Dealing With Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are very small and seemingly harmless creatures, but become an extreme nuisance to your everyday living quickly. They usually swarm around the kitchen when food has been left out or is being prepared. These flies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time, and their lifecycle only lasts around 10 days. For most, this is 10 days too many! With that being said, the sooner you start the extermination and/or prevention process…the better! Get rid of these nuisance pests by following our steps to identify and exterminate household fruit flies.

First, learn a little about fruit flies…

• They’re a very small type of fly, typically between 3-4mm long when full grown.
• The full-grown adult fruit fly will have 6 legs, 2 wings, and 2 large eyes.
• They’re usually dark in color, with red eyes.
• They’re the shape of a grain of rice.
• Fruit flies are found around trash, fruits, or any sweet foods that have been left out in the open.
• A single fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs at one time! They usually lay these eggs around organic matter, so when the eggs hatch they will have food ready to feed on.

Preventing Fruit Flies

1. Make sure to shut all blinds and doors to prevent fruit flies from entering.

2. Use an all-purpose cleaner to spray the kitchen, counters, cabinets, and any areas you feel that fruit flies may wish to hang out, then wipe down with a towel.

3. Store all open foods and sweet beverages in safe, sealed places like a cooler, cabinets, or refrigerator.

4. Wash all produce thoroughly before storing them in the kitchen.

5. Cover fruit bowls or any dishes that are sitting out to prevent them from attracting any flies.

Already experiencing a fruit fly infestation? That’s okay, just follow these tips!

• If there are any food or drink products that have already been infested with fruit flies, dispose of them immediately in a trash bag and place in an outdoor garbage disposal. This is to prevent any eggs from hatching, and will get rid of any fruit flies on the existing products.
• Now that you have gotten rid of the existing larva and many of the full-grown flies, invest in a disposable fly trap and place it in the pantry, on counters, or any areas you feel the flies are around the most. These fly traps can be purchased at Walmart, Target, or any major superstore/drugstore.
• You can also make your own fly trap by mixing two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar together in a container, with a couple drops of dish soap, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Place container in an area where the flies normally gather, they will soon become attracted to the smell and become caught in the gooey substance.
• Another alternative is to drown them in red wine, while also trapping them with the dish soap. Combine the desired amount of red wine, with a small fraction of soap in a container. Then place plastic wrap on the top of the container, poke small holes, and place it in the area with flies.
• You can also use these natural remedies to get rid of fruit flies by making a paper funnel. You can do this by selecting some sort of glass bottle such as a wine, vase, or soda bottle to use for the trap. Add in the bait for the fruit flies. Make sure to choose a bait that is very sugary, because this is what attracts the flies. This can be juice or soda, pieces of fruit (can be rotten because this is more sugary), or honey/maple syrup. To create the funnel, roll a piece paper into a funnel shape (you can use a piece of paper or even a coffee filter to create this part). Then place the funnel in the container with the tip pointing down, and make sure it is not touching the bait at all. Place the trap in the most efficient area overnight, until you see that fruit flies have been trapped. You will still need to kill the fruit flies that have been trapped. You can do this by pouring a mixture of warm water and dish soap to drown the flies. Repeat this method if necessary.
• Last but not least, you can make a homemade concoction to exterminate these bothersome flies. Combine 4 ounces of raw sugar and a pint of milk in a saucepan. Let this cook for about 10 minutes and then pour the liquid into a dish. This mixture will attract the flies and cause them to drown once they have come in contact with it.