Have you ever had a fruit fly infestation in your home?
If you have then I guarantee that you, like me, will have become an expert on the little pests, with such in-depth knowledge of their life cycle, food and habitat preferences that your friends will beg you to stop oversharing.
In our case, it all started with an attempt to encourage our teenage son to eat more fruit. At first there were a few tiny silent flies – not a problem - then within days there were dozens, then what felt like hundreds. Suddenly it was a problem and it had come apparently out of nowhere. We battled them constantly – it was like something out of The Odyssey. Where on earth were they coming from? And then we found out - a rotting black banana under our son’s bed.
To avoid your own Bananagate, here’s what I’ve learnt so you, dear reader, don’t suffer similarly. (Maybe delay eating while you read on…)
What you need to know about fruit flies
Warm weather shortens a fruit fly’s life cycle, meaning they breed more quickly and multiply fast.
They can lay up to 500 eggs at a time and it only takes a week for them to go from egg to adult, which is why it pays to act immediately. You can't afford to think, as we did, that it's no big deal.
They can transmit harmful bacteria, such as E coli, listeria or salmonella, as they move from bins to countertops.
They’re a particular problem in summer and autumn because they’re attracted to ripe and rotting food, especially:
- bananas
- melons
- tomatoes
- apples
Food smells attracts adult flies, which lay their microscopic eggs in the fruit skins. The eggs might already be present in fruit that you buy or get from the garden. If you then put the fruit or peel into your food waste caddy and then into your garden composter or external food waste bin, you might be unwittingly transferring fruit fly eggs to hatch out later when the temperature is right.
How to prevent fruit flies
- Clean kitchen bins regularly.
- Clear up crumbs or spills on furniture, carpets and rugs.
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Freeze any food that can be frozen.
- Compost organic matter quickly if you have a compost bin. Check out how electric food waste composters prevent fruit flies breeding by dealing with food scraps immediately.
- Use up ripe fruit and vegetables as soon as possible.
- Trim flower stems in vases and refresh the water regularly.
- Keep your sink and drains clean. Pour boiling water down the plughole to kill fruit fly eggs and larvae, which can usually survive typical water flow.
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Get a good food waste caddy with a well-fitting lid. Keep the lid closed even as you’re preparing fruit and veg and empty it regularly. Browse our range of top food waste caddies.
- Dry out mops, cloths and sponges. Fruit flies will breed in any damp environment.
- Store foods where fruit flies can't get to them, such as in a fridge, sealed container or bread bin. Don’t leave fruit out in the open in fruit bowls.
- Give recyclable containers a quick rinse - dirty bottles and jars attract flies.
- Clear out uneaten pet food in bowls and cages and wash any bowls with boiling water.
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Don't leave out other foods that fruit flies love:
- white bread
- fermented products, such as soy sauce, kombucha and apple cider vinegar
- alcohol
- yoghurt, sour cream
- And don’t forget to train teenagers to maintain rot-free bedrooms.
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Fighting the flies
In our own banana drama, we found that going into battle spraying hot water about was a good weapon. We also used Super Ninja's traps which use a mix of vinegar and fruit juice in small bottles to attract the flies.
You could also try a home-made trap: add an inch of apple cider vinegar to a glass jar with two drops of washing up liquid. Put a plastic wrap cover over the top of the jar and poke small holes through with a toothpick. Flies are attracted by the smell and can get in but can’t get out. Remember to change the liquid regularly to keep the fly trap working.
But once you get rid of the infestation, remember to follow all the tips above to prevent a recurrence.
Make your wheelie bin a no-fly zone
- Keep bins out of direct sunlight if you can – heat makes smells stronger and encourages growth of bacteria.
- Ensure the lid is always fully closed.
- Wrap food scraps in newspaper or use compostable liners according to your local authority's directions.
- Clean the bin regularly in summer with a rinse and wipe down every few weeks.