How do you get rid of fruit flies and what causes them?
BUZZING their way into your home, fruit flies can quickly become an annoyance.
These pesky pests reproduce at an astonishing rate, so it's important to know how to get rid of them permanently and promptly.
What causes fruit flies?
The good news is, when fruit flies appear it doesn't mean it's your fault.
Unsuspecting homeowners may bring these pests inside on produce, such as groceries.
Experts at Orkin confirm that fruit flies are attracted to fermenting food products, as well as fermented goods like beer, liquor and wine.
These winged insects are hardwired to follow the smell of ripe produce and can detect them from great distances.
They can also populate due to fermenting matter in drains, mops, and bins.
During sunny periods they are even more determined as heatwaves cause fruit to decompose quickly - but they can also be a problem all year-round.
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The fruit bowl in your home will be a veritable feast for a fruit fly, and you'll likely find a hungry one buzzing around somewhere nearby.
As fruit flies are extremely small, they're able to sneak through gaps in the window and cause an infestation because they reproduce so rapidly.
How to get rid of fruit flies
If you find a room in your home becoming overwhelmed with fruit flies, there are a number of ways to get rid of them.
Here we take a look at the different steps you can take to get rid of the pesky pests, as well as avoiding a future fruit fly infestation.
- Throw out overripe produce
- Store fruit and veg in the fridge
- Store produce in air-tight containers
- Inspect and wash produce as soon as you get home to remove any potential eggs or larvae
- Regularly dispose of your rubbish
- Clean any other location where food waste accumulates
- Clean drains
- Make sure to clean up any spills as soon as possible - especially if you accidently knock over a glass of fruit juice or alcohol
In extreme cases, if fruit flies have been making your home life unpleasant, don’t hesitate to call in professionals, who will be able to safely and effectively deal with the pests.
If you're looking for other quick and easy solutions to wave goodbye to the pesky flies for good, then you're in luck.
A Cleaning whizz fed up of fruit flies shared her top tip on getting rid of them for free - using ingredients you'll already have in your kitchen cupboards.
Similarly, a savvy cleaning fanatic has shared an easy way to get rid of annoying fruit flies in no time - and it costs just pennies.
Are fruit flies dangerous?
Mercifully, though these insects may be annoying, their buzz is worse than their bite.
Pest control expert, Dr. Erica McAlister told The Sun: ''Fruit flies live for 2 - 3 weeks and are not harmful.''
They live off fermenting fruit and do not feed on blood like mosquitoes.
They don't have the right equipment to bite humans, even if they wanted to.
However, according to experts they do carry bacteria - so it's important to keep them out of your home.
What's the difference between fruit flies and gnats?
Both fruit flies and gnats are common pests - however, there is a way to tell the difference between the two.
Although the flying pests have similar habits and look somewhat similar, fruit flies and gnats are quite different.
Fruit flies range from tan to black in colour, whilst fungus gnats are dark grey or black.
Fruit flies are also easy to recognize by their big, red eyes, but fungus gnat eyes are so small that they are hard to see.
While fruit flies have a rounded body like a smaller version of the common house fly, gnats have dangling legs and long bodies, like a mosquito.
Another difference between fruit flies and gnats is where the pests gather - Fungus gnats nest in the soil of gardens or indoor potted plants to feed on organic matter.
Whereas, fruit flies eat overripe fruits or rotting food.