Four Tips for Preventing Fruit Flies

Drosophila melanogaster or fruit flies are a species of small fly that weighs in at a whopping 4 mm long. Fruit fly sightings are most prominent in the summer, but fruit flies are most attracted to ripened or fermenting fruit, making them a year-round pest problem.

Fruit flies reproduce rapidly, with their larvae developing well in most areas with standing water. Aside from rotting fruit, fruit flies are also very attracted to alcohol and can be found hovering around empty beer or liquor bottles.

Here are four tips for preventing fruit flies:

• Eliminate spoiled food: Spoiled food items are breeding sources for fruit flies, so the most effective way to take care of this infestation is to throw away old food. Also, be sure to store leftovers in air-tight containers within your refrigerator.
• Rinse out glass jars and bottles: Before tossing an empty glass jar or bottle in the recycling bin, be sure to rinse them out so that remnants of their content don’t attract a swarm of fruit flies.
• Use apple cider vinegar and dish soap: Several DIY fruit fly traps can help eliminate fruit flies from your home, but the most effective is mixing apple cider vinegar with dish soap. Fill a small bowl or glass with vinegar, a small amount of dish soap, and mix well. Then cover the top of the container with plastic wrap, seal the edges, and make tiny holes on the top of the plastic wrap. The apple cider vinegar tempts fruit flies with its sweetness while the dish soap traps them so they cannot escape.
• Over-the-Counter Products: There are also plenty of over-the-counter products available to consumers for controlling a fruit fly infestation, but they only address part of the issue. Always remember, the best way to prevent fruit flies is to eliminate their breeding ground by properly discarding old food and keeping your kitchen and disposal areas dry.

Fruit flies aren’t the only pests attracted to moist, damp areas; mosquitoes breed within standing water. For help fighting the bite, contact your local Mosquito Squad today!