Fruit flies in the house are incredibly annoying. Sometimes, you have no idea why they’re inside and why they aren’t going away. Although they’re not as gross as some other kitchen insects like cockroaches, they’re still a nuisance that nobody wants in their home. They reproduce like crazy and can live anywhere from a couple weeks to months!
What Attracts Fruit Flies?
The first step to take when getting rid of fruit flies is targeting exactly what they’re attracted to in your home. Often times, they will disappear once you get rid of this source. Ultimately, fruit flies love fermenting fruits and vegetables the most. However, they can also be attracted to waste and damp environments like the garbage disposal. Can’t find the source? Perhaps there is an old banana peel that fell behind a trash can, or a hidden candy wrapper that the kids stuffed into the couch.
The good news is that fruit flies reproduce inside of these fruits, so it’s usually easy to find the source of the problem.
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies in the Kitchen
Have you ever seen one fruit fly, only to find 100 more the following day? Fruit flies reproduce extremely quickly and can lay up to 500 eggs at one time. These eggs hatch within just 24–30 hours, and become fully grown within days. This is why it’s important to get rid of fruit flies as soon as you spot them before it turns into a major problem.
Get Rid of the Source
If fruit flies have no home, they won’t be able to reproduce and multiply by the hundreds. This is why it’s important to get rid of any fermenting fruit or vegetables right away, and clean all countertops very thoroughly.
Fruit Fly Traps
There are a large variety of inexpensive fruit fly traps that work great. In addition, there are plenty of DIY traps you can make by searching online.
Bug Spray
Although bug sprays can be difficult to completely eliminate all fruit flies, it’s a great way to take out a big chunk of them. We recommend using this in combination with other methods.
Natural Methods
Some herbs have been shown to get rid of fruit flies. These include basil, peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, clove, and lemongrass. Camphor works as well, but you need to be cautious. You can simply place these herbs into sacks and hang them throughout the house. In addition, you can sprinkle these essential oils around the fruit flies.
Prevention
Prevention is the best way to avoid fruit fly problems in the future. Make sure to store any leftover or aging produce in an air-tight container (perhaps even in the fridge to be extra safe). Keep your counters clean and deal with any bad odors immediately, as these can attract fruit flies. In addition, make sure to keep putting out traps for a couple weeks after you’ve gotten rid of the fruit flies. Eggs can continue to hatch, then the problem can start all over again if you don’t continue prevention methods.
Other Kitchen Bugs & Pests
Ants
Once they’re inside your home, ants can be even more difficult to get rid of when compared with fruit flies. Plus, they have 6x more odor sensors than fruit flies, so ants can often find sweets better than fruit flies. They are attracted to even the smallest crumbs to bring back to their queen.
Pantry Insects
There are some pantry pests that feast only on dry foods like grains and flours. These include weevils, grain beetles, and Indianmeal moths. These are most commonly introduced to the home because of infested food products that are brought.
Cockroaches
For most people, cockroaches would be the worst case scenario when it comes to a bug infestation. They can become very large, multiply quickly, and are associated with dirty homes (even though they can be found in clean houses as well). Overall, they aren’t pleasing to have in your home. Roaches are often found in kitchens, but they can be found in other areas of the home as well because they will eat anything.
Rodents
Another worst-case infestation for most homeowners would be a rodent infestation. For example, mice can infest homes when looking for food and shelter. Rats are less common, but can be found inside homes that are near their habitats.
Pest Control Services
If you just can’t seem to get rid of fruit flies in house (or other kitchen bugs), reach out for a free quote from Aptive Environmental. We deal with infestations all around the United States. Check out our professional and effective pest control to keep the pests away all year long.
