[CaptTom]

I made the mistake of forgetting a banana on top of the fridge when we went away for a week. You can imagine the rest.

I set my trap: a short water glass, apple cider vinegar with a drop of dish detergent to reduce surface tension, and plastic wrap with holes poked in it using a toothpick.

At first the flies didn't seem to bother with the trap, but after a couple of days the smell of the original banana was no longer hanging in the air and they found the trap in large numbers. Within a week they were all gone.

I haven't tried beer. Apple cider vinegar is cheap, keeps forever in the cabinet, and seems to work fine. I don't always use the drop of detergent, but tried it after seeing a few of them alive on the inside of the glass. I don't know if it really made a difference or not. I've never used sugar, honey or straws.

The video's recommendation to use zip-lock bags or bleach-soaked newspapers in the trash seems wasteful. If I have something "compostable" that I don't want hanging around until trash day, I just toss it outside in the bushes. I suppose I should do a proper compost setup. Maybe one of these days.