How to get rid of Fruit Flies
Fruit flies aren’t generally harmful (though they can sometimes spread bacteria) but they’re certainly a nuisance around the kitchen. Once they arrive, they can be difficult to get rid of, especially because they are capable of reproducing within a week to ten days. However, though they are small and can multiply quickly, it is possible to get rid of fruit flies if they invade your home.
1
Prevention
The easiest first step is to prevent the flies entering your home in the first place. Because fruit flies are attracted to overripe or even rotting fruit and fermenting goods, you should ensure you clear your home of all fruit that has peaked in terms of ripeness, as well as fitting a tight lid to any containers of beer, wine or spirits you might be brewing or making. Additionally, try and keep windows and doors closed, though this isn’t a foolproof method.
2
Make a trap
Many people make their own traps to catch fruit flies in. Create a paper funnel that fits into the top of a see-through bottle which has been baited with some sweet liquid or mixture – wine, vinegar and sugar would be a good combination, for example. This will attract the fruit flies, which will crawl down the funnel into the bottle, becoming trapped. Leave the bottle overnight and then kill the fruit flies using a mixture of soap and warm water. Due to the quick breeding times mentioned above, you may have to repeat this process several times to catch all of the fruit flies affecting your living areas.
3
Industrial removal
In the majority of cases, the most effective method of removal is to enlist the help of the JG Pest Control team. The best ways to eradicate most species of fly are fogging or fumigation. We make the process as non-intrusive as possible, but are extremely thorough in our treatment of multiple rooms (or entire homes) to truly rid the space of any infestation.
Additionally, we use a residual chemical that will continue working for weeks after the initial treatment. It is entirely safe for humans to be around and will ensure our treatment is long-lasting so that the flies do not return.
4
Remove breeding grounds
Removing the fruit flies you can see is only half the battle when dealing with an infestation. You also have to look for the areas in which they breed to ensure that more eggs don’t hatch, therefore necessitating another round of removals.
- Fruit bowls which contain (or have contained) overripe fruit are the obvious places to start
- Rubbish bins which have contained the same, in addition to unwashed alcohol or sweet drink containers
- Kitchen sink drains can sometimes harbour eggs if they have trapped food which is beginning to rot
- Mops and brushes which have been used to clear up dropped food can also be good breeding places for fruit flies
Thoroughly cleaning all of these areas should eradicate any eggs that are present and make the area unattractive for any breeding fruit flies which may remain.
