What Are Fruit Flies?
The scientific name for the fruit fly is Drosophila melanogaster. The word “drosophila” means lover of dew. The species needs access to plenty of water in order to survive.
What do fruit flies look like? Adult fruit flies have the typical fly body plan – they’re just much smaller than many other fly species. The average adult is 0.12 inches long and 0.08 inches wide.
What do fruit flies eat? Fruit flies at all stages of development survive off of fruits. Adults also eat rotting plants. Freshly hatched larvae survive exclusively off of the food that they’re laid on. This is one of the main reasons they’re considered a common household pest.
Where Do Fruit Flies Come From?
Fruit flies originated in certain parts of the tropics. Human activity has spread them to every continent except Antarctica. They prefer temperate climates where they can access plenty of water.
During colder months, you can find them trying to hide indoors, particularly in areas where you have a lot of food stored.
Why Do You Get Fruit Flies?
You likely have fruit flies because you have a lot of exposed food in an area. This is particularly true if you have fruit lying out in the open. They’re attracted to rotten and fermented fruits and vegetables as well as:
- Wine
- Beer
- Vinegar
- Fruit juice
Even unripened fruit is vulnerable to fruit flies. In fact, they prefer to lay their eggs on unripened fruit. This way, it will last until the eggs hatch.
Health Risks of Fruit Flies
Research shows that fruit flies can transfer germs from a dirty surface onto a clean one. Some of the bacteria they may carry include salmonella,E. coli, and listeria. These three germs each cause food poisoning. Severe cases may put you in the hospital and can even be life-threatening.
Fruit flies can become a huge financial burden when they invade food storage facilities. A large infestation can consume and destroy a lot of food in a relatively short period of time.
Do fruit flies bite? Fruit flies don’t bite humans.
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
To get rid of all the fruit flies in your home, you’ll need to find where they are breeding:
Fruit flies in the bathroom. Fruit flies lay their eggs in moist areas, which means they can show up in your bathroom. A mop or bucket that has wet residue can attract them. Flies may be getting into your house through window screens. You may need 16 mesh or finer to keep them out.
Fruit flies in drains. Drains are wet and may have scummy residue in them, which makes them an ideal fruit fly breeding spot. If you think a drain might be harboring fruit flies, tape a plastic food-storage bag over it and let the plastic sit overnight. If you find fruit flies trapped in the bag, the drain is infested. Clean your drains regularly and sanitize with boiling water. You may need to use a brush and industrial drain cleaner.
Fruit flies in plants. Dry the soil out to eliminate the breeding spot. Spreading sand on top of the soil may help.
Fruit flies in the kitchen. Get rid of produce – bananas and tomatoes are common culprits – that are attracting the flies. Inspect anywhere you store fruit or vegetables, including potatoes and onions. Fruit flies can breed in drawers where you keep produce. Check under your refrigerator for spills. Wipe down counters and all surfaces. You may need to empty your garbage each night and clean out the can. Do the same with recycling bins.
Fruit fly spray. You can buy sprays to kill fruit flies, but they will kill only the hatched adults, not the eggs or larvae. Look for products that contain pyrethrum.
Fruit Fly Prevention
To prevent fruit flies from getting too comfortable in your house again:
- Buy only what you’re sure you’ll eat. One spoiled potato or forgotten box of berries can lead to thousands of fruit flies. Once produce gets ripe, put it in your refrigerator until you eat it. Compost the leftovers or throw them away promptly.
- Wash your produce when you get it home (to remove any eggs or larvae) and then store it in the refrigerator or an air-tight container.
- Empty your kitchen trash can every day.
- Clean up any spills right away (especially alcohol or fruit juices).
- Rinse your recycling. Make sure all jars, bottles, and cans are free of food scraps.
- Put screens on your windows and doors. Look for tight-fitting, 16-mesh models that can keep adult fruit flies from coming inside your home.
- Turn off lights over your doors and windows. Light attracts newly adult fruit flies.
- Seal all containers. If you preserve your own fruits and veggies or brew your own cider or beer, check that your lids are well sealed. If not, fruit flies can squeeze under them and lay eggs.
- Squeeze out mops and cleaning towels thoroughly.
- Pick up and throw away any outside garden vegetables or fruit that has fallen to the ground and is rotting.
Source: webmd
