Fruit flies are one of the major nuisance that alters with fruits and fresh vegetables. They are attracted by sugary or fermented scents.
Their cohabitation tends to result to infestations and contamination of the fruits. This necessitates the need to free our fruits from this hazardous risks resulting from the contamination.
Flies are vector to various types of infestations, and portrays unhygienic state within the surroundings or the environment.
So, what are Fruit Flies?’
The scientific name of fruit flies is Drosophila melanogaster. They are tiny insects, typically 2–4 mm in length, with red eyes and tan bodies. They have a lifespan of about 40–50 days under optimal conditions. They are likely to be found around ripe, decaying fruits, vegetables, and damp areas.
Dangers of Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are likely to result in;
Contamination of Food
Fruit flies lay eggs on decaying fruits, vegetables, and organic waste. The eggs hatch into larvae (maggots) that feed on the food, making it unfit for consumption. Even if you don't see larvae, fruit flies carry bacteria and microbes from one surface to another, potentially contaminating food.
Bacterial and Pathogen Spread
Fruit flies land on unsanitary surfaces like garbage bins, drains, or compost piles before landing on your food. This can spread harmful bacteria and pathogens. Consuming contaminated food can lead to foodborne illnesses, causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Fungal Spread
Fruit flies are attracted to yeast and fungi, which grow on decaying fruits and damp areas. They can spread fungal spores, worsening mold and mildew problems in kitchens and pantries.
Allergy Triggers
Their body parts, saliva, or droppings can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Symptoms may include sneezing, skin rashes, or itchy eyes
Rapid Infestation
Fruit flies reproduce extremely quickly: A single female can lay 500 eggs in her lifetime. Eggs hatch within 24–48 hours, leading to a sudden infestation. Large infestations can create a nuisance, impact food hygiene, and stress household or restaurant environments.
Methods of Getting Rid of Fruit Flies
As fruit flies infestation has grown, there have been development of various methods to compact this upsurge. Some of these various methods to achieve a fruit free fly’s environment includes;
Conserve cleanliness;
Fruit flies as they are largely attracted by scents such as fermenting fruits, it is considerate
For proper discarding fermenting or overripe fruits to minimize attraction. In case of overripe fruits, it is wise to store the fruits in a refrigerator or use airtight container.
Proper storage to prevent access;
This is storage of fruits in a place where this flies cannot access such as refrigerator, screen windows, meshwork covered, which will limit them from contaminating the fruits.
Scenery of traps;
Traps provides sites of attractions for bleeding through fruity scents to mimic their sites of attraction or bleeding. Flies are lured to the trap so as they cannot escape.
Application of repellant sprays
In situations where there are severe infestations of these flies, application of repellant maybe applicable to compact the hazardous infestations, and transmissions.
This method is not highly recommended unless there is severe and threatening infestations. This may be achieved through processes such as fumigation, application of natural oils example eucalyptus.
Benefits of getting rid of Fruit flies
Reduce health hazardous;
In cases where these flies have infested they inclines the consumers to variety of contingency of infections. This results to immune suppression and can result to serious life threatening conditions. Fruit flies are vectors to various infections such as Salmonella, E.coli in which this results to gastrointestinal illnesses.
Encourages better food safety
Through continuous habits of safe storage of fruits, it grades to an overall general safe food hygiene. This will improve healthy living and and virtuous food handling.
Promotes pleasing environment
When an environment is free from flies, it is pleasing, and comfortable for dinning and cooking. It is also portraying a state of good hygiene within the area.
Getting rid of fruit flies is required to proactively improve hygiene safety, improve health standards and provide comfortable environment for dinning and kitchen.
This is achieved through use of traps, maintaining cleanliness, proper storage to prevent access and use of repellants.
These methods will ensure that there is total purging of infestations from these fruit flies and improve quality health standards.
It’s also recommendable in order to have a fruit fly’s free environment that we;
1) Dispose of overripe and fermented fruits well to reduce the rate of scent attraction to these flies.
2) Use of repellants such as fumigations in case of severe infestation as it can result to more severe compromised infestations or transmissions.
3)Proper storage of this fruits free from access to this fruit flies.
