Tips For Eradication of Fruit Flies

1st of February, 2023

Why are fruit flies an issue?

Fruit flies are annoying, whilst they don’t bite, they do offer a health risk to humans. They carry bacteria and transfer it to wherever they land. Fruit flies are particularly attracted to ripe and rotting food, manure and all other faeces that may contain salmonella, Listeria and E coli which all cause food poisoning in humans.

Female fruit fly also uses foodstuffs to lay eggs and thus increase and carry-on higher levels of infestation.

Like many insect species this type of fly enjoy feeding and breeding in warm damp spaces such as- drains, cleaning cloths- mops – buckets- waste disposals- bins or anywhere there is ripe, rotting, decayed fruit or empty beer and wine bottles and food tins are found.!

An adult female fruit fly can lay (under correct conditions) up to 2,000 eggs on the surface or within all the above items. Within 30-36 hours the tiny maggots hatch out and start to feed on the decayed food waste. Within 48-60 hours fruit fly are sexually mature and thus ready to breed and carry on the cycle of life. Infestation levels can therefore very quickly become a serious health risk, particularly in food sites and public houses.

Preventative Measures

Cover fruit on table or kitchen worktops
Immediately when fruit gets ripe, put it in the refrigerator
Remove overly ripe food away
Work surfaces should be cleaned frequently
Remove all spillages immediately
Cover fresh food once it’s been opened
Regular cleaning of all storage areas, drawers and cupboards is crucial
Check under kitchen units, fridges, and cooking equipment regularly and remove all food sources and dry any liquid spillages
Kitchen sink drains and waste disposals units should be kept clear of food debris and damp areas cleaned to remove any residue
Rinse your recycling to make sure all jars, bottles and tins are clean prior to disposal for collection
All bins should be emptied and have a tight lid fitted to deny access of flies
Clean all spills inside, outside or around your bins
Keep bins, buckets, cleaning cloths and mops clean

Pest-Master- Treatments for fruit fly infestation

Should you discover a fruit flies’ infestation around fruit and vegetables or your kitchen sink drain, we recommend the following actions:

Throw the food away where the flies have been hovering and carry out an in depth clean of all areas
Pour boiling water down drains and waste disposal

Home Made Traps

Apple cider vinegar/wine traps: in a small jar or plastic receptacle apply a small amount of wine or apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of washing up liquid. Place a paper cone on top of the jar or use the top part of the plastic bottle with the narrow end pointing down. The wine attracts the flies, the washing up liquid makes it difficult for the flies to fly, and the cone will keep any flies that do survive in the jar.

Complete elimination of a fruit fly infestation isn’t always possible, but the number of flies will be greatly reduced. It is important that you follow Pest-Master advice to prevent an infestation after we have administered the treatment. Note: fruit flies look like filter, sewage and drain flies.

PEST-MASTER CAN ATTEND YOUR PROPERTY AND CARRY OUT A SPRAY TREATMENT AND OFFER ADDITIONAL ADVICE TO REMOVE AND PROTECT YOUR PREMISES LONG TERM.