eventually they just die and fall into the vinegar. IMPORTANT: you must replace the paper funnel after a couple of weeks because the paper will absorb the scent and the flies will just hang out on the paper... also when transporting the bottle DO NOT splash it around where the vinger gets onto the funnel.... for the same reason obviously. Put up one or two of these traps and you'll see the difference! Hope this helps!


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## ABbuggin (Oct 9, 2006)

Here is another fly trap. Get a regular jar (with meatal lid) and poke a smal hole in the the lid (about the size of a pea) put bait in the bottom (either rotten banana or apple cider vinagar) at the botom. That is it! Hope you get them under control.


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## robo mantis (Oct 9, 2006)

they are dieing off now i think i got it under control


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