Fruit flies/gnats and Kombucha

[Thystle]

I think the only way to keep them all out is to hermetically seal the dang thing. No amount of cheese cloth or towels seems to work.

At least one little bugger gets in everytime.


Think they contaminate it or I shuld just keep scooping them out and ignore it?

[quietserena]

I get them on kefir!

I found though that they prefer acv so I make a trap with acv in a glass covered with plastic wrap and poke some holes in the wrap. I put te trap near the kefir and it seems to help.

[Mrshawwk]

Fruit flies love my kombucha too, but they don't get in unless I leave the towel off the top. Maybe your tea towel is too thin? Do you put a rubber band around it? Fruit flies sit on top of my jars sucking the evaporation or something. I feel bad for the little buggers, they seem to like it so much!

Oh, and I don't think the kombucha is contaminated if the bugs are only in there for a short time...minutes? I would be afraid they would poop in it. But I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Jojo F.]

Originally Posted by quietserena

I get them on kefir!

I found though that they prefer acv so I make a trap with acv in a glass covered with plastic wrap and poke some holes in the wrap. I put te trap near the kefir and it seems to help.

:
I make water kefir and take a bit of the "tea" and put it in a glass and do the plastic thing.

[stilllearning85]

Yeah! They were infesting my Kombucha too so I decided to put the Kombucha in the microwave (WE NEVER USE IT!) and that helps a lot... they can't get in because the microwave is sealed. The microwave doesn't give off "bad vibes" when it is off does it?

[tanyalynn]

They were infesting my Kombucha too so I decided to put the Kombucha in the microwave (WE NEVER USE IT!) and that helps a lot... they can't get in because the microwave is sealed.

What a cool idea! I had to throw out the scoby I was trying to grow because a couple little flies got in.

[Feb2003]

doesn't the SCOBY need fresh air? wouldn't the closed microwave just be like a tight top of a really big jar?

I say use the kombucha to trap the flies in homemade traps with the plastic tops...wait until they are all gone...wait some more so you get past their 2? week life cycle...then brew again - that's what I had to do but I'm back with a kombucha vengeance brewing up a storm!

good luck

[stilllearning85]

Yeah, I open the microwave a lot! I LOVE checking my Kombuchas... so i guess that gives it air?