Where do fruit flies come from? It only takes a moment of inattention, a leftover core left on the table or countertop, a sliced tomato, or even a piece of peel, and in no time, swarms of tiny flies will be hovering above the table's surface. Wild yeasts, which appear on the surface of fruits or vegetables due to fermentation, attract fruit flies that feed on these wild yeasts. Despite being tiny and not biting, they pose a significant problem as they can carry pathogenic microorganisms dangerous to our health. Besides, the sight of swarms of flies hovering over food is not pleasant.
Why should you get rid of fruit flies?
Fruit flies, like other flying insects, can be a significant problem, especially since once they appear, they multiply at an alarming rate. If nothing is done, after a few hours there will be many of them. More flies will land not only on fruits or vegetables but also on furniture and kitchen appliances. They will quickly be found on most food items left outside the fridge or cupboards.
Fruit flies like to sit on garbage bins, where you can find many types of bacteria. If they later move to a piece of fruit or kitchen appliance, there is a good chance that these harmful microorganisms will be transferred to them. And this can already pose a real health risk, especially for small children. Fortunately, there are quite a few effective ways to get rid of fruit flies from the home. We present the most popular and proven ways to get rid of these pesky pests from the kitchen.
How to get rid of fruit flies - what to do first
The first method is to prevent fruit flies from appearing in the home. It's worth ensuring this, especially in summer, as warm air speeds up fermentation processes that attract flies. Therefore, it is important to keep the garbage bin tightly closed and to empty it more often than in cooler seasons. You also need to make sure not to leave cores or peels and seeds with fruit remnants in the rooms.
All fruits and vegetables that are sliced, bitten, or peeled should be stored in the refrigerator or placed in airtight containers. It is worth remembering that fruit flies not only enjoy the smell of fermenting fruits but also jams, preserves, and even wine. If you leave open jars or bottles somewhere, you can be sure that fruit flies will appear quickly. First and foremost, make sure to keep the kitchen tidy, but it may also turn out that flies appear in other rooms. If they are in the kitchen, they can fly to the bathroom, where they will be attracted to toothbrushes that are not thoroughly rinsed.
How to fight fruit flies – the most popular methods
Actually, every housewife has her own proven methods for getting rid of insects from the kitchen, but if you don't know how to tackle fruit flies, check out the most popular tricks.
Traps for fruit flies,
hairdryer,
special strips,
dishwashing liquid,
scented candles.
Fruit flies are attracted by the smell of yeasts appearing on rotting fruits. Therefore, hygiene is most important; if tips like regularly washing dishes and kitchen counters and storing fruits don’t work, it's time to use effective methods against fruit flies. You can find various traps or strips for fruit flies in stores, and even electric deterrents. However, you can also manage without additional financial outlays using home remedies. Basic products that everyone surely has at home are sufficient.
Home remedies for fruit flies
Fruit flies love food scraps and rotting fruits, so the easiest way is to lure them into a trap that emits such a smell. The simplest method is to place fruits or a little apple cider vinegar in a small jar and cover the top of the container with a thin cling film. Use a toothpick to make several small holes in the film through which flies can enter.
Fruit flies are lured by the smell of fruits and will enter the container, but they will not be able to get out of it. Similarly, you can use bottles with narrow necks, flies that find themselves in the lower part of the bottle will not get out. Apart from fruits, you can put apple cider vinegar mixed with dishwashing liquid in the container.
An equally effective, though more drastic method to get rid of fruit flies is to expose the flies to a hot stream of air from a hairdryer. The fruit trap works more slowly but is just as effective. We can easily combat fruit flies in the kitchen, but if we don't remember to maintain proper hygiene and food storage methods, we won't prevent their appearance. A moment of inattention and these small insects can take over the entire kitchen.