How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies In Your Dallas Home

Fruit flies are super annoying. Within days, your home can be filled with them. It isn't because fruit flies breed quickly (though they do). It is because they hatch a few at a time from a batch of as many as 500 eggs. This is important to understand. If you start to see a few fruit flies, your first priority should be to figure out where those eggs are and get rid of the source.

Step 1: Finding Fruit Fly Eggs

Fruit flies can be on the inside or outside of your Dallas home. If they're hatching on the outside, they're going to come into your home when you open the door. They may also find their way into your home through damaged screens and exterior entry points. We'll get to those entry points in a second. First, you have to locate the breeding site and get rid of it.

Interior Breeding Sites

Fruit. This is a common breeding spot for fruit flies. It is possible to purchase a piece of fruit from the grocery store and bring it home with eggs already on it. If you have fruit on display, consider putting the fruit in a sealed plastic bag until you've determined the source of your fruit fly infestation, just in case the fruit is the source. If it is, you may start to see flies appearing inside the sealed bag.

Garbage. Fruit flies often breed inside garbage bins because they lay their eggs in overripe or rotting organic matter. The good news with garbage is that most people remove kitchen garbage long before fruit flies have the chance to hatch from their eggs. It takes 24 to 30 hours for fruit fly eggs to hatch. Once they hatch, the maggots that emerge need time to grow into adults. This can take 8 to 10 days in summer conditions. Most trash is removed weekly, at the very least. If you have trash that has not been removed, it could be the source of your infestation. 

Recycling. When cans, bottles, and other recycling items are not cleaned properly, fruit flies can lay eggs in them and produce a swarm. If you have recycling in your home or garage, this is an important location to inspect.

Mops. Fruit flies can lay eggs on a dirty mop or in a mop bucket. If you notice the flies seem worse in the closet where you store your mop, this might be the source.

Drains. While a fruit fly isn't likely to be able to reproduce in your kitchen drain, it is possible for eggs to hatch in a laundry sink drain, or some other unused drain that has rotting organic matter in it.

Exterior Breeding Sites

Garbage. This is the most likely source of an exterior fruit fly problem. The best solution is to remove the garbage from your property and disinfect your trash receptacle with a strong cleaning product.

Vegetation. If you have any decaying vegetation near your home, it can be the source of your infestation. Remove this material and address moisture problems that lead to decaying vegetation, such as a clogged gutter system.

Step 2: Get Rid Of The Fruit Flies

When you remove the breeding site, you stop the production of fruit flies but, of course, this will do nothing to get rid of the flies that are already zipping around your home. While a fruit fly only lives about 40 to 50 days, you probably don't want to wait for them to die on their own. We recommend using a vacuum to suck the flies up. When you're done, put the bag outside of your home. This is a fast and efficient way to address any flies that are currently flying around. If you continue to see flies, it might be that you haven't found all the breeding sites. If this is the case, remember that the service team here at All-Safe Pest & Termite is always standing by to assist you.

Note: Fruit flies are mostly a nuisance but, due to the fact that they breed in decaying organic matter, they can make you sick by spreading bacteria.   

Step 3: Address Entry Points

Once you've addressed breeding sites and dealt with those flies, it is time to turn your attention to entry points. This will help to prevent fruit flies from getting into your home from outside breeding sites, or to lay eggs on an interior breeding source.

• Repair any damaged window or doors screens
• Address gaps around window and door screens
• Repair door sweeps and weatherstripping
• Fill in gaps around pipes, wire conduits, and other exterior penetrations.

When You Need Help

If you live in Dallas, you're in our service area. Reach out to All-Safe Pest & Termite for assistance with Dallas pest problems. We use industry-leading pest control solutions to protect health and property. While fruit flies aren't dangerous, or particularly difficult to control, they can be super frustrating to deal with, and they can cause stomach illness. Get relief today. We can help!