Be Kind to Your Fruit Flies

IT'S AUGUST AND TREE FRUIT IS ABUNDANT HERE IN NEW ENGLAND. THIS IS THE OLD YANKEE WAY TO MANAGE FRUIT FLIES!

YOU WILL NEED:
- BOTHERSOME FRUIT FLIES IN YOUR KITCHEN
- A SMALL MOUTH QUART MASON JAR, OR OTHER TALL CONTAINER WITH A SMALLISH OPENING
- AN 8.5 X 11 PIECE OF PAPER
- A BIT OF SCOTCH TAPE
- SOME APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, OR BETTER YET, LEFT OVER RED WINE

ROLL THE PAPER INTO A CONE SHAPE WITH A LARGE OPENING AT ONE END, AND A VERY SMALL OPENING AT THE OTHER. TAPE THE PAPER TO SECURE THE CONE. TRIM THE TOP WITH SCISSORS IF YOU WANT TO, TO MAKE IT EVEN.

PUT ABOUT 1-2 INCHES OF CIDER VINEGAR OR RED WINE IN THE JAR. TOSS IN THAT BAD SPOT YOU CUT OUT OF YOUR PEACH - THE FLIES LOVE THAT!

PLACE THE PAPER CONE IN THE JAR.

PLACE THE JAR (WHICH IS NOW "THE FRUIT FLY TRAP") NEAR YOUR FRUIT.
THE FRUIT FLIES WILL FLY INTO THE JAR, BUT MOST CAN'T FIND THEIR WAY OUT AGAIN.

ONCE A DAY OR SO, TAKE THE WHOLE THING OUTSIDE, REMOVE THE CONE, AND WATCH THE FRUIT FLIES FLY OFF TO FREEDOM. NO KILLING REQUIRED! FOR ADDED ENJOYMENT SING BORN FREE WHILE YOU ARE RELEASING THE FLIES.

WARNING! IF YOU FORGET TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE AND SET THEM FREE, SOME FLIES WILL DROWN IN THE DRINK.

S. AND I ARE FLYING OFF (WELL, DRIVING) TO MONTREAL IN THE MORNING! I'M SO EXCITED. I HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE. STAY TUNED FOR POSTS FROM MONTREAL!