Why Do I Have Fruit Flies in My Kitchen?

Is there anything more annoying than fruit flies? You let one banana get a bit too ripe, and the next thing you know, your kitchen is infested with hundreds of tiny insects. It can ruin your appetite and make you want to avoid your kitchen like the plague. But why do you have so many? Where did they come from? More importantly, how do you get rid of them?

What are fruit flies?

Fruit flies rapidly reproduce flying insects drawn to moist, rotting fruits and vegetables, drains, garbage disposals, trash cans, and other dark, moist areas. They are tiny in size, and while not dangerous, their presence may be due to unsanitary living conditions. In other words, if they start to show up in your kitchen, you need to find the source, which may be something as simple as a banana your kid threw behind the couch last week.

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Where do fruit flies come from?

Fruit flies are drawn to an area because of the presence of a food source. For example, they may come into your kitchen because they smell fruit or vegetables. You may even bring fruit flies into your home when you purchase fruits and vegetables directly from the farm or bring produce in from your garden. If possible, give your fruits and vegetables a rinse before bringing them in or as soon as you bring them in.

Why do I keep getting fruit flies in my kitchen?

You may continuously see fruit flies because you’re not getting rid of them at the source. While you may have thrown out your overripe fruits and vegetables, the fruit flies may be hiding in your drains or garbage disposal. They can even be hiding out in drains in your bathroom or your home’s trash cans.

Why does my house suddenly have fruit flies?

According to Orkin, a fruit fly infestation can get out of hand very quickly. During one mating season, there can be 500 offspring, and their lifespan is only a week. This means that you could have tons of fruit flies in your kitchen in a very short period of time. So make sure you always keep an eye on produce, so it doesn’t sit and go bad on your counter.

How do I prevent fruit flies?

Keeping fruits and vegetables in your refrigerator will greatly cut down on your chance of getting an infestation. The second thing you want to do is clean your drains and garbage disposal regularly. Take your trash out as soon as the bag is full. You should also wash your trash cans from time to time whenever something spills inside.

How do I get rid of fruit flies?

First thing first. Find the source. You want to throw out any old produce and then take the trash out. Next, clean all the drains and the garbage disposal. This includes doing a deep cleaning of your dishwasher.

Wash your trash cans and give your kitchen a deep clean. Once everything is clean, pour apple cider vinegar into the bottom of a jar, filling it about two inches. Cover with plastic wrap and use a toothpick to poke holes in the top.

The apple cider vinegar will attract the fruit flies and get stuck inside the jar. This will help get rid of any stragglers that are hanging around.

Fruit flies can be frustrating to deal with. You may not even have an idea of where the infestation came from. Thankfully, there are things you can do to get rid of them and prevent a future infestation.

Remember, it’s better to keep produce in the fridge, regularly clean drains and garbage disposal, and be proactive as soon as you see a problem to wipe it out quickly.