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How to get rid of fruit flies in your house, according to experts

Vinegar, fly traps, spray? Follow these tips to vanquish these common household pests once and for all.

Let's be honest, you're never going to make banana bread from these brown bananas sitting on your counter. Ever.

What you are making, however, is the perfect home for fruit flies.

Also known as "vinegar" or "pomace" flies, we've all had 'em at one time or another and, while they aren't harmful, they can be quite a nuisance.

That said, you may be wondering how to get rid of fruit flies for once and for all. Good news, we're here to help.

To get the lowdown on how stop these pesky pests from taking up residence in your house, we talked to bug experts to get all the details on how to prevent them from taking root in the first place and most importantly, what you need to do to get rid of them.

Where fruit flies come from

According to Zach Schumm, insect diagnostician at Iowa State University, just about anyone can get fruit flies — and not just in their kitchen. They often inhabit bathrooms, too.

"Fruit flies can definitely be found all over the country, realistically all over the world." Schumm tells TODAY.com. "They can be around year round. It's likely that they’re more abundant in the summer, but they can be found year-round inside homes."

David Shetlar, an entomology professor at Ohio State University, says that fruit flies are always around, but you're less likely to see them during the cold months.

"In the wintertime, you rarely see any fruit flies because it's cold outside," Shetlar says. "Any of the surviving fruit flies are surviving out there as dormant pupae and it won't be until it warms up that they'll become active."

Why do you get fruit flies

"Contrary to popular belief, fruit flies are not spontaneously born from rotten fruit, nor do they emerge from the interior of decaying fruit," Dr. Jim Fredericks, entomologist and senior vice president of Public Affairs at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), tells TODAY.com in an email interview.

Instead, Fredericks says that fruit flies feed on the yeast found on decaying or fermenting fruit.

"Fruit flies can detect the odor of fermenting fruit from great distances and their tiny stature allows them to enter a home through miniscule cracks and services, including through mesh window and door screens," Fredericks says.

He says they can also be attracted to things like beverage bottles and cans waiting to be recycled.

Bottom line? They're attracted to odors of yeast, which is why it's common to find the pests around bakeries, restaurants and other places where over-ripening fruits (yep, those brown bananas), vegetables, juices or anything else that ferments is present.

And, gulp, once fruits like bananas have reached what Shetlar calls the black "mushy, yucky" stage, it's "the time that (fruit flies) would be laying their eggs on them."

But it's important to note that the flies don't actually come from the bananas (unless they took a ride home from the grocery store). Instead, according to Shetlar, it's more likely the pests originated from a nearby dumpster or garbage before finding their way into your home.

How to prevent fruit flies

If you want to avoid getting fruit flies, then don't leave any kind of fruit, vegetable or other food item out for too long on your counter — or anywhere else for that matter. Also, keep a close eye on whatever you bring home from the grocery store.

"Fruit fly eggs may already be present on fruit or vegetables that are brought home from the grocery store. If fruit flies are buzzing around produce at the store, they may already be infested," Fredericks says.

Other than that, Fredericks recommends the following:

  1. Practice good sanitation. If you keep fresh fruit on the counter, check it often for signs of over-ripening and dispose of rotten fruit in a sealed trash can or outdoors.
  2. Store fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator when possible.
  3. Remove the kitchen trash daily and keep garbage and recycling bins clean.
  4. Rinse out bottles and cans before throwing them in the bin.
  5. Clean up spills, especially sugary liquids, which can ferment over time and become attractive to fruit flies.
  6. Pay attention to fruit trees in your yard. Clean up and dispose of fallen fruit, especially if trees are near your house.

If you're having trouble with fruit flies in the bathroom, Schumm recommends checking that your bathroom drains are clean and clear of any "organic matter" that fruit flies might be "reproducing" or "feeding" on. To do so, pour boiling water down the drain and/or use a scrub brush to clean it.

How to get rid of fruit flies

Got an infestation of fruit flies in your house? Here's what you can do about it.

  1. The very first thing to do is remove their food source. "If you have over-ripe fruit sitting somewhere, they're going to keep reproducing," Schumm says.
  2. Clean everything, including your garbage cans (indoor and out), which Shetlar says should be done once or twice a month.
  3. Pick up household insecticide spray labeled for fly control or fruit fly traps.
  4. Fill a small container with a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar and and a drop or two of liquid dish soap. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and secure using a rubber band. Poke a few small holes into the plastic wrap and leave on your counter for several days. Although Schumm says "it will help collect some flies," it won't get rid of the root of the problem: the food source.
  5. If none of these work, it might be time to call in a professional. "Fruit flies can sometimes be difficult to control," Fredericks says. "Pest control professionals are trained to identify the source of the pest (which can sometimes be hidden) and identify common sense solutions for control."

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