Sometimes vinegar alone is slow. Speed it up with a paper cone. Roll a sheet of paper into a funnel. Tape it. Stick it in the jar.
The wide end faces up. The narrow end is at the vinegar. The fly enters the big hole. They follow the smell down. They can’t find the exit. It’s a labyrinth of doom.
This is overkill for fruit flies. But for big house flies? Oh yes. They need the help. Big flies are stronger. They can sometimes escape a bare jar. The funnel ensures no escape.
When to give up and call it a day
This trap works best for fruit flies and gnats. It’s not great for wasps or bees. They can swim. Seriously. Wasps can paddle to the edge. Do not try this on a hornet.
If you catch more than fifty flies in a day, you have a hidden problem. Check your trash. Look under the sink. Find the rotting potato. That’s the fly headquarters.
The trap is a symptom fix. The real cure is cleanliness. But hey, the trap makes the cleaning feel less urgent. Priorities.
