These little gnat/fruit flies are taking over the office!

Draco

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It's disgusting.. we try to be clean and free of food and crumbs, but these annoying tiny fruit flies/gnats are getting in our faces and hair! Its HORRIBLE in the kitchen (swarms, literally!) and unfortunately, if anyone goes in there, they bring some back!

Any suggestions on how to get rid of them?

We've tried:

Sticky fly strips (We have to replace almost every other day!)

Apple Cider Vinegar in narrow mouth jars (some with sugar/honey)

Fans (Since they can't fly too well in the flowing air)

The company even tried bombing the rooms.. did not help.

any sure-fire ways to stop them??
 

danastnsn

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We had them in our new building. They had I get rid of all plants in the office and they have a cleaninig crew come through the office and clean everynight. And the plants that came with a company they put some sort of control in the plants. Since its been a wet and hot few months these are every where in most houses and cars as well. I have the same problem at my house that I am trying to get rid of. I found out they could be living in the sinks even though you do everything you can to kill them they are still there because you didnt kill the larve in the sink. get something to pour down your sinks and that should help with your problem. I have kids at home so I still havent found anything I feel 100% comforable with dumping down my drains.
 
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Winchester

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Are they fruit/gnat flies or are they sand flies? We had sand flies in our building and the maintenance guy said he thought they were from the plants. Sand flies are really tiny and they'll fly right in front of you. Annoying little beasts! If you ruffle the leaves on your plants, you can see them fly up and away. I'm not sure what maintenance did and it took awhile, but they finally got rid of them. 

And you know, I have a ton of plants in my cube, from spiders to pothos to African violets. I have my grandmother's Christmas cactus here....that thing is about 60 years old and I was worried for it. They talked about getting rid of all the plants, but in the end, we didn't have to. Thank goodness because no way could I take all my plants home. I started spraying my plants with Natria Insect, Disease and Mite Control and, like I said, it took a while, but we've been sand fly free now for about a year or so.

They were nasty little buggers. They didn't do anything to people, other than fly around right in front of our faces. But they were annoying things.
 
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Draco

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there's no live plants in the infected areas. It's mainly the slobs that work in the warehouse that leaves their dirty dishes in the sink and don't clean up after themselves.

I've sent the link of the traps to the manager.. see what he says!
 

danastnsn

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I work for a healthcare company and if they saw that they would throw their stuff away. Maybe thats what needs to happen. To eliminate that though my work put in a dishwasher in our lunch room.
 

MoochNNoodles

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I work for a healthcare company and if they saw that they would throw their stuff away. Maybe thats what needs to happen. To eliminate that though my work put in a dishwasher in our lunch room.
  I'd post a notice and if they leave it; they've lost it!  Unless you have a "company" stash of things there.  

I'm having a time of it with them here at home.  If I open my kitchen windows it gets ten times worse!  Every time I think I've gotten them under control more hatch.  I wonder if boiling water down the sink would kill the larva?  I don't want to harm my pipes either though... Hmm.... 

Right now I've got one trap with cider vinegar and it does have about 8-10 in the bottom; but I just had a little clapping session trying to kill a swarm I stirred up!  I even deep cleaned our toaster the other day trying to remove them!!
  I'm going to set out more.  I read to put a plastic baggie of some sort over the top of a cup with a small hole in the center cut out.  Its supposed to help them get stuck in the cup.  
 

natalie_ca

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When I have a problem with fruit flies, I use a homemade remedy and within 24 to 48 hours, the flies are all gone.

Use a small clean jam jar

Fill 3/4 full with Apple Cider Vinegar

Gently stir in 2 heaping teaspoons of regular sugar.  Stir gently so you don't get it sloshed up the sides.

Add a single drop of any clear hand dish washing soap. I use Sunlight.  Just add 1 single drop, no more.  Stir gently. Do not create suds.

Let it sit in the kitchen undisturbed for 2 days.  If you feel you still need it longer, empty out the jar and make another one.

I've never failed to get rid of fruit flies using this method.

The purpose of the soap is to break the water tension on top of the water so that the flies can't land and take off.

In a place like an office, you might need to set out a few.
 

stephanietx

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Get a small jar and place a bit of apple cider vinegar in the bottom with a drop or two of Dawn dish soap.  Take a piece of paper and roll it up like a funnel and put in the mouth of the jar.  Don't let it touch the liquid.  Flies fly in and can't get out.  
 

starryeyedtiger

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So glad I just discovered this thread! I've had the same problem with the little buggars this week! I think they came into my home by hitching a ride on some orchids I bought recently. :cringe:
 

natalie_ca

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They've been particularly bad this year! I've had to resort to apple cider jars a few times over the last few months.  I'm about to put one out today actually. I noticed one fruit fly, and where there is one, there are more.
 

starryeyedtiger

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It worked like a charm!! I used apple cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and added in a pinch of dawn dish soap to it (didn't stir it), then made a funnel out of a piece of paper, and scotch taped all around it. It's working very well! :clap:


 
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