What's a fruit fly?
- Fruit flies, also called "drosophilae", search for ripe fruits to reproduce. Despite its name, the fruit fly also likes fermented products such as beer, alcohol and wine.
- Fruit flies can also develop in sewers, garbage cans and mop buckets.
- They do not appear by magic. Most of the time, they come from the grocery store.
- You must pay special attention because in addition to being a nuisance, drosophilae can contaminate food.
What does a fruit fly look like?
An adult fruit fly is about 3 mm long and 2 mm wide. It is brown red in colour and has bright red eyes. Females are a little bigger than males. During its life, a female lays between 25 and 35 eggs per day. They usually take 24 hours to hatch.
That is why when you notice the problem, you must take action quickly. A fruit fly's life cycle lasts about one week when it's warm, and it can reach up to two weeks if temperatures are cooler.
What to do in case of an infestation
Fruit flies feed on decaying organic matter. They need it to lay their eggs.
Here are a few things you should check:
- If there are excessively ripe fruits or vegetables on the counter, throw them away;
- Make a habit of storing fruits and vegetables in the fridge on hot days;
- Clean your trash can and recycling container, and all places where food scraps accumulate;
- Use a fly ribbon to catch those flying insects;
- Garbage should be thrown away outdoors every day, especially if there are fruit leftovers;
- Avoid keeping empty bottles and cans indoors (if it's not possible, clean them with hot water after use);
- Clean up counters after each use;
- Clean all dishes after you've used them;
- Throw away your mop water after each use;
- Throw away old sponges and wash or throw away the cloths you use to clean your counter and working areas;
- Check the kitchen sink: it could be home to fruit flies if there is food stuck in it;
- Check your pantry, especially the place where you keep your potatoes.
You want to get rid of them for good? Use a fly ribbon designed to catch flying insects and you can forget you've ever had the problem!
