Nobody likes seeing fruit flies in their home or property, but aren’t these guys just part of everyday life? Actually, they don’t have to be. Fruit flies breed in over-ripe fruit and vegetables (especially onions and potatoes that have reached the end of their shelf life) and in damp areas with some organic build up. This includes drains, the floor under food prep tables, the floor (and sometimes the wall) under the dishwasher, and so forth. Cleaning these areas at least weekly and then drying them out afterwards will go a long way towards reducing fruit fly populations.

Three Best Practices for Reducing Fruit Flies in Commercial Kitchens:

1. If an area is sticky or dirty, clean it with something aside from just bleach. Bleach disinfects, soaps and detergents clean. You need to use a soap or detergent to help reduce fruit flies.

2. Use a floor fan to dry out areas underneath equipment that normally remain wet overnight.

3. Use bioremediation products to break down the organic material that fruit flies can breed in or have a pest management professional apply bioremediation products during their regular service.

Just For Homeowners:

1. Normally fruit flies in homes are just coming from some fruit or vegetables that have sat out for too long. First, check those out.

2. The second most common place is the garbage disposal. Most of us don’t think to clean it out, or if we do, we overlook the area under the rubber flap.

3. If you are still seeing fruit flies, they’re probably not fruit flies, but another close relative, with another source. Stay tuned and we’ll take a look at these fruit fly imposters and what to do about them.

Are you struggling with fruit flies in your home or business, but you’ve found the advice I gave in a previous entry just doesn’t seem to help?  If so, there’s a good chance you may be dealing with a fruit fly imposter.  Let’s take a look at each of these fakes.

Fruit Fly Imposter #1: The Fungus Gnat

Our first imposter, the fungus gnat, is primarily found indoors, favoring rooms with potted plants.  To test to see if you have fungus gnats, tap your fingers against each of the plants in the area.  If you see flies coming out of the plant, then you know that you have fungus gnats.  They normally show up when soil in pots is overwatered, so the best form of control is to reduce the amount of water used in the plant.  Chemical treatments into the soil can also help.

Fruit Fly Imposter #2: The Lake Fly or Midge

Our second imposter, the lake fly or midge, is primarily found outdoors, but can make its way inside.  Oftentimes these look like miniature mosquitoes and they tend to be found by light sources, such as windows, glass doors, lights, etc.  Sealing up cracks and crevices on the structure and using shades to reduce the amount of light visible outside at night will help to control these.  Chemical treatments along areas where they land can help, too.

Fruit Fly Imposter #3: The Moth Fly

Our third imposter, the moth fly, is primarily found in basements.  This fly looks to be a hybrid between moth and fly, a small fly with moth-like wings.  They are most common around the floor drain in the basement, sometimes around sump pumps and other water sources.  Inspect these areas with a flashlight.  If you find a drain with a large number of them inside of it, chances are that’s where they are breeding.  The best solution is to clean the drain, either with a drain cleaning product or to have a pest management professional apply a bioremediation product in the drain.

That’s it for our fruit fly imposters.  May they never deceive you again.