HeritagePestControl

The good news is that fruit flies are easy to trap. If you find fruit flies in your house, it is important to find where they are coming from and eliminate their breeding areas. Otherwise, no matter what you do to kill the flies you find, your problem will continue.  Fly traps will show you if you have flies, but not necessarily where they are coming from. And, if you leave a fly trap out too long, it can become a breeding ground for the flies itself. Here are some homemade alternatives:

Make your own “catch and release” trap. Put a bit of fruit, wine or cider vinegar in the bottom of a bottle or jar. Roll a piece of paper into a cone and set it on top of the bottle like a funnel. Place the homemade trap wherever you see fruit flies.  The bottle or jar will attract the flies very quickly. You can then take them outside to be killed or released.

For hidden breeding sites such as garbage disposals, drains and areas behind appliances, you can check for fruit flies by putting a tiny bit of fruit in a clear plastic food storage bag and taping it over the entrance of the opening overnight. If flies are breeding in these areas, the adults will emerge and be caught in the bag.

You can also make a froth of dish soap suds in a bowl and set it on your counter. The flies will land in the suds and die.

Since fruit flies congregate, you can use your vacuum to suck up and dispose of flies. However, make sure your vacuum is powerful enough to gather them without them scattering, and make sure it has a good filter (i.e. such as a heap filter).

To avoid fruit fly infestations, I suggest you follow these rules:

In the kitchen:

• Eat produce before it has a chance to ferment.  If fruit is getting past its prime, refrigerate it or discard it in sealed garbage bags.
• Cover your fruit bowl or store fruit you wish to keep in the refrigerator.
• Put new soft fruit in a brown bag to help it ripen and also keep the fruit flies away from the easiest targets. You can leave out fruit with harder skin.
• Avoid cracked or damaged  pieces of fruit and vegetables. If you discover damage once you empty your shopping bags, cut away and discard the wounded areas to avoid eggs or larvae hiding there.
• Put a household fan near fruit bowls or food left out for a buffet. Keep the fan blowing across the fruit, since flies cannot land in a cross wind.
• Never leave out plates of leftover food. Flies can find it in just a few seconds.
• If you see a plate of food with fruit flies around it, don’t eat it. You may not see anything on the food because the germs and bacteria are microscopic.
• Drink sweet drinks like soda, milkshakes, sweet tea, etc. in a timely manner. They are fruit fly magnets.
• If you can your own fruits and vegetables, or if you make wine, cider or beer, make sure your containers are tightly sealed.  Fruit flies will lay their eggs under the lid and the tiny larvae will enter the container upon hatching.
• Wash all dishes promptly. Run enough water to make sure drains and garbage disposals are clear.
• Do not put food garbage into waste-paper baskets.
• Take out your compost and keep your collection bin covered and food additions to your pile buried beneath yard waste.
• Clean the openings of bottles containing fruit juice, fermented or vinegar products, including ketchup and cooking wine. Make sure caps are sealed well, and keep these items in the refrigerator if possible.
• Promptly wipe crumbs and spills from your cabinets, counters and floors.
• Wipe down the rubber seals of your refrigerator door, and clean the evaporation pan underneath.
• Clean under and around your dishwasher and stove.

Around the house:

• Launder or wash dishrags with soap every day. Rinse them well and wring them dry before hanging them up. Don’t leave them in the sink.
• Fit all windows and doors with tight-fitting (16 mesh) screens to help prevent adult fruit flies from entering from outdoors.
• Take out all trash daily, do not re-use the plastic liner garbage bags, and store trash in a covered bin.
• After you dump mop water, clean the pail and launder the mop.
• Remove damp lint from the laundry room.
• Do not use manure or lake water for fertilizer near the house.

For a free estimate, give us a call at 781-986-0701 and mention that you found us from this article.

Tim Taylor, President of Heritage Pest Control in Randolph, MA, is an expert in pest control, with more than 20 years of education and experience in residential and commercial pest control.  Tim has an extensive background in entomology, and is a member of the National and New England Pest Management Associations and the Randolph Chamber of Commerce. Tim is also a 29-year member of the National Guard and is active in national and community activities including Pop Warner Football. Heritage Pest Control serves the greater Boston area including the suburbs of Brookline, Cambridge, Brighton, Allston, Milton, Quincy, Braintree and Canton. For more information, or to contact Tim, CLICK HERE to send a note to Tim or call him at 781-986-0701.