How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Melon fruit Fly - Photo: Flickr

A fruit fly is a small flying insect about 1/8 inch in length with red eyes. The essential element in how to get rid of fruit flies is to locate and eliminate their breeding sources. Although there are several sprays and traps used to kill flies in a home, restaurant or other building, the infestation cannot be completely eradicated without eliminating its source.  

Inspecting for fruit flies

When searching for fruit fly breeding sources, remember that the larvae need moist decaying organic matter to survive. The most obvious place to look for these sources is where fruits or vegetables are stored near refrigerators or coolers. Other areas to inspect include recycling bins, garbage cans that are rarely cleaned or used and under and behind large appliances. Be sure to check sink and other drains. Here small flies are often found breeding in the super thin film or layer of debris that naturally accumulates in pipes, traps, and drains.

In commercial and residential structures, tiny amounts of organic debris are often found where the legs or feet of appliances, tables or cabinets touch the floor. These tiny spaces can harbor thousands of fly larvae. All small cracks and crevices at floor level must be inspected and thoroughly cleaned.

Once one breeding spot has been located, keep on looking. Fruit flies easily follow air currents and usually have several breeding places in any structure. Do not assume that all breeding sources are indoors. Fruit flies will fly in from nearby dumpsters, outdoor garbage cans or even damp compost piles where fruits and vegetables are disposed. 

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Fly elimination products

Here are some ideas on how to get rid of fruit flies. A pyrethrin space spray can be used for a quick kill. It will reduce populations of flying insects. Pyrethrin spray is also used by pest control operators as a crack and crevice tool to spray the tiny areas where fruit flies and other insect pests breed. To monitor the area, use a Gold Stick trap. These traps use a fly sex lure to attract flies to their doom. Every fruit fly caught means one less breeding adult. 

Professional fly traps use pheromones combined with powerful ultraviolet bulbs in lighted fly traps. These come in a range of sizes. Different designs offer options for use in public areas, commercial kitchens, hospitals, offices, and homes. Using ultraviolet bulbs increases the numbers of flying insects captured while drastically reducing the need for use of sprays and other pesticides. Use the powerful Fly Trap Professional in commercial kitchens or other areas that are not open to the public or customers. In high profile areas, the Cento Fly Traps and Luralite Fly Traps are less obvious.

If you find a drain that is a breeding ground for fruit flies, the best method for how to get rid of fruit flies is using Drain Gel (Fly Gel) to destroy the film in which the fly eggs and larvae develop. A surface spray is not recommended here unless there are great numbers of flies resting on the surface of trash cans, dumpsters or exterior walls. 

Fruit fly traps are another excellent tool for how to get rid of fruit flies. Attach the trap to the inside lid of garbage cans, dumpsters or compost bins to capture adult flies before they breed. Dispose of traps when full of flies or after three months, whichever comes first.