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Are the composter flies bothering you? Learn how to eliminate them in natural ways

If you use a composter in your home, it is possible that some fruit flies are bothering you due to system disorders. Drosophila melanogaster, also known as drosophila, vinegar fly, banana fly or fruit fly, feeds on yeasts in fallen fruit. These yeasts are usually found in materials that are beginning to decay. Therefore, fruit flies can appear in your compost during the organic material transformation process.

How to solve this problem? Here are some tips for you to easily stop the drosophila (but be careful to confuse it with endangered bees, like the bee licking eyes):

Detect if the humidity is high in your compost

Moisture should be a regulated process to avoid problems with your compost. A simple test to see if the humidity is high is to squeeze the mixture to check for liquid dripping. If this happens, add more dry material (dry leaves or sawdust) and stir the mixture - the contents will no longer be so moist.

Realize if there is a bad smell in your composter

When this occurs, it is a sign that there is an imbalance in the system. The bad odor and fermentation are great allies for attracting flies. The odor is caused when wet organic waste (in large quantities) exceeds the system's absorption capacity, generating methane gas. In other words, it takes place when fermentation takes place.

• Interview: homemade compost is hygienic

Use natural repellents and traps

There may also be a proliferation of drosophila through the hatching of eggs already deposited in the fruits that are being composted. In this case, realizing the presence of the fruit fly, the tip is to use some natural repellent against insects, such as concentrated lemon grass tea and citronella oil. The tea should be sprinkled on the mixture and oil can be added to the walls of the boxes from the outside. Another important piece of information is that temperatures above 30 °C and low humidity for a few hours cause high egg mortality.

The natural fruit fly trap also works as an alternative to using insecticides. It is based on food attractant to "call" the flies and helps in their control process. It is also used to capture drosophila, a trap made with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of soap in a bowl.

Lastly, it's good to remember

• Regulating the humidity in the compost bin avoids attracting flies.
• It is not recommended to compost fruits with holes, or signs of “worms”, as they may contain eggs and fly larvae.

See more about the topic in other articles from eCycle portal:

• Interview: homemade compost is hygienic
• Guide: how is composting done?
• What can you put in the composter?