Fruit Fly Traps and Remedies
The most common fruit flies found in homes can be very pesky pests, especially around kitchen areas. The common fruit or vinegar fly should not be confused with fruit flies that cause serious damage to fruit production in the field. While the common fruit or vinegar fly can be found outdoors in warm weather, this fly is not attracted to fresh fruit on the trees.
The common household fruit fly lays eggs near a wet food source such as wet floors, where fermenting food may have been washed away, and overripening fruit. The larvae hatch and feed on the wet, sweet food. Finally, the fly pupates or rests until it emerges as an adult.
While it is not practical to eliminate fresh fruit, it is best to not allow fruit to overripen. Removal of overripe fruit will help reduce the infestation. There are traps which will help catch some of the adults and to monitor for activity. Some sticky traps can be used which do not necessarily attract the flies but coincidentally capture a certain number of adult flies. One novel trap is a cup which contains vinegar beneath a perforated cover. Adult flies are attracted to the vinegar and are caught in the liquid. This is good to monitor and reduce some individuals but will not eliminate the population.
Although there are a number of pesticides and traps to assist in controlling adult fruit fly populations, targeting the source of the infestation is necessary for long-term results.
In general, it is not easy to get rid of fruit or vinegar fly populations. The best course of action is to have a professional pest control company perform an inspection and look for the source, based upon their years of education and experience. The source might not be right at the fruit but can be under cabinetry or in fermenting liquids left on mops.
All possible breeding and food sources must be located in order to successfully control a fruit fly infestation. At times, it is difficult for homeowners to locate every possible source, and fruit fly populations may return. Pest control professionals are trained to address persistent populations.