Fruit Flies and Mosquitoes? Trap ‘em!

I have been inundated with fruit flies. Don’t regularly get mosquitoes, but the fruit flies are irritating enough. After doing some research, I made a few traps… Simply cut a soda bottle into two parts, invert the top part into the lower part. And put in some liquid…

For FRUIT FLIES- Put in ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar to about ¼ cup of water

For Mosquitoes- Add 1 tsp yeast and 1/2 cup sugar to some luke warm water, and pour the mixture into the bottle. Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide that you exhale. The yeast feeds off the sugar and emits the same gas, so the mosquito enters the bottle, thinking she will find food there.

I am also told would work for wasps with the yeast/water mix. I would think it would work better with a little hot dog piece in there, but who am I to mess with a good idea?

Farmer's Daughter Homesteading Link Up

DIY Insecticidal Soap

You all know I think the world of Dr. Bonner's soaps, both liquid and bar. But did you know it makes a great insecticidal soap when you (or rather, your plants) get attacked by aphids and other related crawly things? Well it does. It disrupts insects’ cell membranes, and kills pests by dehydration. Or rather it gives them a big case of Bug Diarrhea!.

Insecticidal Soap Spray
1 to 2 tablespoons Dr. Bonner's or other pure Castile liquid soap
1 quart water
Combine ingredients in a bucket, mix, then transfer to a spray
bottle as needed. Or if you are like me and have two or three empty Dr. Bronner's bottles in your shower just refill those and squirt it on the affected plant.