Fruit Flies

Drosophila melanogaster is the scientific name for the fruit fly. They are especially attracted to ripened or fermenting fruits and vegetables. Anything brought in from the garden, or left out to ripen from the store, can be the cause of an infestation indoors. They can also breed in garbage, drains, or un-emptied mop buckets. All they need for development is a moist film of fermenting material.

Life Cycle of Fruit Flies
Female fruit flies deposit their eggs–as many as 500–near the surface of fermenting foods or other moist materials. Just 30 hours later the larvae emerge to feed near the surface. Within a week the larvae have become a mass of adult fruit flies in your home, ready to become a real infestation in another week.

Fruit Fly Prevention and Control

• Prevent their attraction by eliminating food sources; ripened fruit should be eaten or refrigerated. Over-ripened portions of fruits and vegetables can be cut away if infested because the larvae do not travel over the unripe portions, nor are the eggs deposited there. Make sure to monitor both potatoes and onions; they are a favorite place for fruit flies to start. Discard anything rotten.
• Ensure windows and doors have tight-fitting 16-mesh screens to help prevent adult fruit flies from entering your home.
• Once you have fruit flies, find all potential food sources and remove them. If you suspect they may be in a drain or garbage disposal, tape a plastic bag over it overnight and see what you catch. If you have a breeding area, you may apply Safer BioNeem. Use 3 oz. to a gallon of water and wet the garbage disposal or pour a few ounces down the drain to remain in the trap.
• Use a vacuum hose to suck up as many adults as possible.
• Use a fruit fly trap to catch the remaining adults.

See more products for indoor pests in our Cockroaches and Other Indoor Pests section.