What the heck is this?

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Or better to say "These?"

Last week we came home to a freezer that was without power for quite a long time - circuit breaker blew out. It smelled like garbage! Have cleaned freezer a couple of times and have 3 boxes of baking soda, but smell still faint.

BUT - there were these little flying bugs in the freezer! Now they are in the house (One of my screen as I am typing). They are not confined to the kitchen - we see some upstairs, too.

We've had the Apple Cider Vinegar trap out for a few days, but that doesn't seem to be capturing any. I only see 2 in the bowl, and today when I took the saran wrap that was covering it off, one flew out! (Of course, it could have just been sitting on the bowl & then I saw it fly).

Wondering how to get rid of them, and what the heck they are? Trying to avoid chemicals, and esp in our freezer, and anywhere accessible to the dog.

THey are so fast & so small that it was hard to get a decent picture - finally got one, although not all that great.

Featured Answer

PRO

The Logician LLC

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

There is a fly in the image (it is not a true bug or a beetle), and it could be a fruit fly or other type of fly. Various insects are attracted to apple cider vinegar.

I assume the saran wrap was to mostly cover the trap, leaving a small opening for fly entry. A much better trap would be to leave the vinegar completely uncovered and add a very small amount (2 or 3 drops) of lightly scented or unscented liquid soap. This prevents the insects from flying off, as even the tiniest of fruit flies can from un-soaped cider. The flies would then sink to the bottom.

It would be interesting to know where the fruit fly eggs came from to begin with. Did you have fruit stored in the freezer?

The flies likely have a very short lifespan. The trick is to make sure there is no other breeding medium (fruit), such as uncovered stored fruit in the house or garage. Fruiting plants nearby with fallen fruit can be a major source of fruit flies.

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Comments (9)

GP W
Original Author
5 years ago
There was a little pumpkin in the freezer, along with butter that melted all over the freezer. And some frozen ground turkey and chicken that defrosted. I've now had the apple cider vinegar and soap out for a couple days & only a few bugs in there. Oddly, we are seeing more bugs upstairs, where there is no food, than downstairs right now. Debating calling an exterminator, but I hate using chemicals. It's a new house, and the landscaping hasn't been done yet so there are no plants outside the house. But lots & lots of ants outside the house - but these are not ants.
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Fori
5 years ago
Don't call an exterminator. They'll die soon. Like Logi says, just be careful not to leave anything out for them to make new flies in.

Also make sure there's nothing rotting in your garbage disposal...I'm sure there isn't, but doesn't hurt to check.
GP W
Original Author
5 years ago
These guys are still around - but NOT in the kitchen. Yesterday I found about 20 of them dead in the bowl I left out of apple cider vinegar & dish detergent. The bowl is sitting right next to my monitor, but there's one that's landing on the monitor screen. It seems every day, there os ONE stinkin' fly that wants to hang out on my computer.

In the past when we had fruit flies in our prior place, when we did the vinegar thing there were many dozens of them caught in there. There are just so few this time, but still around.
GP W
Original Author
5 years ago
Well, I spoke too soon about the kitchen. Went to put something in our trash can and one of the little critters flew out of the bag. Even worse - I found this guy, on his back, IN THE FREEZER! Can't get rid of the bugs, and can't get rid of the garbage smell in freezer!
Fori
5 years ago
There's something you haven't found yet! Bleach out your drains or pour boiling water down them.

Check the freezer more thoroughly--is it possible that goo got into the insulation or underneath the freezer or...something?

And is it possible they are coming in from outside? Seems unlikely but this seems unusual.
GP W
Original Author
5 years ago
This morning I pretty much took the freezer apart & cleaned everything yet again. I also added an unusual clening step - after cleaning with soapy water, I cleaned with Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor remover - it's meant for pet odors, but we've seen it work wonders on stains & odors. So maybe these enzymes will do something.
GP W
Original Author
5 years ago
More cleaning did nit work. Still smells like garbage. Still flies in the house. What is really weird is that while I occasionally find a couple in the trash in the kitchen, they are totally ignoring the apple cider vinegar trap that is in the kitchen. But there's about 20 in traps in office which has no food in it, and upstairs. And why the heck are they upstairs? Weird tonight - I was eating dinner in the kitchen and had a glass of white wine. In the time I was eating dinner, 3 flies made it into my glass of wine! WAAAAA!!!!

I wonder if I need Bosch service to come out and take apart more of the freezer than I am able to? I wonder if they would even do something like that? It IS still under warranty.
PRO
The Logician LLC
5 years ago
Sticky coils or cards for flying insects might be effective.