How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies: How To Eliminate And Prevent Them

Fruit flies are attracted to the smell

Fruit flies are attracted to the smell

We have all seen the tiny fruit flies. They can be very annoying in the kitchen, but they also tend to appear on fruit trees, affecting the fruits we want to grow. Thus It doesn’t hurt to find out how to get rid of fruit flies.

In this article we will explain what these insects are, how to get rid of fruit flies and also how to prevent them. So if you are having problems with this plague or want to prevent it from affecting you, I recommend that you keep reading.

How to fight fruit flies

Fruit flies can be very harmful to crops

Fruit flies can be very damaging to crops

Before explaining how to get rid of fruit flies, let’s talk a little about what exactly they are. Its scientific name is Ceratitis capitata but it is commonly known as the fruit fly or Mediterranean fly. It is a small insect whose ability to reproduce is greatly increased when temperatures are high. It is a rather annoying pest in the home, but also in gardens and orchards.

It should be noted that fruit flies they do not transmit any disease, even so they are very annoying and can affect the fruits of the tree. For this reason, we are going to explain below how to eliminate fruit flies both from trees and from the home.

How to get rid of fruit flies from fruit trees

When fruit flies are found in the garden or orchard, they can be very damaging, causing up to 30% of the harvest to be lost. They are more common in summer and autumn, but if the temperatures are warm enough they are usually present throughout the year.

Although we can use an insecticide for the fruit fly, using it massively and indiscriminately can be very harmful to the environment, to the fruits, to the tree itself and even to the plants that are around it. So it should always be our last option. Therefore, it is best to try ecological treatmentss, such as traps. Next we will explain step by step how to prepare them:

  1. Buy a transparent or semi-transparent plastic bottle, the size does not matter.
  2. Put in it apple cider vinegar, a bit of food coloring and two tablespoons of sugar.
  3. Stir the mixture well and close the bottle with the stopper.
  4. Make small holes in the top of the bottle. Thus the flies will enter but will not find the exit later.
  5. Distribute the bottles around the crop area. If the pest is serious, it is best to place three traps at different heights for each fruit tree.

In order to prolong the effectiveness of these traps, it is best to place them in a shady place. This mixture lasts well up to thirty days, after which you have to clean the bottles and fill them again with the mixture. In the event that it rains and water enters, they must be changed.

How to get rid of fruit flies in the kitchen

It is also very common to find these insects in homes, especially in the kitchen, because they are attracted by the smell given off by the remains of fruit in the garbage, or the fruits themselves that are fermenting. Below we will give you three ideas on how to eliminate fruit flies from the kitchen.

As in the case of the orchard or the garden, we can also place traps in the home. In this case it is not necessary to use plastic bottles, and the mixture can also be a little different. For example, we can take a bowl and put vinegar, water and a little dishwashing liquid. If you leave the bowl uncovered near where the fruit flies are, they will be attracted by the smell of the vinegar and end up getting wet in the mixture. As common detergent generally has the property of being able to reduce the surface tension of water, the flies will sink instead of staying on the surface.

Another option we have to eliminate fruit flies from the home is acquire an allied plant: carnivorous plants. These feed on small insects and are very beautiful and exotic. Without a doubt, it is the ideal solution for plant lovers. The sundew and venus flytrap are the best options. They will be able to eat well and get extra nutrients.

Finally we are left with the friendliest option for fruit flies. There is the possibility of simply scaring them away instead of killing them, and it is very simple. The smell of the onion repels these insects. So we can cut an onion in half and place it in the fruit bowl, or wherever the flies are. They will disappear in a short time.

Prevention

Onions repel fruit flies

Onion repels fruit flies

Now that we know how to eliminate fruit flies, we are going to discuss how to prevent them so that they do not bother us again. As with all plagues, prevention is better than cure. To achieve this, there are a series of tips that we must follow:

  • Use plants that are a natural repellent of fruit flies, such as onions.
  • Keep composting and garbage areas under surveillance (in the orchard, in the garden and at home).
  • Remove fallen fruit to the ground before it begins to rot and pick ripe fruit from the trees.
  • save the fruit in a cupboard or in a fridge.
  • If we don’t want to have the fruit stored, we can cover it with cotton or linen bags. This will make it more difficult for fruit flies to pick up their scent and access them.
  • Maintain optimal levels of hygiene: Clean the container or the rubbish bin frequently, keep the rubbish covered and throw it away daily, avoid the accumulation of dirty dishes, glasses and bottles with traces of drinks, etc.

We already have enough tips and tricks on how to get rid of fruit flies and how to prevent them. You can tell us about your experiences in the comments.

How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies: How To Eliminate And Prevent Them

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