by WWFSM on Mon Nov 11, 2013 11:48 am
This seems to be the year for fruitflies in the airlocks. They have always been attracted by the gas, but actually going into the airlock, I've never had that happen before.
Wine, cider, perry, and mead all attract the fruit flies (though they like the mead best). Alcohol ferments emit the same kind of gas that fruitflies love, so having them attracted to your ferment, probably means it's working just fine.
So far, they haven't gotten past the water moat in the airlock, they just crawl in and drown. However, I do rinse and refill the airlock if I see flies in it. Also there seems to be a correlation between fruit flies in the airlock, and the water level going down much faster than normal.
We racked almost everything about a week ago, and taste tests show no signs of contamination from the fruit flies. But it probably won't make much difference till we age it a bit more.
I've been trapping the fruitflies by putting about 1/4 cup of mead or wine in a glass with a drop of soap, they are attracted to the mead and then the soap makes them fall in and... well, they died happy.
Doing my best to be the change I want to see in the world, one meal at a time.
http://wholewheatfsm.blogspot.ca
Currently Culturing
Kombucha, perry, cider, wine (red and white), mead(s), miso, sourdough, & seasonal veg my garden gives me