The fruit fly is one of the most common pests found in and around the home. Fruit flies get their name because they tends to fly around sweet food like fruit. Although fruit flies will thrive on just about anything organic, fruit flies have become a major pest in the home due to the increase of vegetable and fruit consumption. People are eating more vegetables and fruit and with this consumption comes the increase of fruit flies.

 

FRUIT FLY BIOLOGY

Fruit fly eggs are carried home on the produce when it is purchased at the grocery. Fruit fly eggs are already laid on the fruit or fruit fly adults simply hitch a ride on the foodstuff and emerge when unpacked. Developing fruit fly pupa are hard to see and typically go unnoticed. Within a few days of being brought home they will start to hatch.

 

FRUIT FLY PROBLEMS

Once in your kitchen, fruit flies will find a ready supply of food and attempt to establish themselves. Fruit flies love garbage disposals, garbage cans and fruit bowls. Washing produce will help to remove fruit fly eggs and pupae but it’s hard to get 100% removed. Once they hatch, fruit flies will hover over the sink, garbage or fruit bowls searching for anything sweet to eat and lay eggs. They multiply quickly and will nest in several areas if there is a food supply to feed their larva.

 

WHAT DO FRUIT FLIES LOOK LIKE?

Fruit flies are small, about 1/8 of an inch, and have bright red to orange eyes which distinguishes a fruit fly from other species. Fruit fly eggs will hatch in less than two days and young will eat and pupate in under 8 days. Although infestations do not get huge, fruit flies will be persistent and aggravating if left unattended. The following video shows a closeup of two fruit flies where you can see their large red eyes.






FRUIT FLY TREATMENTS

The best way to get fruit fly control is to first locate their food supply. If you eliminate what they are feeding and breeding on, fruit fly control will be quicker and more complete. Once you remove any food sources, the following treatment options work well for getting rid of fruit flies.




SPACE SPRAYING FOR FRUIT FLIES

1) For most people, killing the fruit flies that are flying around with a space spray seems like the best thing to do. Space sprays are products that can be applied to the air and are safe for kitchens and other open areas where fruit flies like to hang around. For these locations, products like PT-565 is a good option. It uses pyrethrin as the active ingredient and is both fast acting with very little having to be applied for quick results.

PT-565: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-565-xlo




The organic choice equally effective. Known as FLYING INSECT KILLER it too will work quickly and will only require a little bit to be applied where you see activity. Both products can be used daily as needed but be prepared to use them quite a bit since neither will really “solve” the problem.

Organic Flying Insect Killer: http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/aerosol/flying-insect-killer-14-oz




2) Since space sprays only kill adults, fruit flies will quickly replace the ones you’ve killed if you don’t break their life cycle. One of the more effective products for doing this is the use of growth hormone like GENTROL AEROSOL. Odorless and easy to apply, Gentrol will break the cycle by preventing the eggs from developing into reproducing adults. It’s good to use when the exact breeding location is unknown but the population keeps rebounding and you have an idea where it might be centered. Keep in mind the Gentrol is not an adulticide. That means it will not kill the adults you see; it only affects the young. So if you’re seeing a lot of adults, you should get both the Gentrol (for long term control) and one of the space sprays mentioned under section 1).

Gentrol Aerosol:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/gentrol-aerosol-16-oz




3) Additionally, fruit flies can be caught with traps like the NATURAL CATCH FRUIT FLY TRAPS or FRUIT FLY GLASS TRAPS. Both can help keep down adult populations throughout the warm season without having to rely on the space sprays nearly as much. And since fruit flies tend to be active around food, the traps make it easy to treat these sensitive areas since you can set them right out in the open with no safety concerns or preparation like you must do every time you want to spray.

Natural Catch Traps: http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/fly/natural-catch-fruit-fly-trap




4) If you have a sink or drain system that is prone to having organic matter like food or grease build up, you’ll need to pour some SURVIVORS down the drain a regular basis. It will eat away the organic matter the fruit flies need for reproduction. And spraying some GENTROL AEROSOL down the drain can really help as well.

Survivors: http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/survivors

Gentrol Aerosol:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/gentrol-aerosol-16-oz




This video shows how easy it is to treat for fruitflies in the home using some of the products mentioned above.




Fruit flies can be a persistent pest in the home. Though most common in the summer, they can persist throughout the winter if they find a location in the home on which to breed and nest. Treat with the Gentrol for long term control and keep some of the Fruitfly Traps out when adults are active. Use one of the space sprays to knock out persistent adults and you’ll be able to keep them under control.

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Email questions here:   http://www.bugspray.com/about-us/contact-us

Order online and get a 5% discount! We ship fast with 99.9% of all orders shipping within 1 business day!!

CONTACT US

Give us a call if you need further help. Our toll free is 1-800-877-7290 and we’re open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. On Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM and on Saturday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time).

Email questions here:   http://www.bugspray.com/about-us/contact-us

Order online and get a 5% discount! We ship fast with 99.9% of all orders shipping within 1 business day!!