They're tiny, they're a nuisance and they seemingly come out of nowhere. They are fruit flies, and while they’ll be gone when the crisp weather of early fall comes rolling in, during the summer months they are in prime season and can be a big nuisance.
Fruit flies are tiny enough (⅛") that they can sneak into your home through the tiniest space around windows or doors, or even fly right through your window screen. You may even be bringing them right into your home yourself.
How’s that? Fruit flies can, unbeknownst to you, enter your home on fruits or vegetables you bring in from the grocery store, farmer’s market or your own garden. When fruit is overripe or starts to go bad it begins to ferment, producing alcohol, which attracts fruit flies. As they gobble up the fermenting fruit, they can lay hundreds of eggs which hatch into larvae in mere hours. Additionally, fruit flies have a notoriously short life cycle, going from egg to adult in about a week, ensuring an almost- constant breeding cycle
Fruit Fly Infestation: How to Prevent and Treat
Here are few things you can do to prevent a fruit fly invasion in your home:
- Slow down the ripening of fruit and vegetables by keeping them refrigerated
- Fruit stored on countertops should be washed well and covered
- Empty kitchen trash cans often, especially if they contain food items
- Keep your garbage disposal and sinks clean
- Use a fruit fly trap to contain a small fly invasion. The TERRO® fruit fly trap uses an apple cider vinegar- based lure to attract flies to the trap. Placed near prime breeding areas, the trap captures adult fruit flies and ends the breeding cycle. Another plus, the cute apple design fits nicely into any kitchen. It's the most attractive fruit fly prevention method available!