Fly contamination.

[Anglezarke]

We have had a plague of small flies this year. The other night I placed half a gallon of wine in a plastic lidded container in order to add finings. Unfortunately I found to my dismay I had run out of one item, so had to order a fresh supply. Whilst awaiting delivery by snail mail one of the aforementioned pests had made its way into the container and was floating in the wine when I came to add finings. I wondered if anyone else has experienced a similar problem and if so is it safe to continue with the fining process or should the contaminated wine be discarded? (Having tasted it there doesn't seem to be any impairment of the flavour.)

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

We have had a plague of small flies this year. The other night I placed half a gallon of wine in a plastic lidded container in order to add finings. Unfortunately I found to my dismay I had run out of one item, so had to order a fresh supply. Whilst awaiting delivery by snail mail one of the aforementioned pests had made its way into the container and was floating in the wine when I came to add finings. I wondered if anyone else has experienced a similar problem and if so is it safe to continue with the fining process or should the contaminated wine be discarded? (Having tasted it there doesn't seem to be any impairment of the flavour.)

If I understand this correctly

Why do you believe that the wine is contaminated?

Alcohol content above 5% would prevent any microorganisms from being able to survive in it.

If it's got a fly in it - it will give the wine more body!

 

[MrJay83]

I've been plagued by little fruit flies this year (they're still about) and I know a couple have managed to sneak in while transferring & bottling. I haven't noticed any difference and don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[The Baron]

Hi MrJay are you sure they are fruit flies as there has been a plague of these flies that live in the top of compost in house plants, they look very similar at a glance. This is a lift from the tinterweb
These are fungus gnats, also known as house plant flies and sciarid flies. They're mostly harmless – adult gnats cause little or no harm to plants, but they can become a nuisance in the home. Their tiny worm-like larvae live in the top 5-8cm of compost, where they feed on algae, fungi and plant roots.

 

[MrJay83]

Hi MrJay are you sure they are fruit flies as there has been a plague of these flies that live in the top of compost in house plants, they look very similar at a glance. This is a lift from the tinterweb
These are fungus gnats, also known as house plant flies and sciarid flies. They're mostly harmless – adult gnats cause little or no harm to plants, but they can become a nuisance in the home. Their tiny worm-like larvae live in the top 5-8cm of compost, where they feed on algae, fungi and plant roots.

You're probably right. They only seem to be in the kitchen. Do you think they could be infesting the food waste caddy continually? We don't have plants in the kitchen.

 

[The Baron]

I have had a plague of these flies, must be due to the extended warm growing/breeding season. The way to get rid of them is to add at least 1cm of gravel to the top of the houseplant compost this breaks the cycle of the flies as they need to lay their eggs in the top of the soil

 

[MrJay83]

Had a quick scout in the kitchen and found one. They look like little fruit flies to me. What do you think?

 

[The Baron]

Look at a pic of a fungus gnat and a fruit fly on the tinterweb too as they are quite similar.
If it is a fruit fly they have red eyes and light brown bodies according to the pics I have seen

 

[MrJay83]

Definitely a fruit fly when I look at them side by side.

 

[The Baron]

Then you need to find where they are laying their eggs as they like decaying veg/fruit but also lays their eggs in the top of plant soil too so the gravel trick should work with them too.
Check your waste bins drains etc for signs of them their too

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I had a bluebottle fly into the fermenter whilst I was filling it from the kettle, I couldn't see it and thought if I fished around for it it would only make things worse. Pitched the yeast, and it was a lovely beer, thought I might find a fly corpse at the bottom of the FV when I bottled but nothing!

 

[Donegal john]

I had a bluebottle fly into the fermenter whilst I was filling it from the kettle, I couldn't see it and thought if I fished around for it it would only make things worse. Pitched the yeast, and it was a lovely beer, thought I might find a fly corpse at the bottom of the FV when I bottled but nothing!

Minds me of the time I was working as a maintenance engineer for local schools and we got a call to no water in the sinks in the toilets. Couldn’t clear the blockage so we got a compressor and hooked it up at the storeage tank and blew down. What we got out was the bodies of 2 dead birds
While we were there a young lad came in and asked could he get a drink of water from the sink tap said he always does it

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Minds me of the time I was working as a maintenance engineer for local schools and we got a call to no water in the sinks in the toilets. Couldn’t clear the blockage so we got a compressor and hooked it up at the storeage tank and blew down. What we got out was the bodies of 2 dead birds
While we were there a young lad came in and asked could he get a drink of water from the sink tap said he always does it

I guess it shows that what you don't know won't hurt you.

 

[The Baron]

Matt Hancock has drunk worse than dead bird water

 

[Donegal john]

I guess it shows that what you don't know won't hurt you.

It was mainly bones and feathers the flesh long since decayed. God knows how long they were in the tank.

 

[MrJay83]

I guess it shows that what you don't know won't hurt you.

Definitely not always. We moved into a knew office and the contractor provided their water report at the end. Of course people started getting a bit ill and if I still had a picture of the inside of the CWS tank it would make you puke. I still can't believe so much mold and grime can build up in one.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Definitely not always. We moved into a knew office and the contractor provided their water report at the end. Of course people started getting a bit ill and if I still had a picture of the inside of the CWS tank it would make you puke. I still can't believe so much mold and grime can build up in one.

I was joking tbh.

 

[MrJay83]

I was joking tbh.

Bit hard to tell on forums some times To be fair I think most people in the UK & Ireland have drank from the old storage systems and had nothing happen.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Bit hard to tell on forums some times To be fair I think most people in the UK & Ireland have drank from the old storage systems and had nothing happen.

I should have put a winky emoji.

 

[Donegal john]

Bit hard to tell on forums some times To be fair I think most people in the UK & Ireland have drank from the old storage systems and had nothing happen.

Part of a past job of mine was to do HSG70 water tank sampling that meant you took a sample of water With a dip and slide tube and kept them in an incubator to see what grew on them. Some old tanks in banks schools etc were breeding grounds for some very nasty stuff. Nearly all of them have a few inches of organic matter in the bottom that filters out of the water