stupid fruit fly

[winehomie]

I'm pretty sure I'm ok but just wanted to throw this out and get a second opinion, I noticed a fruit fly in my airlock, then when I took the cap off to pour it out the liquid got sucked back into my wine, I got the fly out within 2-3 seconds, and I use a cheap high alcohol Vodka for airlock fluid, so I am 99% sure the fly was sanitized.
I'm just being anal because this is my first dessert wine and so far it is looking awesome, right?

 

[Rocky]

I have read on this forum that people feel that fruit flies will spoil the wine but that has not been my experience. When we made wine at home years ago, there were many, many fruit flies and we did our best to control them and keep them out of the wine. Still, when we moved the wine from our "finishing" barrel to bottles, we had to put a strainer to catch any fruit flies that made it that far. There were always some and I don't recall them ever spoiling the wine.

I am not saying they cannot spoil the wine. I am only saying that I have never experienced it.

 

[AZMDTed]

I vote for you being fine, in my experience it takes a lot to really harm wine. Depending upon where you are in the process it already has kmeta or will shortly, and the vodka would have sanitized most of him. . You're fine. I'm happy the fly died drunk and happy. Maybe you should have left it, people are always wanting more body in their wine

 

[Rocky]

Yeah, and a little extra protein too!

We used to joke about the fruit flies in the wine at home saying "the wine is great but we can't drink it on Friday." That was before the restriction of meat on Friday's for Catholics was eliminated.

 

[user 32114]

welp I've seen small maggots in grape shine in west Virginia so i strained with tee shirt, still wonder how that happened, did you bury the little sot ,, my guess is as those above, he didn't drink all that much, he/she died happy, and if your wines good enough for the flies it's good enough for me,
Dawg

 

[SteveH]

For prevent, especially during primary ferment with a loose bucket lid, we use fruit fly traps set right next to the hole for the air lock on the lid. It has worked very well for us. We also have several around the carboys with air locks. These are what we use, but you can also make your own.http://www.greenwaytraps.com/product.php?p=GreenWay_Fruit_Fly_Trap

 

[Floandgary]

welp I've seen small maggots in grape shine in west Virginia so i strained with tee shirt, still wonder how that happened, did you bury the little sot ,, my guess is as those above, he didn't drink all that much, he/she died happy, and if your wines good enough for the flies it's good enough for me,
Dawg

And WHERE was that T-shirt last???

 

[Amanda660]

Saw this post and since I have had some fruit flies about as of late decided to check all the wines. I never knew fruit flies were attracted to cheap vodka I have a dz wines going and the only airlock with these pesky flies was the apple ?? Pretty much thinking I have some darn good apple wine in the making!

 

[user 32114]

believe it or not i have a habit of hanging in a special place any tee shirt that survives better then 25 years i retired it 12 years ago, going thru my closet of memories i seen it just 2 weeks ago, beig single all your life has it's draw backs, BUT NO ONE THROWS AWAY YOUR MEMERIORES..
Dawg

And WHERE was that T-shirt last???

 

[Scooter68]

Posted this on another thread about fruit flies.
Using a "trap" draws in fruit flies, even it the trap is at the other end of the house. They seem to navigate such distances pretty well.

Why not just use basic sanitation and deal with the few that do show up by covering, or using airlocks. Went through the same thing with Japanese beetles. After 4 years of trying to draw them away with traps I gave up and now have a lot fewer beetles to deal with.

 

[reefman]

Saw this post and since I have had some fruit flies about as of late decided to check all the wines. I never knew fruit flies were attracted to cheap vodka I have a dz wines going and the only airlock with these pesky flies was the apple ?? Pretty much thinking I have some darn good apple wine in the making!

Holy Crap, that's a lot of fruit flies!

 

[user 32114]

you don't happen to know if them beetles from London, if so could they play the yellow submarine for me please.. LOL

Posted this on another thread about fruit flies.
Using a "trap" draws in fruit flies, even it the trap is at the other end of the house. They seem to navigate such distances pretty well.

Why not just use basic sanitation and deal with the few that do show up by covering, or using airlocks. Went through the same thing with Japanese beetles. After 4 years of trying to draw them away with traps I gave up and now have a lot fewer beetles to deal with.

 

[rustbucket]

Saw this post and since I have had some fruit flies about as of late decided to check all the wines. I never knew fruit flies were attracted to cheap vodka I have a dz wines going and the only airlock with these pesky flies was the apple ?? Pretty much thinking I have some darn good apple wine in the making!

Try using a Kmeta solution in your air lock next time. Fruit flies don't like the smell.

 

[Amanda660]

I've always used vodka - I checked all the airlocks before I left for a week and when I returned out of 12 airlocks only the apple had fruit flies in it. I have never used a Kmeta solution but I will give it a try - thanks.