It started small, with a few tiny silent flies in the kitchen. Hardly a problem, we barely noticed them.
This was our mistake, a mistake many people make if they haven't encountered fruit flies before.
Fruit flies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time and it only takes a week for them to go from egg to adult.
A few days after the first sighting - and ignoring - of the flies in our kitchen there were dozens, then apparently hundreds. Now it was a problem. We battled them constantly, wondering where on earth they were coming from. And then we found the source - a rotting black banana among other debris under our teenage son’s bed.
We learnt an important lesson - as soon as you spot fruit flies you should act immediately. We went around blasting them with sprays of hot water and also used Super Ninja bottle traps which use a mix of vinegar and fruit juice to lure the flies.
But it can take weeks to fully eradicate the problem and it's an unpleasant problem to have in the kitchen where you're preparing food.
What you need to know about fruit flies
They’re a particular problem in summer and autumn because they’re attracted to ripe and rotting food. Their favourite fruits are bananas (as we know), melon, 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.
Other foods they love are: white bread, fermented products - such as soy sauce, kombucha and apple cider vinegar - alcohol, yoghurt, sour cream.
To avoid another banana drama, we're now vigilant about following all the tips below.
How to prevent fruit flies
- Store foods where fruit flies can't get to them, such as in a fridge, sealed container or bread bin. Check out our range of food wraps and food storage solutions.
- Don’t leave fruit out in the open in fruit bowls.
- Clean kitchen bins regularly.
- Clear up crumbs or spills on furniture, carpets and rugs.
- Freeze any food that can be frozen.
- Compost organic matter quickly if you have a compost bin.
- 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.
- Get a good food waste caddy with a well-fitting lid. Keep the lid closed even as you’re preparing fruit and veg - don’t leave it open as flies can easily enter and lay their eggs. Empty it regularly. Browse our range of food waste caddies and electric composters.
- Dry out mops, cloths and sponges. Fruit flies will breed in any damp environment.
- 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
- And don’t forget to train teenage boys to maintain rot-free bedrooms.
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.
Read here for composting advice on dealing with flies.
