Catching, controlling and preventing fruit flies

Difference between mourning fly and fruit fly
How do you tell the difference between fungus flies and fruit flies in your home? Mourning flies are small, black flies that often occur in the potting soil of houseplants. They lay their eggs in moist soil and their larvae feed on organic matter and roots. Fruit flies are smaller and lighter in color, usually brown or yellow. They are attracted to ripe or rotting fruit and lay their eggs on the surface of these food sources.

With these 5 tips you can easily prevent fruit flies.

Keep fruits and vegetables refrigerated
Fruit flies lay their eggs on ripe or rotting fruit. By storing fruit in the refrigerator, you make it less accessible to fruit flies and slow down the ripening process.

Close foodstuffs properly
Store food in tightly sealed containers or bags. Fruit flies can crawl through small openings, so make sure everything is properly sealed.

Empty the waste bin regularly
Make sure your waste bins are properly closed and emptied regularly. Fruit flies often lay their eggs in food waste, so a clean and sealed waste bin will help reduce their population.

Flush your drain
Fruit flies can also breed in your sink drains. Periodically pour boiling water or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar down the drain to remove residue and keep flies away.

Use a fruit fly trap
Buy a fruit fly trap or easily make one with the tips below.

The life cycle of fruit flies ( Drosophila melanogaster ) is relatively short and consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult fly. Below is a detailed description of each stage:

Egg
The life cycle begins when an adult female fruit fly lays her eggs on a food source, usually rotting fruit or other organic matter. A female can lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime. These eggs are very small, about 0.5 millimeters long, and hatch within 24 to 30 hours.

Larva
Small, worm-like larvae hatch from the eggs and feed on the fermenting fruit or other organic material. This stage lasts about five to six days.

Pop
The larvae pupate into adult fruit flies in five days.

Adult fly
An adult fruit fly emerges from the pupa. Adult fruit flies reach sexual maturity within 24 to 48 hours after hatching and begin breeding almost immediately. An adult fruit fly usually lives for one to two weeks, although some conditions can extend their lifespan for up to a month.

The rapid reproductive cycle of fruit flies allows their population to grow rapidly, especially in a favorable environment with ample food sources. This is why it can become a pest in kitchens and other places where food is stored.

Step 1
Take a plastic or glass container, preferably with a lid. Pour a layer of apple cider vinegar into the container and add a drop of dishwashing liquid.

Step 2
Punch three small holes in the lid, for example with a nail and hammer. Don't have a lid? Then use plastic wrap and poke a small hole in it with a needle or skewer. Make sure the hole is small so that the fruit flies can crawl through but not find their way out.

Step 3
Place the container where flies are common. You're ready to catch fruit flies!

After use, you can easily rinse the contents down the sink.

Fortunately, it is not necessary to combat fruit flies chemically if you use the right tips and tools. This is especially important for your own health and that of your pets. Fruit flies often live around food or leftovers, especially in the kitchen, where you certainly don't want to use poison. With simple measures such as removing overripe fruit, keeping the kitchen clean and placing traps, you can effectively control fruit flies without harmful chemicals.