There are high chances that those insects you saw buzzing around your shelves are fruit flies. These notorious bugs can be problematic regardless of the seasons. But most often, you find them in summer as you approach fall. Their love for vegetables and ripe fruits is at another level and probably why they are frequent during that season.
Once you bring tomatoes, bananas, among other stuff from the garden, it is just a matter of time you begin to see these pesky bugs. They prefer breeding on overripe fruits. However, you can also find them on cleaning rags, alcohol cans, and garbage disposals.
These insects do not like clean surfaces. Therefore, before you even think deeper about how to get rid of fruit flies in the house, ensure that you clean the countertops. The sink drains should not have food particles as these places become a favorite breeding destination for fruit flies.
Washington State University reveals that their female can lay up to 500 eggs, and that is within a very short period. Therefore, you can see the tragedy that you could be in if you fail to get rid of fruit flies in time. The female lays their eggs either on the surface or inside an overripe fruit. They also like decaying and rotting fruits. This article gives you a detailed guide on how to get rid of fruit flies in the house.
Measures to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
1. Catch the fruit flies using a trap
One effective method to get rid of fruit flies is to use fly traps.
There are different types, and you choose according to your preference.
· Make a trap using dish soap
Another effective method to get rid of fruit flies is the use of a soap trap. Prepare a mixture of dish soap and water in a bowl and add two tablespoons of vinegar. Cider vinegar is the best in this case, and its role is to attract the insects. Once they get into the trap, they cannot float on the liquid since the dish soap breaks the surface tension. Therefore, they fall in, drown, and die.
a. Make a trap using vinegar
Take a bowl and place a little amount of red wine, apple cider, or balsamic vinegar at the bottom. Use a plastic wrap to cover the top. You can use a rubber band to ensure that the wrap remains in positions. You now need to create an entry into the bowl by poking holes on the wrap. When the flies get it through the entries, they are unable to crawl out. You place this vinegar trap in a place where there is most fruit fly activity. After a few days, get rid of fruit flies by throwing away the content.
b. Make a trap using a fruit
You can as well use a fruit trap to get rid of fruit flies. You place a ripe fruit such as a banana in the jar and cover it with a funnel. Once the insects move in, they are unable to fly away. You can add vinegar to the jar to make this trap more effective.
c. Get yourself a carnivorous plant.
Sundew plant feeds on insects.
You can use it in your garden, where it traps the fruit flies on its sticky leaves and feed on them. It is a great solution to get rid of fruit flies in the homestead.
2. Eliminate fruit flies breeding sites
Even as you seek to know how to get rid of fruit flies in the house, you need to remove the breeding sites. It is a very crucial measure since it hinders the multiplications of the current population. Remember, a female can lay 500 eggs, and you can imagine all those fruit flies.
a. Freeze waste produce before composting
If you are used to composting, it is time to change your habits. Fruit flies can move from the compost pile to the garden and other places around your house where they lay eggs. You could be wondering how to control fruit flies, yet that compost pile is the cause of all the troubles. To avoid the problem, freeze the fruits and vegetables to kill the insects and their eggs before you compost.
b. Hinder access to ripe fruits
The insects prefer ripe fruit, and as they continue to ripen, you notice these visitors begin to arrive. You should make sure that you store your fruits in the refrigerator if you are keen to get rid of fruit flies. If they are ripening, you can place it on the counter but ensure that they are in a paper bag; it should be tight in a way that the fruit flies cannot access.
c. Check for any rotting produce
Another way to get rid of fruit flies is to keep a check on rotten produce in the house. There could be juice spillage under the refrigerator, and that becomes a perfect breeding ground. Besides, you should cut and throw away any damaged part of the produce, according to entomologists at the University of Kentucky.
d. Avoid damp clothing around the kitchen
After using a kitchen towel, ensure you don’t leave it lying around. It is recommendable that you wash it daily since it can become a breeding site for the insects.
e. Maintain clean dishes
Another favorite breeding place for fruit flies is those dirty dishes. They can easily lay eggs on the gunk that collects on the plates. Ensure you wash as you use them. Additionally, you should not leave water or other liquids in any utensils, including cups.
3. Repel the fruit flies
Another way to get rid of fruit flies is by taking measures that repel them away.
a. Wash produce upon arrival
One way of introducing fruit flies into your house is by bringing produce from the grocery. But you don’t have to stop doing it. All you should do is to ensure that you wash vegetables and fruits immediately after you get home. While probably you have never thought of washing bananas, they could have a sticky substance on the skin. Such is very attractive to these insects. Therefore, ensure you wash any incoming produce and see how to get rid of fruit flies in your house becomes easy.
b. Use of essential oils
You can use essential oils to get rid of fruit flies in the house. The plant contains a repellant substance that keeps these insects away since they hate strong smells. What you need to do is to sprinkle the leaves of the plant on your fruits. Besides, you can soak the clothing in lavender oil and place it on the counter where there is a high fruit fly activity.
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