Fruit flies are coming for GA homes. Here’s how to keep them away for good

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Female fruit flies can lay 500 eggs to one time and during hot weather, a single generation can be made in just one week. Yikes.

If you are struggling to keep them out of your Georgia home, you are probably not alone. They love 80 degree weather and the hotter it gets, the more you’ll see them flying around.

According to Active Pest Control in Locust Grove, Georgia, there are over 177 different species of fruit flies, but only eight of them are rampant in the U.S. And while they typically aren’t a health risk, they are a huge annoyance because they love to stick around fruit, sinks and sweet treats.

However, there are some ways to keep them out of your home and away for good. Here’s more about the tiny pests and how to get rid of them:

Why do fruit flies come inside?

Just like any other pest: they want food.

According to the University of Georgia Extension in Madison County, “Fruit flies are commonly found in restaurants, markets, homes and anywhere food is allowed to decay and ferment.”

Fruit flies love ripe bananas, apples, melons and squash, but they also gravitate towards garbage disposals, trash cans and unclean countertops.

In addition, they love thin films of water because this is where they primarily breed. So, things like sinks, showers and drain pipes are places where they will hang out for a long time if not clean.

How to get rid of them in your GA home & keep them gone

Here are some tips from Active Pest Control:

• Store all fruits, vegetables, and other food items in containers with tight-fitting lids or in the refrigerator.
• Do not store food out in the open on counters or tables.
• Make sure to wash your dishes regularly; don’t leave them in your sink overnight. After washing the dishes make sure to rinse out the sink and routinely clean the sink drains to ensure that food particles aren’t accumulating in them.
• Get creative and make a fruit fly trap; one of the most effective fruit fly trap uses apple cider vinegar (its sweet smell attracts the fruit flies) and dish soap. Pour ½- 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into a jar along with 1-2 drops of dish soap (this breaks the surface tension of the vinegar and causes the fruit flies to drown). Place a paper funnel that is secured with tape in the mouth of the jar to help the flies enter into the jar, but prevent them from being able to exit.
• Invest in an insect eating plant. Sundews (Drosera) have leaves that naturally produce sweet juices; these secretions will attract fruit flies who will then become trapped in the leaves. Once they are trapped the plant will quickly digest the fruit flies, not only effective against fruit flies and other insects, but very cool to watch as well!
• When all else fails, get out your trusty vacuum cleaner. After removing all possible food sources (see number 1 on the list) use the hose attachment to suck up all the pesky fruit flies that you can find.

Terro experts suggest looking through your cabinets searching for food residue on cookware, dishes or bakeware. Terro experts also said to dispose of or clean old mops.

And of course, if you still have problems with fruit flies when all is said and done, it’s probably time to call a local pest control expert.

What are your tips for getting rid of fruit flies? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com

This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Macon Telegraph.