It's not just your bananas they're after. Here's why fruit flies are hanging out in your home, and how to keep them at bay.
Ways to Make Sure You Never Have Fruit Flies Again
Updated on Jul. 01, 2024
The other day, I spent five minutes amid a circling halo of fruit flies, searching my hanging basket for the culprit. It turned out to be a rotting baby potato hidden amongst the fresh ones. Geez, fruit flies are annoying in the kitchen. Even so, I can’t hate them. They are members of our natural community, with as much right to exist on this planet as we humans have.
“Fascinatingly, fruit flies have an ecological role to play,” says Allan Bossel, Operations Expert with Bed Bug Exterminator. “They aid in breaking down and recycling organic matter back into the ecosystem. But, once they discover any source of food, they can practically breed in the billionths, making them quite a burden to get rid of.”
If you have some kicking about, here’s how to get rid of fruit flies in your home, and how to prevent them from taking over in the future.
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What Are Fruit Flies?
Fruit flies are tiny flying insects with tan to orange-tinted bodies. In our homes, they tend to hover in small circles near ripe produce, sink drains and other sources of moisture.
“Fruit flies are perhaps the most common household pest, and among the smallest of all flies,” says Bossel. “Because of that, fruit flies are sometimes hard to spot until they reach the explosive stage.”
Fruit flies are attracted, by smell, to sugary, fermenting items like decomposing fruits and vegetables because that’s where they lay their eggs. That means you’ll likely find them in the kitchen and bathroom, especially around trash cans, drains and other places with consistent moisture.
How Did Fruit Flies Get Into My House?
If you have fruit flies in your home, they probably hitched a ride in on fresh produce. It’s also possible they snuck in the window, if there’s garbage, compost or a leaf pile nearby, says David Price, an entomologist and technical director at Mosquito Joe. “Once inside, the fruit fly will head to the garbage disposal to lay eggs in the organic matter just under the flap.”
Why are fruit flies so hard to get rid of?
It’s hard to get rid of fruit flies mostly because it can be difficult to notice and manage their breeding sites, such as spilled liquid under the refrigerator, crusty drain pipes or gunk hiding at the bottom of a recycling bin.
“Fruit flies also have a fast lifecycle, which can quickly turn a small problem into a severe infestation,” says Emma Grace Crumbley, an entomologist at Mosquito Squad. “One female fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs, and each egg can hatch into a maggot less than 24 hours after being laid.”
How to Kill Fruit Flies
“There is no better control for fruit flies than good sanitation to remove breeding sites!” says Jim McHale, an entomologist and CEO at JP McHale Pest Management.
To accomplish that, store fruits and vegetables in airtight containers or in the refrigerator. Immediately dispose of rotting produce and promptly clean up spills of sugary liquids, including alcohol and vinegar.
Once you’ve tackled those tasks, you can get rid of the remaining fruit flies to prevent them from breeding.
Drain Cleaner
Clean out the garbage disposal, including under the top rubber flap, and then treat your drains with an enzyme-based drain cleaner. This cleaner is designed to break down the deeper organic matter accumulated there (you can find it in most hardware stores).
Boiling Water
Eggs and larvae inside the pipes can also be killed by scalding them with boiling water or using a combination of hot water and baking soda, says Bossel. Also, clean your drains on a regular basis to reduce the chances of reinfestation.
Vinegar Traps
One of the most common solutions is to pour a little apple cider vinegar into a small container and add a few drops of dish soap. The vinegar draws in the flies, and the soap makes them stick to the mixture. For extra efficacy, cover the cup with foil or plastic wrap with holes poked in it.
“By eliminating the adults, you will start to break the egg-laying process and, over time, eliminate the population,” says Price.
How to Prevent Fruit Flies From Returning
General cleanliness discourages fruit flies, especially promptly removing overripe fruit and veggies and regularly wiping down counters and cleaning up crumbs and spills.
- Cover your food: Keep all food, especially fruits and vegetables, inaccessible by covering it or storing it in the fridge.
- Clean your drains: Regularly cleaning your drains with vinegar or a commercial cleaner reduces stuck organic matter, which can be a breeding ground for fruit flies.
- Remove standing water: Check for pooling water near sinks, showers, appliances, drains and grout, which can collect enough water for fruit flies to use.
- Pick up after your pets: While fruit flies are not interested in your pets’ waste, the pet food and water bowls may harbor fruit flies, says Crumbley. Clean these bowls out regularly.
- Check your produce: Fruit flies prefer fermenting produce. If your fruits start to bruise, mold or rot, throw them away and clean the area where they were stored.
- Clean your trash cans: Take out the garbage as soon as the bags are full, tie them tightly and clean the trash receptacle of any liquids or debris from waste that may have spilled. Keep your garbage bin lids sealed.
- Address recycling bins: Rinse cans and other containers before putting them in the recycling bins. Pay special attention to juice containers, soda cans and beer bottles. “Unless they’re washed out, those last drops can come together at the bottom of your recycling bin, creating the perfect sugary sludge that flies love,” says Crumbley.
- Install Screens: Since fruit flies can come in windows and doors, make sure your screens are in place, without potential entry gaps.
- Call In the pros: If regular sanitation and inspection efforts still aren’t working, consider calling in trained professionals who can use EPA-registered products to get rid of fruit flies.
Do Scents Repel Fruit Flies?
Yes, some plants and their essential oils are unattractive to fruit flies, says Shannon Harlow-Ellis, Associate Certified Entomologist at Mosquito Joe. Some that she recommends include: lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, cinnamon, basil and catnip.
“Using essential oils or natural sources of these scents in diffusers, candles or sprays can help create a fly-free zone in your home or outdoor spaces,” she says.
About the Experts
- Emma Grace Crumbley is an entomologist at Mosquito Squad and a self-described bug nerd who uses her expertise to educate people about the fascinating world of bugs.
- Allan Bossel is the Operations Expert at Bed Bug Exterminator. He has more than a decade of experience in pest control, including previously founding his own business in Michigan.
- David Price is an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) and Director of Technical Services at Mosquito Joe, a Neighborly company, where he trains personnel and researches and develops national product lines and services.
- Jim McHale is an entomologist and the CEO and President of JP McHale Pest Management, specializing in biological and environmentally sensitive methods, including organic solutions and advanced remote technology options, for residential and commercial properties in the Tri-State area.
- Shannon Harlow-Ellis is an Associate Certified Entomologist at Mosquito Joe and a member of numerous professional associations, entomology committees and pest management Boards of Directors.
