Fantastic Fruit Fly Trap - Try It!

Rachel Balducci had a nice post recently that suggested how to deal with those annoying fruit flies at http://tinyurl.com/neqr3s. She said to use a jar with a cone-shaped paper (just like we use in our coffee maker!) to trap them inside a jar with a piece of very ripe fruit in the bottom.

Having nothing to lose and a kitchen counter overflowing with ripening fruit with, yes, you guessed it, lots of fruit flies, I decided to give it a shot. Try this the next time you have the little pests and let me know how it works:

1. Put an overripe piece of peach (or other aromatic fruit) in the bottom of a pint jar
2. Cut a tiny hole in the tip of a paper filter cone (or make one yourself)
3. Set the paper cone pointy-side down into the jar
4. Fasten the cone around the top of the jar with a rubber band

Wait a day or so, then check the jar regularly for tiny critters. When they appear, take the jar outside, remove the paper cone and release the bugs. If you still have any fruit flies buzzing around, set up the trap again.

I was quite pleasantly surprised at how nicely this idea worked. After a short time, there were no more nasty fruit flies, but if they reappear, I won't hesitate to use it again. Good luck hunting!

Bugged by Mosquitoes

Arwen Mosher wrote a blog today that resonated for me about another common summertime pest. You can read it here at http://tinyurl.com/ncaeff.

I understand completely about how irritating it is to be among the favored food groups for mosquitoes. I have found two things that help, if you can apply them shortly after getting bit. 1) Cortizone-10 Ointment or another anti-itch remedy helps a lot and 2) MSG applied to a moistened bite also helps. Normally, I keep the Cortizone in my purse at all times & apply it right away.

Unfortunately, I dashed out for just a minute the other evening to get the mail & got sidetracked by a neighbor with a brand new baby. Of course I was thrilled to chat with them, but not to become a mosquito magnet. So I ended up with half a dozen welts that didn't respond to my usual treatment. Now I have ugly scabs up & down my legs that remind me of my childhood. As a tomboy, I always seemed to have scratches, scars & scabs decorating my arms & legs.

Those are the types of memories that linger long after we have grown up. I encourage people to capture all those memories by either writing or recording them. They become precious stories to pass on to your families. Please see my website for easy ways to get started.

Beth