TOPIC GUIDE
Fruit Fly Trap 3D Prints: Models for Glass, Jar, Bottle
A 3D-printed fruit fly trap is a funnel or lid that sits on a glass, jar or bottle holding a liquid bait: flies can get in, but find it hard to get out. This guide compares five free Thingiverse designs by what each one fits, notes the license on each, and covers bait, material, cleaning and safety. We opened every listing on 2026-11-02 and read the author and license from its page. We have not print-tested the models, we host no files and we quote no popularity figures. A trap reduces the flies you already have; it does not remove what they breed in.
Updated
Pick the trap by what it sits on
Every trap here is a funnel or cone held over a liquid bait. The part that matters is the rim it rests on, so decide on the glass, jar or bottle before choosing a file. Three of the five are ready-made shapes for a glass, a bottle and a shot glass.
The designers state the sizes they tested: one fits glasses with an inner diameter over 62 mm and an outer diameter under 90 mm, one is made for standard PET bottles, and one is for shot glasses. Treat those figures as a starting point and check them against your own rim.
- Measure the inner and outer diameter of the rim, or the thread, with calipers.
- Compare the numbers with the size range in the listing.
- Print one test piece and try it on the container before printing several.
Thingiverse · Updated
Fruit Fly Trap for Any Glass
A cone that sits on top of a drinking glass. The designer says glasses with an inner diameter above 62 mm and an outer diameter below 90 mm should fit, and the OpenSCAD file can be edited for other sizes. Their own bait is apple juice with a drop of dishwashing soap, and they advise cleaning and refilling the glass every couple of days. Measure your rim first and print one test piece before making several. CC BY 4.0: credit the designer.
- Author:
- r00kies
- License:
- Creative Commons BY 4.0
Thingiverse · Updated
Fruit Fly Trap for Standard PET Bottles
A trap designed for common PET drink bottles, described in English and German. The designer suggests a splash of wine, vinegar, lemon juice or another sour-smelling liquid in the bottle, the trap on top, and the bottle in the kitchen. It is handy when you have no spare glass or jar, but bottle necks vary, so check the listing's files against your bottle before printing. CC BY-SA 4.0: credit the designer and share remixes under the same license.
- Author:
- Cemploy
- License:
- Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0
Thingiverse · Updated
Shot Glass Fruit Fly Trap Cones
Small printed cones for shot glasses, a compact setup that the designer chose because shot glasses are cheap, small and hard to tip over. They fill the glass with wine vinegar and a few drops of soap, which breaks the surface tension so flies sink. Useful for a windowsill or next to a fruit bowl where a large jar would be in the way. CC BY 4.0: credit the designer.
- Author:
- peteruithoven
- License:
- Creative Commons BY 4.0
Jar lids and parametric files
If you would rather reuse a jar, two files can be adjusted. One generates Mason jar lids in regular or wide mouth sizes. The other adds simple threads so a trap can screw onto a jar such as a marmalade jar. Both are OpenSCAD-based, so you run the file on your computer, change the numbers, and export an STL.
Check the license before sharing a changed file: the first is CC BY 4.0, while the threaded remix is BY-NC-SA 4.0 and a remix of another designer's trap.
Thingiverse · Updated
Customizable Fruit Fly Trap Lid for Mason Jars
An OpenSCAD file that generates a Mason jar lid with a cone-shaped entry hole. You can set the jar size (regular or wide mouth), top opening, cone height and the entry-hole diameter, up to 10 mm. The designer reports it works well on a regular-mouth jar with about 2 inches of apple cider vinegar at the bottom, and says the online customizer no longer works, so you run the file in desktop OpenSCAD. You must export an STL yourself. CC BY 4.0: credit the designer.
- Author:
- adam3654
- License:
- Creative Commons BY 4.0
Thingiverse · Updated
Parametric Fruit Fly Trap with Thread Support
A remix of another designer's parametric trap that adds simple threads so the trap can screw onto a jar, for example a marmalade jar. It is customizable, so you can match the jar's thread and opening. Because it is a remix under BY-NC-SA, it is for non-commercial use, must credit the designer and keeps the same license for remixes; check the original designer's page too if you plan to share changes.
- Author:
- ds024157
- License:
- Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0
Bait, soap and where to put it
The listings agree on the basics: a sweet or sour-smelling liquid at the bottom and a drop of dishwashing soap. Named options include apple cider vinegar, wine vinegar, wine, apple juice and lemon juice. Fill only a little: one designer reports about 2 inches of vinegar in a Mason jar, and another puts a small amount in a shot glass.
Put the trap where the flies gather, such as near the fruit bowl, sink or compost bin, and put away other food they could prefer. Check it after a day or two, then rinse and refill every few days.
- Pour a small amount of bait into the container.
- Add one drop of dishwashing soap.
- Fit the printed trap on the container and check that it sits level.
- Place it near the source and replace the bait every few days.
Material, cleaning and safety
PLA is the most common filament for household prints, but it softens at fairly low temperatures, so wash it by hand in warm, not hot, water and keep it out of dishwashers and sunny cars. PETG tolerates more heat if you plan to wash the trap often.
A printed trap is not a food-contact item. Keep bait in the glass or jar, not on the printed part, and keep traps where children and pets cannot knock or drink them. After printing, check that the entry hole is clear of strings and blobs, since a blocked hole defeats the trap.
More fruit fly traps on other sites
MakerWorld and Printables list many more traps, including decorative two-part designs, jar lids and glass funnels. On 2026-11-02 we could not open those listings in a way that let us read author and license reliably, so we did not include them here. Search them from PrintWhat, open the original page, and check the license, files and the container size it expects before printing.
Questions before you choose
- Do 3D-printed fruit fly traps work?
- The designers of the listings above describe good results with their own setups, for example a Mason jar with about 2 inches of apple cider vinegar, but we have not print-tested them. A trap catches adult flies that are already in the room. It does not remove what they breed in, so also deal with ripe fruit, compost and damp drains.
- What should I put in the trap?
- The listings suggest apple cider vinegar, wine vinegar, wine, apple juice or lemon juice, with a drop of dishwashing soap to break the surface tension so flies sink instead of landing. Recipes differ between designers and none is proven here, so try one, check it after a day or two, and refill or clean it every few days.
- Is a 3D-printed trap food safe?
- Do not assume so. Printed layers leave tiny gaps where bait and bacteria can stay, and none of these listings claims food safety. Keep the printed part out of the food itself, use the trap only over bait in a glass, jar or bottle, wash it by hand with warm water, and keep it away from children and pets.
- Can I sell prints of these models?
- Only if the license allows it. CC BY and CC BY-SA allow commercial use with credit; CC BY-SA also requires remixes to keep the same license. The BY-NC-SA entry rules out selling. Read the license on the original page before printing for sale.
- What if no model fits my glass or jar?
- Measure the inner and outer diameter of the rim, or the thread, with calipers. Two of the models here are OpenSCAD files you can resize. If none fits, search more sources with PrintWhat or ask for a custom 3D model with your measurements.
Find the model that fits your project
Have a reference photo? Search for matching models. If an existing file does not fit, describe the changes or the custom model you need.