Although fruit flies are small and almost unnoticeable, they can be annoying and destructive to your fruits and in the kitchen. Insects, in general, are not allowed in the house. When you shoo them, they go away and then come back. It may seem difficult to make these tiny flies go away, but it is possible. All you need to do is follow some easy tips to keep them away from your house.
Where Fruit Flies Come From
Fruit flies always fly towards fermenting vegetables and fruits. They love substances with high fructose. The females look for overripe or rotting fruit. This may be an undesirable thing to find in your fruit basket, but it is how they thrive. Females can lay about 500 to 2,000 eggs at one time. That is why you should act right away as soon as you see one in your house or yard. As soon as the larvae hatch, they will eat everything in their surroundings. This will happen for a few days before they become adults.
Things You Should Do
Here are the things you should do to keep these flies away from your premises:
Throw away any overripe produce
Always check the fruits and vegetables. See if they have decayed spots. If they do, dispose of them and clean out the container. Females start laying their eggs in these decayed spots.
Clean as much as you can
You should also clean the countertops and clear the sink of food particles. Remove any food residue as best as you can, even from the drains.
Make an apple cider vinegar trap
Get a glass or a bowl and fill it with apple cider vinegar. Cover the opening with some plastic wrap. Seal its edges with a rubber band. Poke holes through the plastic wrap. The vinegar will attract fruit flies. They will enter the bottle and they will not be able to leave the bottle anymore. This is a good way to remove those fruit flies from your house.
Create a dish soap and apple cider vinegar mixture
Get a bowl and fill it with apple cider vinegar. Then, add a drop of dish soap and mix well. The apple cider vinegar will attract the flies. Your dish soap will break the surface tension of the vinegar. When fruit flies land on the vinegar, they sink into it and cannot escape anymore.
Use a chemical spray for fruit-flies
You can always resort to top-rated fruit fly spray in the market. As much as possible, pick an organic brand.
Get some wine or beer
You can leave a bottle of old wine or beer in the area where you see these flies. The stale smell will attract the fruit flies. The narrow neck of the bottle will keep them from escaping.
Always check your window screens
Regular checks of window screens can help prevent the tiny flies from entering your house. Good window screens must have sealed gaps. See if the ones around your air conditioners are closed up as well.
Store vegetables and fruits under netted containers
Fruits and vegetables draw in these flies. That is why you should not place your fruits on display on your countertops. Storing fruits inside the refrigerator is the best thing to do. Wash and dry your fruits and vegetables well if you want to store them on your countertops. Cover them well.
Deep clean your trash cans, kitchen, and drain
A deep cleaning session in your kitchen can help prevent fruit flies from staying and reproducing inside your house. Make sure you empty your garbage bins often. Cleaning your drains and garbage cans with boiling water is also a good way to keep your living space free from these tiny flies.
Make a DIY Alcohol Spray
Commercial pesticides are toxic. A safer alternative is to create your own alcohol spray. Using about 91% isopropyl alcohol with a spray bottle is effective on contact.
The Difference Between Fruit Flies and Gnats
Black little bugs can be either gnats or fruit flies. You must identify the bugs first before you remove them. Fungus gnats and fruit flies look almost the same. Gnats are either black or gray, while fruit flies are either brown or reddish-orange. Fruit flies love to linger around decaying fruits and vegetables. Fungus gnats live on plants and soils.
Fruit flies need liquid to survive because they do not have teeth. Using their antennae, these flies can seek out alcohol, sugary drinks, ripened fruits, and vegetables. Some non-food items also attract them. Examples are wet cleaning supplies. Even if you have screens, the flies can still fit into them and reach your living space. These tiny insects tend to multiply inside as well. They tend to multiply right away in warm places with temperatures of at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fruit flies are annoying. The only way to keep them out is to follow the mentioned tips. It is always better to keep your house insect-free, no matter how small the insects are. Small insects tend to attract bigger ones and then the insect-eating animals might set in. Repelling fruit flies comes first. Exterminating them may not be necessary as long as you do your part to keep them out.