Harmful Things to Fruit Flies
Commonly sighted in areas with the potential for rotting and fermenting food, such as restaurants, supermarkets, and homes, fruit flies are a nuisance who pose the risk of food contamination from bacteria and other organisms. Living only a week, the fruit fly's nesting of larvae and the high reproductive ability of the insect make eradication tricky. However, understanding fruit flies and their vulnerabilities allow home and business owners to make informed decisions on how best to deal with the problem. Does this Spark an idea?
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Description and Behavior
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Measuring just 1/8 inch in length at maturity, adult fruit flies have black and tan bodies with primarily red eyes. Their lifespan is brief, consisting of approximately one week from its development from egg to death. As implicated by their name, fruit flies are drawn to ripe or fermenting fruits and vegetables. Often fruit fly infestations begin outdoors, where the flies will gravitate to areas where fruits and vegetables are grown. Once inside, they feast on fruits and vegetables while taking advantage of areas which have film of moisture on any type of fermenting material for breeding.
Hidden Potential of Fruit Fly Eggs and Larvae
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Eradicating and preventing fruit flies becomes a major challenge when considering the eggs and larvae produced by the insect. A single fruit fly, if left unchecked, has the ability to lay approximately 500 eggs in its short lifespan. Often, undetected eggs on fruits or vegetables purchased in stores or picked from outdoors are the source of infestations. The tiny eggs, undetectable to the human eye, hatch and begin to develop into larvae as the produce ripens and begins to ferment. Even when the peels are removed and discarded, the larvae continues to develop in the wastebasket as the larvae will continue to eat at the rotting peel. While larvae is recognizable on spoiling produce, other moisture prone areas with the potential for fermentation, such as drains and garbage disposals, can make detection of larvae by sight nearly impossible.
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Behavioral Vulnerabilities
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Due to the predictability of fruit fly behavior, from egg to adult, it is possible to turn its feeding and breeding preferences against the insect. Banana peels offer an enticement which fruit flies, with their strong sense of smell and natural attraction to the peel, cannot resist. As both food for adult fruit flies and larvae, banana peels can be used to attract and trap the insect so that it can be removed from indoors. Using a plastic with holes cut in the lid large enough for the flies to enter and a banana peel inside as bait, individuals can successfully trap up to 99 percent of existing flies within 24 hours. Repeating the process for up to four days afterward takes care of the newly matured flies which were still in the larvae stage during the first day.
Chemical Killers
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Like many insects, fruit flies are susceptible to lethal chemical methods of eradication. Aerosol insecticides are effective in killing adult fruit flies, although the specific chemical base used in the insecticide varies from state to state. However, adult fruit flies are not the only concern. The unseen eggs and low-key larvae are often hidden making a spray insecticide impractical. Instead, larvae can be eliminated by attacking the source of their attraction to certain areas. Drains and other unreachable areas should be cleaned using a drain cleaner which removes the larvae and fermenting matter on which the larvae feeds.
Natural Dangers
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As shown by the efficiency of banana peels as a trap for fruit flies, natural solutions carry their own dangers for the winged insects. However, unlike the banana trap, other natural materials can have more deadly consequences for the fly but without the hazards of insecticides. Through a combination of water, cider vinegar, and dish soap, a trap can be constructed which effectively causes the flies to drown. Like bananas, the cider vinegar will draw the flies to the dish containing the mixture. The surface tension of the water and cider-based mixture is weakened through the addition of soap, so when the flies alight on the surface they sink into the water and are unable to fly away.
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References
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