Fruit flies are one of the biggest pest problems faced by homeowners, and it often seems like they just come out of nowhere. These unwanted house guests may be super tiny, but despite their size, they can be an absolute nuisance and result in a serious case of infestation. If you live in Maine, these pesky pests are probably no alien to you.
Fruit fly infestations typically begin in the kitchen as they are highly attracted to ripened produce and can even move into bathrooms and basements. Other than that, fruit fries are also known to breed in the garbage disposal, drains, trash containers, and empty bottles, to name a few.
The worst bit is that it’s extremely difficult to get rid of fruit flies because once they start hovering over fresh produce, they multiply in numbers and are literally everywhere.
Fruit fry populations tend to get out of hand really fast once they lay their eggs onto rotting vegetables and fruits and can produce as many as 500 offspring during a single mating season.
So, it’s extremely important to prevent fruit flies and get rid of them at the first signs of infestation before they multiply in number.
Prevention of Fruit Flies
Fruit flies generally show up sometime during late summer and early fall, considering how it’s the harvest season, and soon enough, they begin calling your kitchen their ‘home.’
Fruit fly prevention is all about taking appropriate measures before their arrival to keep them out of your home.
Here are a few tips for preventing fruit flies and keeping them at bay.
- Keep all fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator to slow down the ripening process.
- Keep your sinks and garbage disposal clean and neat.
- Eliminate all sources of attraction by discarding rotten produce, eating refrigerating ripened fruits and vegetables.
- Ensure that all the trash cans and garbage containers are properly sealed or covered.
- Keep the kitchen counters, rugs, shelves, and floors clean at all times.
- Place the dirty dishes in the sink with water instead of keeping them openly on the counter.
- Always have a fruit fly trap ready in case of a small invasion. This will prevent them from increasing in number.
Getting Rid of Fruit Flies
If fruit flies have somehow found their way inside your home despite you following effective prevention measures, it is time to move to elimination strategies.
Here are a few things you can do to get rid of fruit flies and prevent them from causing a serious case of infestation.
Locate and Eliminate All Breeding Areas
Once fruit flies are inside your home, the most ideal defense strategy is to locate and eliminate all actual and potential breeding areas. From ripened fruits and vegetables to uncovered trash cans to full garbage disposal containers, all these objects need your immediate attention because they serve the biggest attraction for pesky fruit flies.
Fix Window Openings
Fruit flies are extremely tiny, and their small size benefits them the most by allowing them to enter through the smallest and tiniest of openings, particularly the ones on windows. You may not even realize it, but these fruit flies are able to enter your home through the little gaps and cracks in your window screens.
So, you should seal any gaps or empty spaces that you can see near your windows as well as around your air conditioning units.
Cover Fresh Produce
If you bring home fruits and vegetables fresh from the market, either store them in bags or cover them with a lid instead of leaving them uncovered on the kitchen counter. Fruit flies breed on moisture, so make sure that you dry the fruits and vegetables properly before you leave them on the counter.
Clean All Surfaces in the Kitchen Regularly
One of the easiest ways to get rid of fruit flies is to clean all surfaces in the kitchen regularly and keep them clean at all times. Wipe down all countertops thoroughly with soap and water. Also, keep the sink drains clean and free of food residue and particles because if you don’t, they become the ideal breeding ground for fruit flies.
Use Trash Bags and Liners
Regardless of the fact that you keep your trash cans covered at all times, if there’s even the slightest possibility of it leaking at the bottom or a small piece of fruit sticking out, it can be an attraction for fruit flies.
To prevent something like this from happening, make sure to use trash bags and liners in both your kitchen and bathroom wastebaskets. This is to ensure that the contents remain perfectly contained until you dispose of them.
DIY Fruit Fly Trap
Even if you’ve managed to eliminate the primary source or breeding ground of fruit flies in your home, it’s still useful to make your own DIY fruit fly trap in case they still find their way inside your kitchen.
One of the most effective fruit fly traps has to be apple cider vinegar, and it often works like magic. All you need to do is fill a glass or bowl with apple cider vinegar and cover it properly with a thin plastic sheet. Seal the ends with a rubber band and poke small holes on top with either a pin or knife.
Apple cider vinegar greatly attracts fruit flies, so once they are inside, they are trapped and won’t be able to escape, thanks to the plastic wrap.
Hire Professional Pest Control Services
If all else fails, the best thing to do is hire a professional pest control service to get rid of these fruit flies once and for all.
Ants Plus can help you with all your pest infestation needs. We have more than twenty years of experience in this industry, and it’s safe to say that we can make your home fruit fly-free in no time! Contact us today to learn more about us and to get in touch with our super helpful team.