How to Avoid a Fruit Fly Infestation
As soon as the weather starts to warm up, bugs become a problem outside. Unfortunately, the outdoors is not the only place you need to worry about an infestation. A common bug problem in the home is an infestation of fruit flies. These flying nuisances arise when garbage is not emptied frequently enough, when food is left to spoil, and when infected items are brought in from outside. Fruit flies do not do a lot of damage and they rarely cause any harm to people, but they are gross, they fly around your face and hair, and they bother pets. Worst of all, they may be a sign that your home is not in tip-top shape. Getting rid of fruit flies is usually a difficult challenge, so the best defense is to avoid them altogether.
Regardless of how warm it is, be sure to take your garbage outside on the regular basis, but this is even more important when the weather warms up. Fruit flies are unlikely to invade if you live in a subzero climate, but warmer weather makes it easier for them to reproduce and live happily in your kitchen and bathroom. If you throw food scraps in your garbage or you dispose of containers with food remnants, take the garbage outdoors at least once a day. Ideally, you should compost the food items or destroy them in the garbage disposal.
Another way to avoid a fruit fly infestation is to avoid bringing them into the house from outside. Even the cleanest, most efficient housekeeper will have little defense should the flies come in on fresh produce. When you are at the market, avoid fruit selections where you see the flies hovering. If you have no choice but to buy items that are attracting flies, buy clean fruit with no bugs on it and put the fruit directly in the refrigerator once you are home.
If you dispose of food in your garbage disposal, be sure to clean out the disposal on the regular basis. Some people clean with fruit by grinding orange and lemon peels in the disposal. The oils from the fruits freshen the kitchen scent and keep the disposal gears lubricated. If you are worried about attracting flies due to build up in your disposal, flush it out with hot water, drain cleaner, or bleach. After using the disposal, run it for a few extra seconds empty to remove the clinging bits of food.
Finally, to avoid fruit flies from infesting your home, keep your fruit clean. Washing the fruit thoroughly as soon as you bring it home may be enough to eliminate the flies. While they are usually attracted to fruit that is spoiling, the sweet scent of fresh fruit may be enough to lure them in. By washing fruit, you flush away flies and any juices that may have leaked through punctured fruit skin. Eliminating bugs from your house is a challenge, and fruit flies are one of the most challenging of all bugs
Author Bio: Stewart Wrighter is an expert in the field of exterminating and contributes articles about the benefits of using Sentricon and the Sentricon system for eliminating termites from a structure.
Category: Home Management
Keywords: Sentricon,Sentricon System
