How to get rid of fruit flies in an apartment

On the one hand, the invasion of midges into your kitchen will not bring any tangible harm. But their constant presence poisons rest, spending time in the room, cooking. And even the mood spoils when such a swarm of goosebumps hovers around. How to deal with fruit flies in an apartment? You can get rid of them in a short time if you follow a few rules and build a couple of simple traps.

harm from fruit flies
Despite the fact that fruit flies are practically harmless, they can cause a lot of trouble.

Insect description

The fruit fly is otherwise called "fruit fly" or "wine". Her favorite habitat is around spoiled fruits and sweets. The insect lives off plant juices and rotting debris, which often appear in the kitchen in the summer.

description of Drosophila
Fruit flies mainly appear on fruits in summer.

Drosophila larvae and adults also like to grow up where it is warm. As soon as the coolness sets in, the adult colony dies, leaving behind millions of larvae. The new future population is successfully going through an unfavorable period, so that with the onset of warmth it will revive again in a noisy swarm. Therefore, even if you get rid of adults, it is worth maintaining the proper level of cleanliness and hygiene in the kitchen so that insect colonies do not revive.

fruit fly larvae
Flies leave behind larvae, which are reborn under favorable conditions.

How fruit flies appear

The fruit fly appears in the house with fruits brought from the market or from the plot. Some individuals can accidentally enter through an open balcony door, window or ventilation grill. Another share of the future colony can live in flower pots of indoor plants.

fly on fruit
Flies can enter the house along with the brought fruits.

Where do Drosophila come from and how to get rid of them? Until there are favorable conditions for the development of the habitat, midges appear and disappear in single specimens. As soon as fruits, open juice, sweet tea, bowls with jam appear in the kitchen, fruit flies begin to actively grow and multiply.

favorable conditions for fruit flies
With the advent of favorable conditions in the apartment, fruit flies appear.

Flies grow very quickly. The larva develops into an adult in 2-5 days. During this time, she manages to lay a couple of thousand eggs for future offspring.

reproduction of fruit flies
Insects reproduce very quickly.

How to get rid of fruit flies

Simple traps for fruit flies are easy to make with your own hands. This will require a little skill, a piece of paper, a bank and other improvised means.

control of fruit flies
You can make your own pest control agent.

DIY traps

You can even make some insect traps with children. The constructions are easy to use and easy to dispose of:

  1. If you put pieces of ripe fruit in a glass jar and add a little honey, you get a great trap for fruit flies. Roll a funnel out of thick paper and secure at the neck of the vessel. So the midges will quickly penetrate to the bait, but will not be able to get out. Secure the paper securely with tape.
  2. A great trap is obtained from a plastic cup. Place a sweet bait on its bottom, and stretch cling film over the neck. Make holes in the film of such a diameter with a thick needle so that the body of the Drosophila can easily penetrate.Insects will fly to the sweet bait, penetrate inside, but they will not be able to crawl back out. After collecting a sufficient number of midges, discard the glass.
  3. The packet can also be used as a trap. To do this, place pieces of fruit or sweets on the bottom of the opened package. When there are enough midges on the bait, close the bag abruptly, tie it up and discard it.

Aerosols

Aerosols will quickly and effectively help remove huge hordes of fruit flies. It is enough to spray the product indoors and wait about half an hour. During this time, all midges die. Ventilate the kitchen well after using the spray.

aerosol from fruit flies
Flies can be killed with aerosols.

The disadvantage of this method is that the remedy does not rid you of the larvae. Once you create a favorable habitat for fruit flies, they will reappear in your kitchen. Therefore, along with insect killing agents, keep the room clean and tidy.

Among aerosols, Raptor, Dichlorvos, Combat and others have proven themselves well.

Temperature differences

Drosophila midges do not tolerate cool air and lower temperatures. This depresses their vital activity, makes them lethargic and passive. And if the cold temperature regime is observed for several days, the insects will die.

In addition to cold air, fruit gnats do not tolerate dryness. A humid environment is favorable for them, in which putrefactive processes and fermentation take place.

cold from fruit flies
Fruit flies die from cold air and dryness.

One simple and effective method of how to deal with fruit flies in an apartment is to regularly ventilate the premises.

ventilation from fruit flies
Airing will help get rid of flies.

Potassium permanganate

If fruit flies have settled in houseplants, it will be especially difficult to get rid of midges. Here it is impossible to immediately eliminate the center of a favorable environment for insects. In such cases, potassium permanganate or ordinary potassium permanganate comes to the rescue.

Water the flowers a couple of times with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The solution should be light pink and saturate the soil well. This will save you both adults and their larvae.

potassium permanganate solution from fruit flies
A solution of potassium permanganate will help rid indoor flowers of fruit flies.

Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a favorite food for gnats. It attracts them both by the fermentation process and by the sweetness from overripe apples. It is the perfect insect bait. You can dilute the vinegar with water and dishwashing detergent. Not a single midge will fly past such a "delicacy".

apple cider vinegar gnat bait
Apple cider vinegar is a great gnat bait.

Carnivorous plants

Insectivorous plants are a good alternative to fight harmful insects. They feed on small flying animals, including fruit flies. These plants use their own sweet juice as bait. By highlighting it and exuding a sweet aroma, the predator attracts prey. As soon as the insect touches the surface of the plant, it sticks and is absorbed. Several of these green "predators" can save you from annoying insects forever.

predatory plants from fruit flies
Predatory plants first lure flies and then eat them.

Problem prevention

Find the root cause of insect colonies before killing insect colonies. Otherwise, after a couple of days, the masses of Drosophila will revive again. And you will have to deal with uninvited guests again:

  1. Go through all the fruits and sweet supplies. Store food in closed containers or cover food with special lids.
  2. Throw away any rotten fruit that could become a new home for the insect colony.
  3. Remove crumbs, sticky residues, drips and smudges from kitchen surfaces. Clean your stove, sink, microwave and other appliances regularly. Change your foam sponges, rags, and towels frequently.
  4. To grow indoor plants, purchase soil from specialized stores. So you can be sure that the soil is completely cultivated from insect larvae and pests.
  5. Do not flood the plants to form a swamp. Be sure to create a short period for the land to dry out. In such soil, fly larvae, which love moisture and warmth, will not multiply.
  6. Remove rotten fragments from indoor flowers in time. Colonies of fruit midges are especially fond of them.
  7. Do a general cleaning of the premises at least once a week.
  8. Take out the trash on time and treat the bucket with disinfectants.

Watch your pets' dishes carefully. If they do not eat their food, throw away the leftovers so as not to wait for the fermentation or decay process.

Drosophila flies do not appear on their own. They are the result of favorable conditions for their reproduction. To get rid of the hated midges in the apartment forever, you just need to remove those factors that contribute to their habitation and development.

Video: ways to get rid of fruit flies

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