I have a pest problem [fruit flies]

Several weeks ago, I brought home a basket of figs, that unbeknownst to me at that time, were infested with these dastardly little flea like bugs.

A number committed bug suicide into a glass of cheap rum. But, the others seemed to wise up to that execution strategy shortly thereafter.

I can't seem to get rid of them. Raid doesn't work. Foggers don't work. They seem to be reproducing as fast as I can kill the 10-20 that I do every night.

Any suggestions?

YourPalWill wrote:A number committed bug suicide into a glass of cheap rum. But, the others seemed to wise up to that execution strategy shortly thereafter.
...
Any suggestions?

More expensive rum.

HI,

Is it fleas or something else? You need to find where they are nesting and get rid of that. If they are fruit flies or of that persuasion, I would look through my potato and onion bins. I would also look at corn starch, flour and other types of packets for another potential home-away-from-home or food-source. Some critters gravitate toward moisture, like under the sink.

I use my hose attachment from the vacuum cleaner to suck loose running around and flying bugs. If it is a larger bug, sometimes they can really create some brief resistance by flapping their wings vigorously, but any moment of rest and they are goners.

If you know more precisely your critter, then I could perhaps be more specific.

Good luck!

If they're fruit flies, they don't seem to go away until winter comes, but once it does, which should be about Tuesday of next week I think, theyr'e history.

In the meantime you can perform genetics experiments on them.

Mike G wrote:If they're fruit flies, they don't seem to go away until winter comes, but once it does, which should be about Tuesday of next week I think, theyr'e history.

In the meantime you can perform genetics experiments on them.

The one, very non-perfect solution we use, 'cause we seem to get them (fruit flies) a lot too--although never enough to conduct meaningful experiments--is to put the stuff in the fridge.

Rob

If you leave a glass (or cup, I don't think they care) of white wine on the counter, they fly in and die. They probably don't know that their great, great grandparents died in rum. They also really like drains, so you may want to pour a little bleach down your kitchen sink. And, of course, no produce should sit out until you get rid of them.

I had them one summer, and they offed themselves in a bottle of merlot. Before I realized this, my date had one stuck to his lip after taking a sip.

Hi,

There is this presumption you have fruit flies, though your original statement seems to suggest something else. I found an article from the
University of Kentucky, which had some constructive ideas. I have also included an article from the University of Iowa. because I enjoyed their conclusion: "For many people, fruit flies are a temporary annoyance and the flies eventually disappear on their own without a source ever being determined."

Fruit flies make me believe in spontaneous generation. One day there are no fruit flies. But one overlooked overripened banana or rotten potato and, suddenly, there's a swarm, sometimes even in midwinter.

News about a restaurant recently closed due to a fruit fly infestation has me wondering about these pests. I've been inclined to think of occasional fruit fly invasions of my kitchen as a nuisance, but not a dangerously unhealthy one. I usually get rid of them by disposing of nonrefrigerated produce, pouring bleach down the kitchen drain and setting up vinegar traps. This can be a somewhat slow process for eradicating them, but I've been thinking that fruit flies were less risky than spraying poison around my kitchen.

Am I wrong? This closure has me wondering, especially since the city let a second restaurant, infested with some kind of biting insects, remain open, despite fining them.

How do you get rid of fruit flies?

The only thing you can do is be vigilant. We fog once a month, cover all bottles at the end of the night, bleach all the drains, and everything goes into a cooler in the warm months (onions, potatoes, everything). The problem is that one bottle of grenadine left out, one drain left unbleached, one soda gun left un-soaked and they're back. Once you get to October/November to speed the process of their death up, open all the windows (if possible), all the doors, and drop the place down to freezing. At least at that point you're done with them until May.

These closings have me worried also but I think in many respects it shows many other problems at hand then fruit flies at the restaurants shut down. Also, they tend to give you time to remedy fruit flies or any other minor infraction. It's when they come back and you haven't done what they ask, they shut you down. The health inspectors I have dealt with have always been reasonable until they come back and you're still in violation.

I would guess the restaurant recently in the news had a few chances to be up to code, it's just surprising a huge corporation like that would drop the ball. IMO you won't ever see it open again (under that name).

I remember when I worked in a cafe, the recommended solution to "drain flies" was to flood the drain with salt and follow with heavily salted water. Bleach doesn't work on them, because the egg sacs are stuck on with goo similar to slugs - but which dissolve in salt in the same way a slug does.

Though I'm not endorsing their products, this website has a nice tiny-fly identifier that may be helpful. You'll need a magnifying glass, tho

Aaron Deacon wrote:

YourPalWill wrote:A number committed bug suicide into a glass of cheap rum. But, the others seemed to wise up to that execution strategy shortly thereafter.
...
Any suggestions?

More expensive rum.

Thanks for the laugh... (sorry it's at your expense, YPW).

This time of the year we always leave a small of cup of sugared water (we usually use a glass of the kids' juice) mixed with a tablespoon or so of vinegar and about 2 drops of dish detergent in it sitting on the counter. The sugar and the vinager attract the little fruit flies (our particular problem - not sure if thats what "bugging" YourPalWill) and the detergent acts to take away the surface tension of the liquid. They land on the cup, creep down to take a drink, slip in and drown. After one night we usually have a layer of dead fruit fleas on the bottom of the glass and within a few days they are gone.

Works like a charm for us!

Oddly enough, I have yet another infestation right now from a rotting sweet potato. I have found a good use for some two buck chuck from Trader Joe's. I opened the bottle, left it on my kitchen counter, and the entire family dove in within 36 hours.

Have you brought any new plants into the house? At the end of our first summer here, I brought the plants from our balcony inside and along with them came some little flies. They were a problem for a couple of weeks before I figured out the source.

Also make sure your garbage can has a lid, and you twist up the neck of the bag before you go to bed. Pie Dude often sprays in there with some kitchen spray to minimize odors and gas the little bastards. But keeping fruit in the fridge oughta help.

YourPalWill wrote:Any suggestions?

Best advice...don't let your potatoes rot.