Fruit Fly:
Facts, Identification & Control
Latin Name:
Family Drosophilidae
Appearance:
Adults are about 1/8-inch long, have red eyes and a tan thorax. The abdomen is black on top, gray underneath. Fruit flies can appear to be brown or tan in color.
Habit:
Adults are strong fliers and have been known to travel as far as 6 1/2 miles within a 24-hour period. Populations tend to build during the summer, becoming very abundant at harvest time. Indoors, fruit flies are frequently active at all times of the year.
Diet:
Ripened fruit and vegetables. Fermenting products.
Reproduction:
Larvae of fruit flies develop in moist areas where organic material and standing water are present. The entire life cycle lasts 25 days or more depending on the environmental conditions and the availability of food.
Fruit Fly Facts
There are over 500 known fruit fly species across the globe. Like other fly species, fruit flies experience a four stage life cycle: beginning as eggs, they undergo larval and pupal stages before emerging as adults. The early life stages span approximately two to three weeks in ideal temperature conditions. Adult fruit flies can live up to 30 days.
The common fruit fly, or Drosiphila melanogaster, is known for its ability to reproduce rapidly. The common fruit fly is a useful specimen in scientific research. The rapid life cycle allows researchers to study the effects of an experiment over a number of generations. Mutations are also common and easily followed in this fly species. Fruit flies have only four pairs of chromosomes: three autosomal pairs and one pair that determine sex. The entire compact genome of the common fruit fly was sequenced in 1998.
Fruit Fly close up
Fruit Fly Control
It is extremely difficult to rid a home of the common fruit fly. Fruit flies are attracted to sugary, organic materials. As their name suggests, they are commonly found infesting fruit. However, fruit flies are also capable of breeding in decaying meat, trash bins and large spills of soda or alcohol. Any fruit brought home following that should be stored in the refrigerator. Regularly wipe counters, clean spills and empty your trashcans to prevent fruit fly infestations.
The first step in addressing a fruit fly infestation is the destruction of their feeding and breeding grounds. Fruit flies often lay their eggs in rotten fruit and other soft, sweet, organic materials. If you identify a fruit fly infestation in your kitchen, dispose of all over-ripe fruit. Any subsequently purchased fruit or vegetables should be kept in the refrigerator until the fruit fly infestation dissipates.
If there is no fruit or vegetable matter in your kitchen, check your garbage and recycling bins. Fruit flies may also use unclean drains as breeding grounds. Outdoor drains are likely sources of yard-based fruit flies, as are over-ripe fruits beneath the trees from which they have fallen.
After isolating the fly breeding ground, control methods may be utilized. Although eradication may require several treatments, the lack of food available to fly populations will eventually cause them to die out.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Fruit Flies in Home
Bacterial digesters are available to pour down infested drains. Bleach can sometimes be effective; although it is rarely stays in the drain long enough to address the accumulated slime that attracts fruit flies. While not always effective, fruit fly traps may provide temporary relief.
Scientists interested in fruit fly prevention are currently researching the effects of electricity on fruit flies, particularly those that attack citrus crops. It is believed that high-voltage currents may be capable of killing larvae within affected fruit, thus protecting domestic crops and preventing infested crops from other countries from entering the United States. Electrical currents may also be effective in deactivating harmful fly-borne microorganisms such as E. Coli.