How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies In 2022

How annoying are fruit flies? These pests are in your home or office around dirty trash cans and old food. Fruit flies can get in your home the same way any other insect can, through cracks in doors or windows. They are largely seasonal, except in spots that are quite warm year-round, coming out the most in Spring and Summer. Here, Lookout Pest Control, formerly Any Pest Inc., discusses everything you need to know about fruit flies and useful ways to get rid of them in 2022. Check it out below and let us know what you think or if you have a new and improved method.

What Are Fruit Flies? 

Fruit flies are commonly found in homes and businesses during the Summer and early Fall months. They can be found in places where the windows are even closed shut at all times. Some may ask, why and how does this happen? These annoying pests make their way indoors on groceries and other objects. Luckily they don’t bite and aren’t capable of causing any damage to your home or furniture, but they do multiply quickly. These flies feed on overripe fruits, rotting vegetables, and pretty much anything else they can find. Common food sources include trash cans, backpacks and even your kitchen drain.

How Long Do They Live? 

Typically, a fruit fly will survive for roughly two to four weeks. With that being said, typical lifespan varies widely based on environmental conditions. Just because you don’t see them, doesn’t mean that they aren’t there. Conditions like water or moisture in your sink, decaying food, and dirty drains can lead to a fruit fly infestation. The larger source of food and water, the worse they will get. Females can lay hundreds of eggs on a single piece of food which will hatch and make the conditions worse. It’s important to take all preventative measures possible.

How Do You Get Rid Of Fruit Flies?

1. CLEAN! – The first and easiest thing you can do to eliminate fruit flies is quite simple, clean your home r business! Thoroughly wipe down and sanitize all countertops and surfaces. Clean out the drains and make sure they are free of food particles and residue as best you can. Neglecting to clean, your drains and countertops become the perfect place for fruit flies to breed.

2. Dispose Of Rotting Food – Inspect all your fruits and vegetables for rot, decay, or overripeness. If you notice any of your food rotting, decaying or looking questionable, dispose of it immediately to avoid females from laying their eggs on these surfaces.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar – Fill a bowl or glass with apple cider vinegar and cover it with plastic wrap. Seal the edges with a rubber band or tape, and puncture tiny holes in the plastic wrap. The vinegar will attract the fruit flies, and once they’re inside, they won’t be able to escape the plastic wrap barrier.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar & Dish Soap Combination – Fill a bowl with apple cider vinegar and add a drop or two of dish soap. Be sure to mix the combination well. The sweetness of the apple cider vinegar attracts flies, and the dish soap works to decrease the surface tension of the liquid, causing the flies to become immersed immediately upon investigating the solution and unable to escape.

5. Stale Beer Or Wine – Leave a bottle of old wine or beer out close to where the fruit flies were found. These annoying pests get lured in by the stale beverage and find their way into the bottles. The narrow neck of the bottle acts as a natural barrier to keep them trapped inside.

6. Traps – Furthermore, the last method we present today is fruit fly traps. You can buy these traps from most stores. Terro traps are a ready-to-use, non-staining lure which attracts adult fruit flies. Each trap lasts up to 45 days, giving you up to 90 days of protection! Another option is the Zevo traps. Zevo Flying Insect Trap uses light to continuously attract flying insects (house flies, fruit flies and gnats) and capture them onto an adhesive backing that you never have to touch without insecticides, odors or messes!

Need Local Pest Control? Call Us Today!

We have treated homes for pest infestations since 1989, so you can expect quality service from our experienced residential pest technicians. Our friendly service and thorough pest treatments prove that customer satisfaction is paramount to our success. We focus on treating the bugs outside of your home, and stopping them before they can get inside, reducing the number of treatments needed inside your home. We provide continual training to ensure that all of our residential pest technicians constantly exceed industry standards. Give us a call today for service!