Getting Rid of Fruit Flies

Jul 19, 2012 | Pest Control

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Fruit flies are a nuisance in homes!  That’s the bottom line!  They seem to come out of nowhere and are extremely hard to get rid of.  But the truth is, they don’t come out of nowhere…they come from up to miles away when they have smelled the scent of ripening fruit and vegetables.  Because they are so small they are able to fit through even the tiniest of openings to get inside your home and to the fermenting fruit.

“Well that’s easy enough”, you say, “just throw away the fruit once you’ve seen fruit flies”…it’s not that easy.  Fruit flies are fast reproducers!  Fruit flies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time and their entire life cycle only takes 8-10 days.  This makes them difficult to control once they have infested your home.  It’s not just the fruit they are after, they can also lay their eggs in sink drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, garbage bags, and even damp mops and sponges.

Getting rid of fruit flies is difficult but it’s not impossible.  By following some simple steps you can rid your home of fruit flies and ensure that they don’t return.

How to get rid of fruit flies:

• The first step is to remove the sources of attraction like fruits and vegetables.
• Remove breeding sources by throwing away old sponges and mops, and cleaning out dish drains.
• Store fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator rather than on the counter tops.
• Wipe down sides and bottom of trash cans for any debris that may have spilled over.
• For smaller infestations you can choose to try a DIY approach to eliminating fruit flies.  Using a glass of some sort (jar or wine bottle) put a slice of banana or apple cider vinegar at the bottom of the glass and stick a paper funnel out of the top of the glass.  The flies will enter the glass in search of the food source but will be unable to get out.  After a few hours, seal the glass and throw away…the fruit flies should be gone.
• When DIY tricks don’t work…call the experts at Northwest Exterminating.  A professional pest control company will be able to target the living fruit flies as well as the eggs.  They will help you find the source of your problem and help you to control the issue.