Fruit Flies
All you ever wanted (or didn’t want) to know about ….
Fruit Flies!
Have you ever left out fruit for a little longer than you should have and encountered tiny little gnats along the way? Most likely, these were fruit flies, a common yet irritating little pest that if left unchecked, will breed by the thousands in a very short period of time. While fruit flies are more of a nuisance than anything, they do have the potential to contaminate foods with pathogens (disease causing bacteria).
Breeding Habits and Lifecycle
In Ontario, fruit flies are most commonly found in the summer and fall months (when we harvest most of our local foods), although we can see signs of them in the winter and spring as well. They are attracted to ripe or fermenting fruits and vegetables including:
Ripened Bananas Apples Melons Grapes Squash Potatoes Onions
In their short lifespan of two weeks, a single fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs! Eggs are laid in any moist organic surface a fruit fly can find. While they prefer fermenting or rotting fruits and vegetables as their breeding ground, any moist organic surface will do including drains, empty bottles and cans, cleaning rags, mops, and garbage disposals and cans. 24 hours after an egg is laid, a larva will emerge. By day three, the larva will have grown into a pupa- the stage where the fruit fly begins to colour and grow wings. Once done, it takes as little as two days for the new fruit fly to begin laying eggs and starting the lifecycle again, yuck!
When large numbers of any pest develop in a location, it is know to have an infestation. Infestations of fruit flies generally occur when previously infested, over ripened fruits and vegetables are brought into a home or business. Adult flies can also enter buildings through improperly screened doors and windows.
Prevention
The best way to avoid an infestation of fruit flies is to eliminate any possible breeding areas. Always discard damaged or cracked portions of fruit. Ripened fruits should be either eaten quickly, refrigerated or frozen for future use, or discarded. All spills should be cleaned immediately and all drains should be cleared of food waste. Check onion and potato bins as well as fruit bowls for overripe/spoiled foods. Ensure garbage bins are well sealed and bottles and cans are rinsed before recycling. Windows and doors should include tight fitting mesh screens.
Eradication
While there are chemical insecticides that can be used to treat fruit fly infestations, I recommend a simple treatment using no chemicals. This eco friendly alternative works very well, as long as all breeding sites have been identified, and eradicated using proper cleaning methods.
Eco Friendly Fruit Fly Traps
Place ¼ cup cider vinegar in a plastic cup (you can use a glass mason jar as well, however you will need to clean it afterwards, and depending on your volume of pests, this might be a gross endeavour).
Wrap a piece of saran wrap over the mouth of the cup or jar. Seal tightly. Using the tip of a knife (or a toothpick), poke several tiny holes into the plastic.
Place finished jars around in the affected area. Fruit flies will weasel their way into the jar through the holes you have made in the plastic, but will be unable to find their way out. In a few days, you can either discard the containers of fruit flies, or bring them outside to be released.
Fruit Flies!
Have you ever left out fruit for a little longer than you should have and encountered tiny little gnats along the way? Most likely, these were fruit flies, a common yet irritating little pest that if left unchecked, will breed by the thousands in a very short period of time. While fruit flies are more of a nuisance than anything, they do have the potential to contaminate foods with pathogens (disease causing bacteria).
Breeding Habits and Lifecycle
In Ontario, fruit flies are most commonly found in the summer and fall months (when we harvest most of our local foods), although we can see signs of them in the winter and spring as well. They are attracted to ripe or fermenting fruits and vegetables including:
Ripened Bananas Apples Melons Grapes Squash Potatoes Onions
In their short lifespan of two weeks, a single fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs! Eggs are laid in any moist organic surface a fruit fly can find. While they prefer fermenting or rotting fruits and vegetables as their breeding ground, any moist organic surface will do including drains, empty bottles and cans, cleaning rags, mops, and garbage disposals and cans. 24 hours after an egg is laid, a larva will emerge. By day three, the larva will have grown into a pupa- the stage where the fruit fly begins to colour and grow wings. Once done, it takes as little as two days for the new fruit fly to begin laying eggs and starting the lifecycle again, yuck!
When large numbers of any pest develop in a location, it is know to have an infestation. Infestations of fruit flies generally occur when previously infested, over ripened fruits and vegetables are brought into a home or business. Adult flies can also enter buildings through improperly screened doors and windows.
Prevention
The best way to avoid an infestation of fruit flies is to eliminate any possible breeding areas. Always discard damaged or cracked portions of fruit. Ripened fruits should be either eaten quickly, refrigerated or frozen for future use, or discarded. All spills should be cleaned immediately and all drains should be cleared of food waste. Check onion and potato bins as well as fruit bowls for overripe/spoiled foods. Ensure garbage bins are well sealed and bottles and cans are rinsed before recycling. Windows and doors should include tight fitting mesh screens.
Eradication
While there are chemical insecticides that can be used to treat fruit fly infestations, I recommend a simple treatment using no chemicals. This eco friendly alternative works very well, as long as all breeding sites have been identified, and eradicated using proper cleaning methods.
Eco Friendly Fruit Fly Traps
Place ¼ cup cider vinegar in a plastic cup (you can use a glass mason jar as well, however you will need to clean it afterwards, and depending on your volume of pests, this might be a gross endeavour).
Wrap a piece of saran wrap over the mouth of the cup or jar. Seal tightly. Using the tip of a knife (or a toothpick), poke several tiny holes into the plastic.
Place finished jars around in the affected area. Fruit flies will weasel their way into the jar through the holes you have made in the plastic, but will be unable to find their way out. In a few days, you can either discard the containers of fruit flies, or bring them outside to be released.