Getting Rid of Fruit Flies - How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Fruit fly is also known as Vinegar fly, as they can develop in the vinegar present at the top of improperly sealed canned fruits and vegetables. These insects usually breed in garbage containers, slime in the drains, fruits or yeasts that grow on organic matter.

Fruit flies are about 1/8 inch in length. The characteristic identification mark of fruit flies is their eyes, that is red in color. The head and thorax region is tan in color. The abdomen region is darker.

Classification of Fruit Fly:

Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Tephritidae
Species: Bactrocera spp.

Biology of Fruit Fly

Female fruit fly lays about 500 eggs near the surface of fermenting fruits and vegetables. They can also lay eggs in the cracks of improperly sealed canned fruits and vegetables. The eggs hatch in 30 hours and the larvae develop in the briny or vinegar like liquids present in the fermenting fruits and vegetables. They feed on the yeast for about 5-6 days. The larvae crawls to a drier place to pupate. The adults image from the pupa after 2 days. The adults complete their life cycle in 8-10 days. They have an enormous reproductive potential. They are capable of reproducing within 8 hours after emerging as adults. This leads to rapid growth in fruit fly population.

Getting Rid of Fruit Flies

If you are facing a fruit fly infestation in your home, then the best way to eliminate fruit flies is to remove all the overripe fruits and vegetables. Store cooked food in air tight containers and close the garbage bin with a lid. If spraying, cleaning and scrubbing seem to fail, and you are at your wits end, regarding how to get rid of fruit flies then read on further.

Eliminate Fruit Flies Breeding Ground

• Remove and dispose off all the over ripe and rotting fruits and vegetables, dirty sponges, wash-clots, juices and spills around the kitchen and dinning table. Fruit flies love moisture and organic matter. Thus, make sure you keep your house clean and dry.
• You should flush the drains and garbage disposals with ammonia, once every few hours to get rid of the eggs.
• You should keep the dishwasher bottom and filter free from grime. If you are facing a serious infestation then do not store dirty dishes in the dishwasher until you get rid of fruit flies.
• Check under the refrigerator, in the cabinets and other movable furniture and appliances for accidental spills and moisture.

Getting Rid of Fruit Flies Permanently

• Fruit flies are attracted to light, thus investing in a portable bug light will be a good idea to eliminate fruit flies. The flies are attracted to the light and the population will decrease in your home.
• Portable bug zapper is another invention worth investing. These inexpensive bug zapper kill fruit flies instantly.
• The oldest methods to trap fruit flies is using fly paper. Hang the fly paper near a bright light to increase it effectiveness.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies Naturally?

• If you are thinking about getting rid of fruit flies using vinegar, then fill a narrow necked bottle with vinegar with a few drops of cooking oil or dish soap, so that the flies that attempt to land in the liquid get trapped inside. You can also use fruit juice, beer and apple cider vinegar for trapping flies.
• In a clean, odorless jar place a chunk of banana. Cover the jar with a plastic wrap and seal it tightly around the edges. Poke 4-5 holes in the plastic wrap using a pen. The flies crawl in the jar but won't crawl out of it!
• You can even try commercial products to kill fruit flies. They are mostly plastic boxes filled with sticky substance with scent of vinegar or fruits. They attract the flies and get stuck in the sticky liquid. Sprays such as pyrethrin aerosol, etc and bio drain gel are effective in eliminating fruit flies.

You can try to keep fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator or keep them covered to keep away the fruit flies. Keep your surroundings clean and do not have garbage bins spilling over. Keep the drain clean by flushing down drain cleaners once a week. Vinegar and soap are the best and the cheapest means in getting rid of fruit flies. Remember, a single pair of fruit flies can give rise to a new infestation in your home.