How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies

Flies

• House Flies
• Fruit Flies
• Horse Flies
• Crane Fly
• Gnats

Fruit Flies Drosophila species

Identification

Color: Tan / light abdomen

Size: 1/8 of an inch

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Shape: Small oval

Region: Found throughout U.S.

What is a Fruit Fly?

Fruit flies are a type of fly found throughout the United States that often infest homes containing ripe, rotting, or decayed fruit and produce. They are known for their ability to rapidly reproduce and can be found indoors year-round. Depending on the conditions, fruit flies can live 25 to 30 days.

What Do Fruit Flies Look Like?

Adult fruit flies are typically brown or tan and 3 to 4 millimeters long. They usually have red eyes with a tan thorax and black and grey abdomen. Fruit flies have six legs and are small and oval with antennae.

Signs of a Fruit Fly Infestation

Fruit flies are often seen flying around in kitchens or trash cans near the rotting or decaying fruit and produce. Another sign of an infestation is the mature larvae of fruit flies that crawl out of breeding material to pupate in a nearby spot.

Where Do Fruit Flies Come From?

Because they seemingly appear out of nowhere, people experiencing an infestation often wonder where fruit flies come from.

Fruit flies make their way into the home though open doors or windows if they sense a food source, or sometimes via garden crops. They are also attracted to overripe fruit on the counter or any fermenting matter in drains, mops, and trash bins.

Fruit Fly Habits

Fruit flies are attracted to and eat rotting food. They especially like fruits and vegetables as well as fermenting liquids like beer, liquor, and wine. Fruit flies are also attracted to and sometimes breed in dark, moist, and unsanitary environments like drains, garbage disposals, and trash bins where rotting produce materials may collect.

Because they reproduce very quickly, fruit fly extermination can be difficult. Female fruit flies can lay around 500 eggs, which can hatch in as little as 24 hours. Similar to other fly species, fruit flies have a four-stage lifecycle, which can be completed in as little as a week in ideal conditions.

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Are Fruit Flies a Threat?

Not only are fruit flies a nuisance pest but, much like house flies, they are also capable of contaminating food with harmful bacteria and disease-causing pathogens. It’s important to understand how to get rid of fruit flies if you suspect an infestation.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

A major step in fruit fly extermination is the elimination of their feeding and breeding grounds. If you identify a fruit fly infestation in your kitchen, dispose of all over-ripe or decaying fruit and produce.

To prevent and get rid of fruit flies: 

• Be sure that all windows and doors seal properly to prevent fruit flies from entering the home.
• Regularly wipe counters and empty trash cans.
• Clean drain lines, garbage disposals and any location where food waste accumulates.
• Store produce in air-tight containers or refrigerators.
• Inspect any fruits or vegetables brought into the home.

Contact a licensed pest control professional if you suspect an infestation, to learn more about how to get rid of fruit flies and, if necessary, to schedule a fruit fly extermination. You can find one with the helpful zip code search below.

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More From Our Experts Flies are a common pest around the world. Although flies have short lifespans, they are able to quickly reproduce in large numbers and are also capable of spreading various dangerous diseases. What are horse flies and how do you deal with them? Horse fly bites can ruin even the best beach days. See our tips on dealing with horse flies at the beach. Although house flies are a familiar disturbance, they are also a major carrier of communicable diseases. Learn how to prevent them from entering the home.