Fruit Fly 411: Keeping Fruit Flies Away From Fruits and Vegetables

Louisville, KY (September 13, 2022) -- When Janelle Iaccino, also known as The Bug Girl with Franklin Pest Solutions, www.franklinpestsolutions, was cleaning out her pantry recently, she knew she had to get to the bottom of two mysteries. One: Where were these fruit flies coming from? And Two: Where was that funky smell coming from? Lo and behold, a sack of potatoes was the culprit. But potatoes aren’t fruit, so why would fruit flies be there?

“It’s kind of like the story about the cobbler’s children having no shoes,” she laughed. The Bug Girl sometimes gets bugs too. It’s a great example of how easy it is for pests to invade.

And invade, they do – like a beeline to ripened fruit or vegetables or any other fermenting products.

Fruit flies are attracted to freshly decaying, moist, organic matter like fruits and vegetables. Once indoors, they can find and exploit other potential breeding sites such as poorly maintained trash containers, recycling bins, mop heads, garbage disposals and other icky, gunky places. Plus, they can easily fly into a building through doorways and even penetrate ordinary screens because they are so small.

“Fruit flies live only for a few days,” Iaccino explains, but will breed rapidly if conditions are ideal. The key to eliminating most fly problems is to find the source of their breeding sites, remove it and clean thoroughly.”

Iaccino said some breeding sites will be obvious, like ripened fruit, while others, such as a forgotten sack of potatoes or food kicked under the stove, may be easily overlooked. Any inspection needs to focus on finding all the sites where moist, organic matter has accumulated and then remove that matter completely. Maintaining sanitation and storing food in the refrigerator will greatly reduce populations. During humid months, too.

Other annoying pest we see indoors all year round are fungus gnats. They are attracted to the soil in potted plants. To help prevent a fungus gnat issue, do not overwater plants. Overwatering can produce molds which are ideal breeding ground for gnats,” Iaccino explains. Something that significantly helps get rid of fungus gnats in potted plants is adding one inch of sand and only watering when necessary,” she said.

Of course, homes are not the only place that small flies thrive. There have been some important pest management lessons learned in the food industry since the 1800s. The last place anyone ever wants to see a pest is while they’re eating. There are now food safety regulations, standards and audits in establishments like food manufacturing plants, food storage warehouses, grocery stores, restaurants and bars that maintain sanitary conditions for patrons to consume food safely.

Fruit flies are also attracted to soda fountain machines, alcohol bottles, and any exposed organic produce. Fungus gnats will appear in plant décor inside food establishments. Drain/phorid flies breed inside the gunk that lines drain-pipes in bathroom or wash basin areas. Bottle flies appear when something dead is nearby because they prefer to eat decaying animal matter, like dead mice or rats. House flies will pester people trying to dine on any sort of open food item. Cluster flies are overwintering pests that could indicate structural deficiencies. “Different flies are all attracted to different things. Not all flies can be handled the same way. They are not just a nuisance – they are vectors capable of spreading bacteria and other things,” Iaccino explains.

AIB International, https://www.aibinternational.com/certification/gfsi/, is one agency that conducts audits of food processing establishments to protect the food industry, helping to ensure that food plants are maintaining a safe and pest-free environment. “An IPM program with a pest management professional is paramount to passing the pest control category of an audit,” Iaccino says. Franklin prides itself on being the number one choice for IPM food industry partnerships. Our experts have a special certification in Food Safety to add to our other credentials. Plus we’ve served the food industry for a long time,” she added.

To help keep small flies away from your produce, plants and any other organic material in homes and kitchens, call for help first at 1-800-GOT-PESTS? and keep these things in mind:

• To eliminate, experts must first find the source
• An expert can help determine why they’re there and what they’re after, and properly identify the species
• Eliminating a pest problem is not just one person’s job. It is the responsibility of everyone involved – residents, employees and your IPM expert to maintain a healthy, sanitary environment for everyone

About Franklin Pest Solutions, LLC

Since 1929, Franklin Pest Solutions and sister company Rose Pest Solutions have been trusted in the Midwest to keep homes and businesses free from insects, rodents, and more. Using cutting-edge technology, environmentally friendly methods, and personalized unique solutions, Franklin and Rose are dedicated to creating and maintaining healthier living environments. Owned by the Dold Family, Franklin Pest Solutions proudly serves communities in Indiana and Kentucky, and Rose Pest Solutions proudly serves all of Chicagoland, the Greater Milwaukee area, and South Central Wisconsin. For more information, see www.franklinpestsolutions.com and www.rosepestcontrol.com.