I don’t know about you, but as we head into summer I’ve been seeing more and more tiny flies moving around my kitchen. But when attracted to my fruit bowl, it’s not fruit flies I’m dealing with, but vinegar flies—and it’s likely those same flies are in your kitchen, too.
There’s nothing I hate more than flies in the house, so long as I’m willing to try any method Get rid of flies. This also includes more bonkers methods, viz Cucumber hackwhich uses scent to deter these insects.
Often confused with fruit flies, vinegar flies are often small, buzzing insects that we see roaming fruit bowls and kitchens during the summer. I asked the experts what vinegar flies are and How to prevent them from entering our homes.
What are vinegar flies?
‘Vinegar flies are actually the flies you see buzzing around in the summer, not fruit flies. Vinegar flies are small flies with red eyes, while fruit flies are actually quite large (about the size of a standard housefly) and are a threat to agriculture. This is because true fruit flies lay their eggs through the tough skin of healthy, growing fruit, which can destroy the crop,” explains Ryan Kaila, food waste specialist and waste and recycling manager. Kingfisher Direct.
‘Vinegar flies, on the other hand, cannot do this, and are only attracted to rotting food, feeding on fermenting liquids, yeasts, and rotting or excess organic matter. Most people, especially in the UK, refer to vinegar flies as fruit flies.’
(Image credit: Getty Images/ Helene Loik-Thomson)
When the fruit is overripe, its natural sugars begin to ferment, and the aroma this gives off attracts the vinegar fly to your home. And vinegar flies can lay many eggs. A female vinegar fly can lay anywhere from 500 to 2,000 eggs in her lifetime and these eggs hatch 24-30 hours after laying.
‘As the fruit ripens, it essentially ferments, releasing compounds that vinegar flies can detect from miles away. And for food-related businesses, this can be a problem, because they’re not just attracted to fruit. Compost and food waste, kitchen drains, alcohol and sugary drinks, unwashed bottles, glasses and even recycling can appeal as breeding grounds, so you’ll easily find yourself drowning,’ says Adam Jusson, pest expert and founder of a commercial pest control company. Merlin Environmental.
How to Get Rid of Vinegar Flies
Vinegar flies breed quickly, are unsanitary and a nuisance in your home, and the best way to get rid of them is to remove the source of the problem. So, during the summer, it may be a good idea to remove your fruit bowl and freeze fruit or use produce savers to extend their shelf life. i find Lakeland’s StayFresh Sheets (£9.99) To really help delay over-ripening, extending the life of my fruit bowl.
(Image credit: Getty Images/Tomasz Kladzis)
‘The best way is to remove the source. Eliminating the source of the flies will mean they go away and stay away, so check for any decaying and fermenting food and throw away any fruit that is overripe, cracking, oozing juice or sweet and fermenting,’ says Ryan.
‘If the fruit/food is in the container, you will need to wash it thoroughly before putting anything else back into it. This is because it’s incredibly easy for sticky residue or sap to sit on the bottom, which will attract flies.’
‘I recommend emptying your food waste more often in the summer. Anything from fruit peels, apple cores, banana peels, etc., can ferment very quickly in a hot kitchen, especially if your caddy is placed in the sun. Also, some caddies may not close properly. If this is the case, try to ensure that they are always sealed as tightly as possible; They will be an instant attraction to these flies.’
(Image credit: Future plc/Dan Dutchers)
with the new Simple rules of recycling In England, every household has a food waste bin, and it can be difficult Getting rid of flies from food binsBecause it is their ideal environment. Caddies such as Joseph Joseph Vest Caddy (£29.99, Amazon) There are built-in anti-odor and moisture filters to reduce odors that attract flies, as well as keep a tight-fitting lid.
‘Rinse fruit bowls, worktops and nearby surfaces thoroughly to remove sticky residue,’ adds Adam.
Clean the drain, flush with boiling water or use an enzymatic drain cleaner to remove organic build-up. Use a trap such as apple cider vinegar with a drop of washing-up liquid in a covered container to reduce the number of adults.’
Adam is keen to point out that flies are the symptom – you need to be more careful about potentially laying thousands of eggs in your home instead. Therefore, good hygiene is paramount to keeping your home vinegar fly-free.
Stay fresh
6 StayFresh sheets with Rypen technology
This Lakeland StayFresh is really good at extending the life of your fruit bowl. They work by absorbing the aging ethylene gases to slow the ripening process.
Joseph Joseph
Joseph Joseph Intelligent Waste, Stack 4 Kitchen Food Waste Compost Caddy
The food waste caddy has a ventilated design to help reduce odors and moisture. It also has a tightly fitted lid to prevent insects from entering.
Zero in
Zero in fruit fly trap, pack of 2
This ingenious non-spill trap attracts flies before trapping them and killing them. They are safe to use around food preparation areas, garden seating areas and around open bottles of wine.
Honestly, the thought of these pesky flies makes my skin crawl. However, by removing my fruit bowl, regularly cleaning out my food waste bin and kitchen, I won’t have to deal with this problem this summer.
