Here’s how to get rid of fruit flies in your Georgia home and keep them away for good
Where there’s yummy, sticky and sweet fruit, there’s the little pests that just won’t go away.
If fruit flies are in your Georgia home this time of year, you are not alone. In fact, summer is the perfect climate for them to roam and reproduce.
According to Active Pest Control in Locust Grove, Georgia, fruit flies are the most active during hot weather and a single generation of the pests can be made in a week when the temperature is between 80-89 degrees. And get this: female fruit flies have “incredible reproductive capabilities” because they can lay 500 eggs at one time.
Although there are over 177 different species of fruit flies, only eight of them are rampant in the US. They typically aren’t a health risk, just an annoyance. Here’s more about the tiny pests and how to get rid of them:
Why do they come around?
Their scientific name, Drosophila, means “lover of dew,” which shows their natural tendency to flock towards moist, sweet foods and juices.
According to the University of Georgia Extension in Madison County, “Fruit flies are commonly found in restaurants, markets, homes, and anywhere food is allowed to decay and ferment.”
They can be found on fermenting fruits and vegetables, and their favorites are ripe bananas, apples, melons and squash. However, fruit flies also gravitate towards garbage disposals, trash cans and unclean countertops.
In addition, they love thin films of water because this is where they primarily breed. So, things like sinks, showers and drain pipes are places where they will hang out for a long time if not clean.
How to get rid of them & keep them gone
Here are some tips from Active Pest Control:
Store all fruits, vegetables, and other food items in containers with tight fitting lids or in the refrigerator.
Do not store food out in the open on counters or tables.
Make sure to wash your dishes regularly; don’t leave them in your sink overnight. After washing the dishes make sure to rinse out the sink and routinely clean the sink drains to ensure that food particles aren’t accumulating in them.
Get creative and make a fruit fly trap; one of the most effective fruit fly trap uses apple cider vinegar (its sweet smell attracts the fruit flies) and dish soap. Pour ½- 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into a jar along with 1-2 drops of dish soap (this breaks the surface tension of the vinegar and causes the fruit flies to drown). Place a paper funnel that is secured with tape in the mouth of the jar to help the flies enter into the jar, but prevent them from being able to exit.
Invest in an insect eating plant. Sundews (Drosera) have leaves that naturally produce sweet juices; these secretions will attract fruit flies who will then become trapped in the leaves. Once they are trapped the plant will quickly digest the fruit flies, not only effective against fruit flies and other insects, but very cool to watch as well!
When all else fails, get out your trusty vacuum cleaner. After removing all possible food sources (see number 1 on the list) use the hose attachment to suck up all the pesky fruit flies that you can find.
If you still have problems with fruit flies when all is said and done, it’s probably time to call a local pest control expert.
This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 10:03 AM with the headline "Here’s how to get rid of fruit flies in your Georgia home and keep them away for good."
