How to get rid of fruit flies?
The first step in removing a fruit fly infestation is to first determine where they are susceptible to lay their eggs upon in the first place. The gimmick in combating them is to understand their patterns.
Since the larvae are slow and quite vulnerable, they will lay the eggs near or on top of the sources of nourishment. Furthermore, they will frequently lay their eggs on top of said source, but not always.
Here is a funny video if you want to apply some out of the box methods. Otherwise, go ahead to the list of methods and how to apply them:
List of methods:
| Substance | Organic | Role and effectiveness | How/where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| White vinegar | Yes | Bait/Effective | Use it in traps (fill cups/bowls), cover them with plastic foils and poke small holes. It will attract them and they will drown since the vinegar excretes a scent that is alluring to fruit flies. Add some soapy water for good measure, since it reduces water tension and they will drown Or boil it + with hot water and use it to clean drains/pipes where there is an infestation. Add some baking soda for good measure. |
| Apple cider vinegar | Yes | Bait/Effective | See white vinegar (trap). |
| Bleach | No | Direct killer/Ineffective | It will not kill them, and it will actually attract them. Avoid using bleach. |
| Wine | Yes | Bait/Effective | See white vinegar (trap). |
| Lemon | Yes | Bait/Effective | See white vinegar (trap). |
| Bananas | Yes | Bait/Effective | See white vinegar (trap). But instead of drowning, let them there to starve to death. It is slower, but it will work. Coating the bowl/jar with honey will only make it more efficient and deadlier to it since they will stick to it and die in short order. |
| Beer | Yes | Bait/Effective | See white vinegar (trap). The unfiltered variant works best. The absolute killer here is the unfiltered all-natural craft beer. |
| Soda/Juice | Yes/No | Killer/Effective | See white vinegar (trap). Natural juices, such as orange juice, will work superbly like vinegar due to the natural sugars. This also works with carbonated sodas such as coke. |
| Industrial sprays | No | Killer/Effective | Just spray the affected areas/suspected breeding grounds and that is all. You will find a few spray examples in the article below. |
| Honey | Yes | Bait/Effective | See bananas (trap). |
| Soapy water | No | Killer/Effective | See white vinegar (trap). |
| Smoke/Incense | Yes | Killer/Effective | Smoke and burning incense will simply suffocate the flies. Go for the smoke option if you want to deal with the method properly and fast. Use the incense if you don't want to smoke your house and if you want to leave a pleasant smell behind. |
| Dish soap | No | Killer/Effective | See white vinegar (trap). |
| Baking soda | No | Killer/Effective | See white vinegar (the pipe cleaning part). |
| Sugar water | Yes | See white vinegar (trap). | |
| Syrup | Yes | Bait/Ineffective | Despite being sugary, syrup does not have the necessary natural properties to attract flies efficiently. Avoid it and pick other methods. |
| Ammonia | No | Killer/Effective | It works just like the vinegar pipe cleaning. Mix 1/8 cup of household ammonia with one gallon of tap water and pour it down the drain. Add some baking soda to it for good measure. Leave it undisturbed for some time. |
| Borax | No | Killer/Effective | Cover a ”bait” food source with Borax and leave it be. The substance will not only kill them prematurely but will also cause their young to not develop/die. |
| Essential oils | Yes | Deterrent/Effective | Some, like Camphor, Peppermint, Lavender, Lemongrass, and Clove will effectively deter, but not kill fruit flies. Coat possible entrances in your house (windows, doors, cracks, etc) or places where they might congregate (kitchen fruit bowls, near alcohol, etc). It will keep them away. |
| Peppermint | Yes | Deterrent/Effective | See essential oils. |
| Dish soap | No | Killer/Effective | See soapy water. |
| Hydrogen peroxide | No | Killer/Effective | Just pour down the drain and it will do the job. After leaving it undisturbed for some time, rinse the drain with water. |
In houses
Although when mentioning hose I am automatically including everything that is below, this sub-section shall refer to a more general approach. The others, however, shall constitute a more niche analysis on fruit fly removal.
Organic
The first true organic method of removal is to simply get rid of their food sources and optimal breeding grounds that lay in the open. Namely, get rid of any organic material that starts to go bad (including plants if they are infested) or any other affected source, like mops, dirty drains and old sponges.
Furthermore, if you keep the place spot-clean, the problem will more or less be solved by itself. Fruit flies breed fast and consume stuff at astral rates. This means that if you deplete their food sources, they will basically starve themselves. This will either force them to leave and find other suitable feeding/breeding grounds or simply die off.
And by keeping the place spot clean, I mean:
- Getting rid of spoiled food;
- Keeping cabinets, trash cans and other such things clean of any scraps of food;
- Keep your place dry (cabinets, sinks, mops, rags, etc);
- Dispose of your dirty mops, rags, sponges, etc;
- Regularly wash your place;
- Empty your trash cans.
When dealing with fruit flies ”organically”, you just need to remove their sources of livelihood, and the problem will solve itself, for the most part.
Non-organic
Remember, they are attracted to the process of fermentation. Thus, the best way to get rid of them is to use their own abilities against them. Namely, start getting acquainted with homemade traps.
A good homemade fruit fly trap is the beer trap. For it to work, place some beer (unfiltered is the best) in a glass bottle, with a paper funnel out the top. It will draw them in, but they will not be able to find the exit. Leave it for as long as you require and it will solve your problems really well.
Another way, should you want to buy your traps, is to look on sites like Amazon for specifically made liquid fruit fly traps. They use the natural scents that attract them against themselves with ruthless efficiency. The same goes for the sticky traps.
In kitchens
Organic
A good organic solution is to use their affinity for vinegar against themselves. Take a cup/hollow dish and fill it with apple cider vinegar. Place a plastic wrap on it and poke a few holes with something really thin (needle/toothpick). Make sure that they are not more than 1mm in width. Leave it then in the affected areas and watch as they fall into the trap and drown.
Repeat this process daily and with as many containers as necessary. That or put a banana peel into a jar with the same plastic wrap top. The small holes will allow them to enter but will seal them in, as they won’t be able to exit. Let them in until they all die of starvation or drowning.
Non-organic
A great non-organic method of removing fruit flies from your kitchen is Aunt Fannie’s Fruit Fly Trap. This is due to how safe it is near food (no toxicity) and how simple it is to use (just open the top and place where needed). That, or use a sticky, non-toxic trap such as the Zero In Fruit Fly Trap. Simply hang it on a kitchen counter and leave it be.
In the drains
Those little pests will gladly live and breed within drainage systems, as they provide the necessary food and moisture they require. furthermore, what you might believe to be fruit flies living down there might actually be drain flies.
Organic
Regardless of species, simply flooding the pipe with tap water will not get rid of them. You will need to first weaken them.
To do this, pour boiling water/vinegar down the drain. This, in theory, should kill most of them. However, it rarely does by itself, unless you repeat the process a few times.
Non-organic
The best non-organic remover of not only fruit flies, but also drain flies, is the Green Gobbler. Its thick gel sticks unto the drain walls and makes sure to remove any pests down there. It is also non-caustic, thus, no damaged pipes.
For plants
Organic
The most organic solution for dealing with fruit flies near your plants is to remove any rotting organic material near them, including rotting leaves and flowers. That and use the aforementioned apple cider vinegar trap.
Also, monitor your watering closely. Fruit flies thrive in moist environments. You can lower their numbers by not overly-watering your houseplants. This is due to how their eggs will die off if the soil is not always moist and damp. Water your plants once every 1/2 weeks.
Also, after watering and leaving it to absorb, remove any moisture from the plant saucers. This will help with the dry-killing process.
Non-organic
As for the less organic varriants, other than the aforementioned traps, mix 1/2 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid with one cup of lukewarm water. Place the concoction in a spray bottle and spray the flies on the plant. Then, wipe the flies off the plant.
Another method involves using pesticides. Sprays such as CB 80 Aerosol, PT 565 Plus and Styker 54 do wonders. Just spray the plants or directly on the flies and they will die off.
For soil
Organic
Just as with the plants, make sure that it is not always moist. Sure, rainfall will butcher your plans, but that depends on region-specific weather.
Furthermore, you might also remove the top layer of the soil and replace it with a fresh one. This is due to how they lay their eggs in this layer. That, or place a few centimeters of sand/gravel/decorative moss on top of it. This will deter most pests from laying eggs there. Also, never re-use the same potting soil if you have an infestation.
Non-organic
The best way of killing fruit flies that infest large swathes of land is to spray them with pesticides. Stuff like the CyKick Cs (mix with 1/2 gallons of water and use a pesticide sprayer), CB 80 Aerosol, PT 565 Plus and Styker 54 work especially well.
In-office
Organic
The most organic solution, other than the natural vinegar traps, to get rid of them is to keep everything clean. Remove any spoiled food, keep the counters and the desks clean, regulate the moisture with dehumidifiers, and clean any dishes, cups, and bottles.
Non-organic
Not being a place where you want odors, the sticky, non-toxic traps such as the Zero In Fruit Fly Trap are the best non-organic solution to this problem.
In bathrooms
Organic
Just like the kitchen, the best prevention method is to keep everything clean, especially the sink (use the aforementioned boiling vinegar/water method).
Non-organic
The non-organic solution consists of sticky traps, liquid traps and spraying pesticides in cracks or suspected areas.
In a bar
Organic
Again, prevention is best here. Keep everything clean and dry. Wash and wipe the bar regularly, take out the trash and do not let any organic material to spoil freely.
Also, cover all the open bottles when not in use, as the alcohol will only invite the fruit flies to the party. Pour spout covers and hinged flip pourers are also a must-have.
Lastly, use the vinegar traps at your leisure; people will probably not mind the smells since the bar will already smell of alcohol.
Non-organic
Sticky traps, liquid traps, and spray like the CB 80 Aerosol, PT 565 Plus and Styker 54 all work incredibly well.
Natural repellents and predators
The problem with their natural predators is that they are also considered, for the most part, to be pests. This is why you rarely, if ever, seem to hear of such methods being used.
However, should you have the will, space, and resources necessary to use predators against them, they are as follows:
- Frogs (best for gardens with small ponds);
- Spiders;
- Ants;
- Staphylinid Beetles;
- Chickens (not pests – eat larvae and pupae);
- Predaceous Wasps;
- Mites;
- Crickets.
As you can see, only the chicken is a ”friendly” repellant, and this is only in a limited fashion. You are best not to rely on their predators to get rid of them.
Where do fruit flies come from?
Fruit flies are a sub-species of flies that belong to the vast and diverse Drosophilidae fly family. Throughout our history, fruit flies have become more and more of a hazard. The main reason for this is that their preferred nutrition sources are, coincidentally, the same as ours.
Fruits, vegetables, wine, and other fermented beverages, are the quintessential means of survival for any self-respecting fruit-fly. Thus, we are basically encouraging them to swarm our households and our crops. And they are, weirdly enough, both a blessing and a curse upon the world. They are beneficial to the natural order since they serve two distinct functions:
- they act as a food source for other creatures, mainly birds and spiders; and
- they are some of nature’s vast waste cleaning crew.
To be more precise, they consume the fruits that are laying on the ground, allowing for the seeds to get into the soil and continue the natural cycle.
However, the ”problems” lay with their effect on the human world, since they are of no beneficial use to us. What they serve positively in nature, they simultaneously do as pests when it comes to us. All because their fine method of cleaning does not bode well for human health and safety, especially when talking about the insides.
And they will always find a way inside because they are incredibly small. So small in fact, that regardless of whether or not you closed any door, nook and cranny, they will eventually find a way to enter your house.
This is only aided by their natural guiding system, which acts as a homer-beacon device, guiding them to any over-ripe fruit. That is because of the smell of said organic material, which acts akin to pheromones to them. And the ”pheromones” they are attracted to are actually the alcohol produced by the decomposing organic matter.
Why are they considered pests
Other than the fact that they render freshly ripe organic material unconsumable by us humans, they are carriers of filth and disease. By flying around and landing in places that are filthy in nature, they can easily pick up germs, filth, and other contaminants.
And by zooming around our food, they are sure to spread with us those ”gifts”. And not only the adults, as their larvae carry the same threat level to our health. At best, they might provoke mild stomach distress in the affected people. At worst, they might infect said people with outright dangerous diseases.
What attracts fruit flies?
Although there are many things that attract fruit flies, they are mainly driven by their hunger. However, they lack the mandibular capabilities necessary to consume food in the way we and other creatures of nature do it. Thus, they surpass this hinderance by exclusively relying on liquids to gain their necessary nourishment.
And they, through a lengthy process of evolution, have evolved an uncanny ability to sense fermented fruit and other such delicacies from miles away. Thus, it is not only that they are attracted by every sweet fruit out there in nature, but will also be attracted to any fruit that might lay around in your house.
This is especially true with fruit that was left on a fruit stand which, when in direct contact with air, will start to slowly ferment. And they will not stop at fruits. Wine, vinegar, mead, natural juices, and many others are a staple of those fine connaisseurs.
Which is why they will always seem to always pester you whenever you will unload a fresh bag of fruits into a fruit stand, or when you pour yourself a nice glass of fruit juice. Furthermore, there is yet another catch.
Fruit flies are, by no means, attracted to only rotting fruits and vegetables. This is due to how they might also be attracted by non-food items. Namely, stuff that emanates specific smells, like damp mops, moist cleaning rags, and wastewater. They are also attracted to such things because they do not require much in the way of surroundings.
Sure, fruits, vegetables, and plants are ideal, since they provide a nice food source. However, they only require a thin layer of fermentation, which can occur with the aforementioned cleaning items, to lay their eggs.
Environmental conditions
Weather, humidity, and temperature
Fruit flies prefer wet, damp and temperate environments.
When it comes to breeding, they will always choose wet/damp environments, around 70 degrees fahrenheit/20 degrees celsius. After emerging, you will always see them where the average temperatures range around 71 and 79 degrees fahrenheit/22 and 26 degrees celsius.
Thus, you should remember that dry and/or cold environments will both slow/stop their development and kill them, including their eggs.
But Where Are They During the Cold Months?
Unlike other pests, they constitute only a ”mild” threat throughout the year, since they only seem to appear to annoy us throughout the hot summer months. This is because they are especially susceptible to cold, meaning that they will only buzz around for about 4-5 months yearly.
One might assume, thus, that they die off. Well, the ones that had hatched actually do, seeing as how their adult life goes for about 8-10 days. The issue lies with their unborn children, which go through a process we know as diapause, which is essentially their version of hibernation.
This is elaborated in a 2006 study from the University of Toronto, which confirms that they ”hibernate”. Namely, their eggs go through a process of ”freezing” their development, basically stopping time until the temperatures once again hit the summer standards. Then, when the weather is just ok enough, they will emerge once again to continue a new cycle of feeding and breeding.
How do they reproduce?
Just like any other ”pest” species, fruit flies breed at a stellar rate. Their females are capable, during their quite short life span of about 10 days, of laying hundreds of eggs, about 500 on average.
And this is where the problems start since their presence often spells doom for crops if not removed as fast as possible. Note that, despite being known as fruit flies, they also love to nest inside juicy vegetables. However, they prefer to lay within stuff that is sweet and ferments, since it is a natural defense mechanism for their larvae.
Read below for further details. Thus, despite being capable of annihilating various crops, they mostly prefer juicy fruits.
Breeding process
Their breeding process is composed of 3 stages:
Eggs
This is the first step of their life, occurring after the female was impregnated. The eggs, numbering about 500 on average, are laid in fruits or other sugary materials, such as juicy, sweet vegetables. The gimmick here is that they also choose spoiled organic material.
This is due to how fermenting and rotting organic materials keep other pests and predators away. It also constitutes a surefire way to provide sustenance to the larvae. They also have a tendency of choosing ”habitats” that range in temperatures around that of room temperatures. That translates to about 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 23 to 26 degrees Celsius.
Their eggs are incredibly small, at about 1/2 mm in length. In optimal temperatures, they will hatch in about 24 to 30 hours, depending on the species.
Larvae
After hatching, they emerge as larvae and immediately start to feed on the rotting organic material. They are particularly attracted to the juicy and sweet parts of the fruits/vegetables. During this process, they consume as much of it as possible, as they require to store energy and nutrients for the next stage in their life cycle.
After that, they search for cooler and drier areas where they could start their pupation process. This stage, combined with the egg-borne stage, will usually last for about 7-8 days.
Pupae and metamorphosis
After starting their pupation process, they go through metamorphosis, where they transform from larvae into adults. During metamorphosis, they undergo three distinct stages called instars. During the last one, they use their last-stage larval skin in order to form the hard and dark pupal shell and start the process propper.
About 6 days after entering this process, the larvae emerge as adults. 48 hours after emerging, the females mature sexually, ready to start the process all over again. Furthermore, they can mate with multiple males and store the sperm received in order to use it for later egg production/fertilization.
Birth protection mechanisms
One quirky thing about their reproductive cycle is how evolution has made them ingenious little things. Seeing as how they lack proper means to defend their eggs as bees and wasps do with numbers and venom, fruit flies have their own gimmick. Namely, they switch to laying their eggs within alcohol-laden food sources, like fermenting or even rotting fruits.
Those are optimal conditions since they provide a nesting place, a constant food source for the larvae and most importantly, a form of protection. This is due to how despite such odious smells being repulsive to most of their predators and other parasites, they have no issue with them.
As such, they are what could be called a sanctuary, since the smells and tastes do not bother the larvae by the slightest. Pretty nifty, huh? Well, this is why they are such an annoyance.
Their reproductive cycle will irreversibly damage good fruit and create even more problems than there would be without them when speaking of rotting fruit. The most common example here would be orchard fruits that fell from the trees on the ground.
However, this will fortunately not always be the case. See, the aforementioned process is a defense gimmick that they have evolved to counter some parasitic species, such as wasps.
The wasps, by their nature, have a low tolerance to alcohol, and will always avoid infecting fruit fly larvae that were nested within alcohol ridden sources, since it would kill their own. Thus, this will only occur when the female fruit fly will spot only the females of such species prowling around. This natural effect will not trigger when males from said species are around.
This is important since such knowledge will help you in managing and controlling their spread, especially if you know that there are wasps around. By limiting their breeding grounds (removing rotting fruit and other such sources), you are basically decapitating the beast before it was birthed.
Where are they frequently found in the US?
Just like with the rest of the world, the US will see most infestations occur in homes, restaurants, and markets/grocery stores. The reasons why this is have already been covered.