4 DIY fruit fly traps that will free you from the swarms

For whatever reason, flies love apple cider vinegar. So for this trap, put some apple cider vinegar into a jar or bowl (dilute with a little water if you want), then mix in a drop of dish soap. The soap will reduce the water's surface tension, making it harder for flies to land on the water. They'll slip in, and that will be the end of your infestation.

First, get a mason jar or a glass with a fairly narrow neck. Next, create a funnel out of a piece of paper. Into the jar, pour a bit of a liquid you know fruit flies will want to get at (juice, wine, beer). If you want to give the flies a bit more of an incentive, throw some decomposing fruit chunks in there too. Finally, tape the paper funnel into mouth of the jar. The result is a trap that's easy for flies to get into and almost impossible to escape.

Fruit flies are clumsy insects, which means that even without the dish soap, they're fairly likely to drown in any liquid they encounter. So all you need to do is attract them—and this mixture from old Farmer's Almanac should do the trick. Blend 4 ounces of sugar and two ounces of ground pepper into a glass of milk. It might sound disgusting to you, but flies can't resist. They'll flock over and fall in.

If you thought the last combination was disgusting, try this one out. In a jar, mix one part vodka with one part vinegar. Then, pull a piece of plastic wrap over the mouth of the jar, and secure it with a rubber band. Poke a few holes in the plastic wrap for the flies to get in, and wave goodbye to your pest problem.