If you’ve ever battled fruit flies in your kitchen or watched a swarm of flies circle your porch, you know how frustrating bugs can be—especially during the warmer months. When we lived on the ranch, we had all the bugs. Gnats, fruit flies, house flies, ants…you name it, they were there. I tried just about every trap out there, and today I’m sharing what actually worked.
DIY Fruit Fly Remedy With Stuff You Probably Have on Hand
This is one of my go-to tricks—especially in the summer when fruit flies sneak into the house.
Here’s how to make it:
- Fill a small bowl with apple cider vinegar
- Add a few drops of dish soap
That’s it! The vinegar lures them in, and the dish soap breaks the surface tension, so the flies can’t escape. I’ve even used other types of vinegar in a pinch, and they’ve worked too.
Bug Traps We’ve Personally Used and Recommend
When we lived on the ranch, I tested a bunch of traps to keep my sanity. These all worked well—it just depends on the type of bug you’re after.
Window Adhesive Traps
These Window Fly Traps are so easy. Stick them to your windows and they catch smaller gnats, fruit flies, and house flies. Just peel them off and replace when full. Get them here
Note: They might leave a tiny bit of residue, but it wipes off easily with a wet cloth.
Outdoor Bug Zapper
We had this plugged in on the front porch at the ranch. It zaps any bug that flies in. Just clean it out every now and then. Check it out
Reusable Outdoor Fly Trap
Set it on a porch table or hang it up. Add water to the bait and let it do its thing. When it’s full, dump it and reuse. See it here
Disposable Outdoor Fly Bug Trap
This disposable fly trap caught the most flies. Maybe it was the ranch air (or the cows nearby), but it worked like magic. Just keep it away from your house—it smells!
Plug-in Insect Bug Trap (Indoor)
Perfect for kitchens or bathrooms! Plug it in, attach a glue board, and let the UV light attract gnats and fruit flies. Swap out the board when it’s full. Try this one for your own home!
Ant Baits That Actually Work
We had ants galore in our 120-year-old ranch house. These bait stations worked well and we kept a stash on hand. These are the ones we used!!
What We Do Now, In Addition to Bug Traps
We may not be on the ranch anymore, but living in the country still brings its fair share of bugs. We still use many of these traps—and we also bring in the pros.
If you’re local to Treasure Valley, Idaho, I can’t recommend Barrier Pest Control enough. They come out quarterly and help keep the creepy crawlers under control.
