Date Posted: November 25, 2020
Category: Flies
Fruit flies may be small, but they can come with big problems. If you're tired of dealing with fruit flies in your Southern Maine home, it's time to be proactive. Find out what you need to know about fruit fly prevention.
How To Identify Fruit Flies
Some flies in Maine are similar in appearance. Although fruit flies resemble several other species of flies, they have one trait that makes them easy to identify - their small size. Fruit flies are extremely small, with adults measuring between three and four millimeters long. If you look closely at the fly, you will notice its red eyes. Only a few fruit flies have darker eyes. The thorax of a fruit fly is tan, while the abdomen is black. From a distance, a fly may look brown in color.
Why Do Fruit Flies Invade?
Typically, flies are happy to be outdoors. But fruit flies often head indoors in search of ripe or decaying fruit. They also seek out beer, wine, and liquor. At times, fruit flies breed in trash cans and mop buckets. They may also reproduce in garbage disposals and drains. To sum it up, fruit flies look for moist and rotting materials. Once they find what they're looking for, fruit flies reproduce quickly. Females are able to lay approximately 500 eggs, and the young can hatch in only 24 hours.
The Dangers Of Fruit Flies
Since moisture and rotting food are often in unsanitary places, fruit flies have the potential to spread disease. When they hang out in dumpsters and drains, fruit flies pick up pathogens and can bring them into your home. The other problem with fruit flies is that they are a nuisance. When they enter your home, fruit flies tend to take over. They can make you and your family members uncomfortable.
Getting Rid Of Fruit Flies
Once you have fruit flies in your home, there's only so much you can do to get rid of them. If the flies are in your kitchen drain, they might disappear with bleach. Read the label on your bleach bottle and pour some down your drain, following the directions as you do. After you pour the bleach, flush the drain with water. The bleach will eliminate the decaying material in your sink, which makes your home less appealing to fruit flies. While this should work to get rid of some of your fruit flies, it may not eliminate all of them. You might need to find a different method for fly removal.
Remove Breeding Material
Typically, it's easy to identify where fruit flies are breeding in your Southern Maine home. The pests often swarm in their breeding areas. Do some detective work and look for where they're breeding. Once you identify the source of the flies, remove the object. If it's an overripe fruit, throw it in the garbage and take your garbage outside. To prevent the flies from remaining, clean the counter with your favorite cleaning products.
Flies also tend to breed in bathrooms. When this is the case, give your bathroom a thorough cleaning. Pay special attention to your tub and sink, because organic matter tends to accumulate in those areas. They may also find your trash can appealing. To deter flies, take your trash out and clean the can.
Working With An Expert
Even if you keep an extremely clean home, you may not be able to keep these flies away. Fortunately, you're not alone. Contact the professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions for more advice or assistance. We're ready to help.
