There isn’t anything worse than a bunch of tiny flying pests buzzing around on a summer or early fall evening. The typical pests of concern are mosquitoes when we go outdoors and ants when we come inside. However, there is a pest that is even more pesky than mosquitoes and ants. Those pests are called fruit flies. You will usually see them flying around a fruit bowl or the sink drains.
If you are worried about how to get rid of them, don’t worry, elimination is possible. Sometimes you can get rid of fruit flies using simple home remedies, other times you need the help of a professional. A.N.T. Pest Control is a professional pest control company that knows how to get rid of fruit flies.
The Biology of the Fruit Fly
When fruit flies start infesting a home, it may appear as though the pests have appeared out of nowhere. Their love for human foods, rapid breeding and development is what forms this perception. Fruit flies look for rotting vegetables and fruits or unclean drains as a place for egg laying.
In one mating period, fruit flies are capable of producing as many as five hundred offspring. In as little as one week, their life cycle is complete and comes to a finish. For this reason, a population of fruit flies can become an uncontrollable infestation rather quickly.
Where do Fruit Flies Come From?
The start of a fruit fly infestation can begin when you bring home vegetables and over-ripe fruit. Adult fruit flies fly from the outdoors through doors and windows that are poorly screened. An infestation of fruit flies has to have somewhere to start, and that place is where they find food sources. Fruit flies will travel throughout the house, from the basement, to the bathrooms, and kitchens looking for food sources. That can be fruit ripening on the counter, drains with fermenting matter, trash bins, even mops. Sometimes these pests can be brought indoors when homeowners harvest their garden.
The Lifecycle of the Fruit Fly
The lifecycle and development of the fruit fly is similar to other insects in that there are four stages. Those stages are as follows: the egg, followed by the larva stage, then turning into a pupa, and finally becoming an adult.
A female fruit fly spends the majority of her short life searching for somewhere to deposit her eggs. She looks for anything–usually, fruit that is ripening–for her to bore out small holes to deposit her eggs inside. Once she lays her eggs, they look like tiny bananas, but their color is white.
After she lays her eggs, they begin hatching shortly. You might recognize this phase if you see tiny maggots emerging. These maggots soon start to feed on the rotten fruit as they prepare for the pupa stage of development. The larvae will remain here, molting several times until they are able to crawl to a dryer area and become pupas.
While the larvae prepare to evolve into pupa, they will appear to be inactive. Their coloring turns brown and they appear oval-shaped, with a shell that is hard. During the pupa stage they start forming adult-like features and within a few days they emerge as adults.
The entire process from egg to adult takes only seven to nine days. However in some cases, depending on environmental factors, it may last longer.
Signs of an Infestation of Fruit Flies
Seeing the adult fruit flies buzzing around your home is likely one of the first clues to an infestation. You might notice them flying by open garbage cans or fruit and vegetables that have started fermenting. The pupa of fruit flies may be recognized in dry areas close to anything that might be decaying. Their pupa looks similar to rodent or cockroach droppings.
Ways to prevent an infestation of fruit flies
If you want to keep fruit flies away, you must get rid of their breeding spots and food sources. The way to do this is by taking the following steps:
- Cover all fruit in bowls, or store it in the refrigerator.
- Ensure garbage bins are kept covered, taking out the trash daily. In addition, never put left-over or spoiled food in trash containers.
- When vegetables and fruit start rotting, throw it out immediately.
- Following a meal, ensure to clear away all remnants of food. Wiping up spilled alcoholic drinks or food juices, as they are attractants to these flying pests.
The above tips are all excellent things you can do to lower your risk of getting a fruit fly infestation. However, it does not guarantee you complete protection. Therefore, it is a good idea to call pest experts whenever you have any type of bug problem! That is why customers with fruit flies or other pests call A.N.T. Pest Control. We know where they come from and how to get rid of them!
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
A do-it-yourself way to get rid of fruit flies is with apple cider vinegar, dish soap, and a microwave-safe bowl. Pour the apple cider vinegar into the microwave safe bowl with a couple drops of the dish soap. Place in the microwave for a few minutes until the mixture becomes aromatic. Next, set the bowl in a location you have seen fruit flies, leaving it uncovered. The dish soap lowers the tension on the surface, resulting in the drowning of any unlucky fruit fly that lands on it.
Contact A.N.T. Pest Control for Real Extermination Results!
At the first sign of a fruit fly problem, call the pest control experts to get real extermination results. A.N.T. Pest Control are experts when it comes to getting rid of fruit flies and other pests. We promise you will be pleased with our services; yet because Mother Nature is a tenacious lady, we cannot guarantee results with one treatment.
When you need help eradicating an infestation of fruit flies, call A.N.T. Pest Control. Call us at (815) 215-7211 and find out how we can make your pest problem disappear!