THERE ARE FRUIT FLIES ON MY CREST
A Laughable Distraction
Some things simply make no sense, and irony can be wonderful when utilized properly and taken with a grain of sand. The crew of STEADFAST is now SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE on the level of Fruit flies. Really? We were forced to leave the exploration of blue water and deserted islands to wonder about and experience the vivacity, annoying habits and mystery of tiny bugs? Geez! I hope you’re laughing. I am. What a great thing these distractions can be, a bit of comic relief in a world where there is an astonishing amount of sad news, conflict and aggression.
There are fruit flies on my Crest. Lots of them. We are still sourcing commodities to rebuild our wooden sailboat and trying to juggle the wetness of the weather with getting things done that must be dry. And there are fruit flies in the bathroom. Not just the bathroom, although that is their weirdest haven. They are everywhere; I have taken to storing my unrefrigeratable items in the hallway. This week, fruit flies have probably taken up more energy, time and research than the really big project at hand (which is going beautifully…more on that next week!).
Every time I go in, day and night, there they are, nuzzling my battery-powered toothbrush like an overripe banana, which it resembles not at all. They hover atop Crest and floss and Sensodyne. I don’t know much about fruit flies, frankly, except they (used to) occasionally and mysteriously appear near produce that I hadn’t paid enough attention to. If I picked out what was no longer edible, the problem always seemed to simply cease. But not here, not now. What I do know is that when I swing at them, I miss.
No matter how I scrub, soak and wipe, within the hour, you guessed it; there are fruit flies in the bathroom. Switter! You always have an answer. What do you think? Can I rid myself of them? (If you haven’t yet delved into Switter's World, take yourself there; gripping stuff dashed with wisdom.) As I type that I’m thinking I should not complain as Switter has certainly experienced insects beyond my wildest imagination, so that thought in itself has calmed me down completely. Now all that’s left is the irony. I just took a break from editing this story (you guessed it) and while washing my hands one of the little buggers landed right on my nose! Seriously? I know my nose is substantial but that seems a bit too bold. Of course, I swung, I missed. I always miss.
Poet & Writer Robert W. Service told us long ago to, “Be master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big, worthwhile things. It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out- it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.” I had not heard the first sentence of that particular quote, so thank you Goodreads.com. We are masters, don’t worry, but the pure ridiculousness of having fruit flies attracted to my teeth cleaning tools made me have to tell someone, and you, my readers, were the ones! I can’t just laugh about these things all by myself and I don’t know anyone here yet except the mailman, who hasn’t come through for me this week.
What do they WANT? Where did they come from? They very much enjoy my glass of wine each evening, some choosing to dive right in, an interesting demise. Even I don’t take that particular plunge, although I have always wanted to partake in grape stomping. I wave them away to no avail; by the time I’ve stirred the pot they have returned, lingering on the rim where I place my lips. Hmmm.
I am not apprehensive about the larger animals of the world, in fact, I seek them out. However, I am not a fan of creepy-crawly and/or fast-reproducing six-leggers. Grasshoppers have always made me crazy with their unpredictability and tremendous talent to bring themselves to eye level. Hair on the back of the neck rises, in fact. Grasshoppers give me the heebie-jeebies. I think we all have something that does that to us.
We are listening closely and praying for the victims and the rescuers in the Southeastern United States as my loyal friends at Salty Seas Cruisers Net, an incredible resource, https://cruisersnet.net/ dig out and take stock of tremendous damages and lost lives. Such unexpected impacts are startling to boat and land dwellers alike.
Thanks for following along as I SPAR WITH MOTHER NATURE’S creatures and creations great and small. Please click the little heart! Send me a note about fruit flies, random commentary on what gives you the heebie-jeebies, whatever.
Please restack (below at right) and send this to other people that are also tired of all the sad news in the world. Most of all, ENJOY YOUR LIFE, even the things that bug you.
Here's your weekly flash of beauty in case you missed it, but this time it’s a sunset, because, well, WOW. Those rays to heaven!
If you Message me, that is not a public comment, but a private one. Feel free.
Do you know about the apple cider vinegar trap thing? Jam jar, fill half to three quarters with apple cider vinegar, put a little squeeze of liquid dish detergent in it, and then wait. The fruit flies are attracted to the vinegar, dive in there, and the dish soap creates too much resistance for them to get back out. Some people also make a paper funnel on the jar top for good measure but I always have success with just the jar.
Oh, Janice...HAHAHA!! I'm afraid to tell you that they are regular late summer / fall visitors here. Coincidentally, I remember them being far less abundant last season, for reasons I could not determine. But they are making up for it this year!
We keep bowls of fruit out (and I'm including tomatoes in that category for the purpose of this discussion) all summer long, but it's always this time of year that the fruit flies become peskiest. Talk about funny, just last night, we once again called our old cat food can covers into service (haven't had cats in two years - wah!) as they sit quite nicely on top of a glass of wine and act as something of a shield. I also take great amusement from fishing the little rascals out of said beverage to recover from their debauchery on the kitchen counter. I find they often walk in circles for a while before they fly off!
The trap described by another of your readers is a useful tool. Here's someone who that rated that style against three others and found a clear winner.
https://www.thekitchn.com/diy-fruit-fly-traps-22942130
Oh! And your mouthwash has sugar / alcohol it it, which is an attractant. Maybe try storing that and your toothbrushes in the fridge for a short while? Worth a shot.