Fruit Fly Infestation

A fruit fly infestation may be a little bit annoying. This involves having large populations of these insects at home, in the office or in a restaurant. Fruit fly infestation at home can be dealt with easily as there are many ways on how to get rid of the fruit flies.

Fruit flies which are also known as vinegar flies can be real trouble. A fruit fly infestation can occur at home, in offices, bakeries, grocery stores, bars and restaurants. A single breeding ground can lead to heavy populations of these flying insects.

There are two types of fruit flies. One is red-eyed and brown in color. The adults in this kind are likely to be found in fruits that are in their early stages of decomposition. They tend to be poor fliers. The second type is dark-eyed with a blackish-brown color. These are larger in size than the red-eyed fruit flies. They prefer fruits and vegetables that are in their late stages of decomposition. These are strong fliers. The larvae of these insects are mostly found in moist organic debris.

In most cases, fruit flies live outdoors. For an infestation to occur, they have to find their way indoors. They get attracted by garbage and food odors. Due to their small size, the insects can easily find their way in through crevices. They could also fly in easily through open doors and windows. Another way through which a fruit fly infestation could occur is when fruit flies at their early stages of life are brought in with fruits from the grocery or the garden.

For there to be a fruit fly infestation, the flies that find their way into the house have to breed. Their lifespan is short spreading up to 10 days. Within this time they lay enormous amounts of eggs. The female flies get a favorable breeding ground which may be on moist areas that contain fermenting debris.

It is here that they lay about 500 eggs in their lifespan. Some likely spots that could be breeding grounds include sludge at the bottom of garbage cans, moist drains, rotten vegetables and fruits, moist places under the sink or dishwasher, dirty mops and drain pans under refrigerators.

Once the eggs have been laid, they hatch in 24 hours. Since they will have been bred in favorable surroundings, the larvae will feed on fermenting food around. At around the sixth day, they will move to dry grounds for their next level of development which is the pupae stage.

It takes a few days before they can fly. They then mate and start laying eggs and the cycle continues. This process, especially when the temperature is warm, takes between 7 and 10 days. When temperatures are cooler, this could take longer.

To deal with a fruit fly infestation, one has to get rid of the mature flies as well as eliminate their breeding grounds. To begin with, one should ensure there is better maintenance of the drainage systems. Places with excess moisture should also be taken care.

One should also look out for any debris that may be hidden in dark corners and work stations. In cases where there are loose tiles, these need to be fixed as they trap moisture. Eliminating the breeding grounds eliminates the eggs. For adult flies, one could use traps or insecticides.

Although these efforts may only provide temporary elimination, the use of aerosols will help to get rid of emerging mature flies that may have been left lying around in their early stages of life. Other than the above mention methods, other ways to find and eliminate breeding grounds include:

Removing the liner of trash cans to inspect the bottom. The can should be scrubbed well enough to get rid of accumulation at the bottom. Leave them out to dry before replacing the liner.
In case you store up drinks cans, find out if there are small amounts of liquids left as these could be breeding grounds.
Thoroughly clean kitchen and counter tables. Get rid of any debris that could be wedged against the wall or that which is wrapped around the table legs.
Where you suspect that the floor drainages could have accumulated debris, open them up and brush them out. Using a steam cleaner or hot water could also help in unclogging the drains.
Be sure to refrigerate any unconsumed vegetables and fruits. The cool environment will slow down the development of the flies. Any overripe or rotting vegetables and fruits should be properly discarded. Before throwing them in the trash can, wrap them up in a plastic bag and tie it up. The same should be done to cut-outs.
Any loose tiles should be repaired this is more so in areas around where food is handled such as around ovens, cookers and stoves. Food debris is likely to accumulate around these areas.
Cleaning rags and mops should be cleaned well, dried up and stored appropriately.

Fruit Fly Infestation in Home – Fruit Fly Infestation in House

One of the most common places to experience a fruit fly infestation at home is in the house. This can be attributed to the fact that a house contains so many spots that can serve as breeding grounds for the flies. There is also enough food especially in the kitchen to keep them surviving. To get rid of and avoid future infestations, one should ensure that all breeding grounds are eliminated and mature flies trapped.

Fruit Fly Infestation in Bedroom

Although fruit flies are most common in the kitchen, living room and bathrooms, it is possible for them to infest the bedroom as well. This is more so if there are drink spillages as we don’t expect food in the bedroom. The solution to this is to find out what their attraction to the bedroom is and eliminate it.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Fly Infestation

For fruit flies to thrive, they need rotting debris, moisture and some warmth. As such, they ought to be deprived of these conditions if one wants to get rid of them. One is expected to look for and eliminate these favorable conditions. Once this has been done, the mature flies should then be trapped to get rid of them. Continuously doing this will get rid of them in the long end.

Fruit Fly Infestation Solutions or How to Deal with Fruit Fly Infestation

Dealing with a fruit fly infestation is a complex process. It not only involves getting rid of the mature and visible flies but also finding their breeding grounds so as to eliminate their eggs. The solutions to a fruit fly infestation, therefore involve eliminating each stage in their lifecycle.