Keeping Fruit Flies out of the Kitchen
Most of us in New England are no stranger to the occasional fruit fly in our kitchen, especially during the late summer or early fall. While these minuscule flies don’t bite or sting, they can still be a huge nuisance, especially if you can’t tell where they’re coming from! How can you prevent fruit flies in your house? We’ve got some answers for you!
Where Do Fruit Flies Come From?
Contrary to what some people believe, fruit flies are not spontaneously born inside rotting fruit. It may seem like they appear out of nowhere, but fruit flies actually detect the yeast in decaying organic matter from various distances and seek it out. Considering they’re so small they can fit through holes in door and window screens, it isn’t too difficult for fruit flies to invade your home.
How Can You Prevent Fruit Flies?
Prevention is key! Follow these tips to help keep your home fruit fly-free:
- Only keep fresh fruit on the counter! First thing’s first: dispose of any rotting fruit or vegetables on the counter. Bag it up and bring it outside to the garbage bin, or toss it in your compost pile outside. You can also consider keeping fruit inside your fridge.
- Take out your trash and recycling frequently. Especially if you don’t have covered bins, be sure not to let your trash or food waste pile up. Anything sweet and fermented–with a little moisture– is the perfect breeding ground for fruit flies.
- Replace old sponges, mops, or rags. Fruit flies can breed here too. If you can’t remember the last time you changed your kitchen mop or rags, consider swapping them out. Making sure you hang your mops up to dry is an important preventative measure.
- Wash dishes immediately. No more leaving dirty dishes for days on end! (yes, some people “save up” their dirty dishes, yikes!). To keep fruit flies from hovering around your sink, clean and put away your dishes as soon as possible.
- Check on those potato and onion bins. Some people forget about their potatoes or onions if they’re stored out of sight. Check on these often, and toss any mushy ones.
- Keep the kitchen clean! Give your kitchen a thorough cleaning, and regularly wipe your counters and floors. Be sure to immediately clean up any spills and crumbs!
What Should You Do if You Have a Fruit Fly Infestation?
If you follow all the tips above and you still aren’t able to prevent fruit flies from infesting your home, you may need to call in the pros. Feel free to give Graduate Pest Solutions a call if you want some help getting rid of fruit flies, or any other pests!
