We have all experienced that annoying problem of having Fruit flies in our home, around our food or even in a sweet drink that we might be enjoying. They are annoying to say the least and most of us are embarrassed when they show up while we are having company. There is nothing potentially worse than having to explain to your guest how fruit flies are getting into their drinks or on their food.
Where do Fruit Flies Come From?
Most of the time fruit flies come home from the grocery store in the bag of fruit that you have just purchased. Their eggs may be on the skin of the fruit or adults might even be in the bag. Either way, you are going to have a fruit fly problem very quickly. They also have a keen sense of smell and will be attracted to any fruit, sweet drink or even vinegar from outside of your home. They are small and get into your house through openings that you may not even realize you have.
If you have a fruit tree of some kind in your yard with fermenting fruit or you leave exposed fermenting fruit in the garbage there is a really good chance that fruit flies will find it and begin reproducing.
How fast do Fruit Flies Reproduce
The eggs are laid on the surface of the fruit and will hatch eight days later. This provides ample time for your fruit fly that came home in your grocery bag to lay eggs and have them hatch somewhere in your home. If the eggs are already on the fruit when it comes in the door, it is only a matter of a few days before you have a fruit fly explosion.
How to get Rid of Fruit Flies in the House
There are numerous ways to control fruit flies. Although you may never totally get rid of them they can be controlled and significantly reduced. One of the first steps is to never allow fruit to begin fermenting inside your home. Place the fruit in the garbage and tightly seal it. Wine glasses and glasses with fruit juice should never be left without cleaning for any amount of time. If you already have fruit flies there are several methods to try that will certainly reduce the population for you.
Apple Cider Vinegar – place some in a glass, cover it with plastic wrap and wrap an elastic band around the glass to hold the wrap in place. Poke a hole through the plastic so the fruit flies can get inside to the vinegar but not back out.
Vinegar and Soap – pour three drops of dish soap into a shallow dish of vinegar. The vinegar will attract the fruit flies and the soap decreases the surface tension of the fluid so that the flies sink to the bottom and die.
Glass, Paper and Fruit – place a fermenting piece of fruit into a glass. Roll a piece of paper into a cone shape and place it in the glass with the narrow end pointing into the glass. Again the flies will be able to get in, but find it difficult to get out.
Red Fruity Wine – This one is so easy. Just leave an open bottle or red wine, the fruitier the better on the counter with a little bit of wine in it. The flies will be attracted to the wine and enter the bottle to get at the wine, and will have a difficult time getting out through the narrow opening.
There are a number of commercial products on the market that will help you on how to get rid of fruit flies in the house, however many consumers report success with the above less expensive solutions. We suggest you try these first before spending your money on commercial products. Remember to keep your home clean and throw out all fruit that might attract fruit flies.
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