How to deal with fruit flies at home. How to get rid of fruit flies in the house. How to poison midges. Prevention of Drosophila emergence. Types of small midges found in human housing

Yes, that same banana most likely already contained Drosophila eggs.

Drosophila is a delicate creature; it dies from hypothermia. If, when leaving, you leave the windows open for several hours in winter, the fly will die. But if she managed to lay eggs in some places (she likes to do this in a bowl of pet food, in flower pots, in a trash can), then the calm will be temporary. Therefore, before “freezing”, we take out the garbage, wash the bucket with soap, treat the soil in the flower pots with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and Sharik goes on a diet until the evening.

If it’s warm outside and hypothermia doesn’t work out, then we use traps:

• put in disposable cup a piece of apple or banana, cover the glass tightly with cling film (can be secured with a rubber band), and make holes in the film with an awl. Since the fly is completely brainless, it will climb inside, attracted by the fruity aroma, but will not be able to get out. We place such traps in places where fruit flies accumulate. If necessary, throw it away.
• You can also fill cups with water with sugar and yeast, beer, syrup. Then you don’t have to cover it with film, the flies will flock to the smell and drown in the liquid.

Another interesting way— buy a predator plant, for example, a Venus flytrap. It is easy to care for and takes up little space. These plants attract insects, and once the fly is inside, the plant closes and digests the prey. Extraordinary, informative, effective.

Cleanliness and neatness are the main points in prevention. The trash can should be taken out daily, as it is an excellent breeding ground for fruit flies. Wash dirty dishes immediately, do not leave them in the sink. Apple cores and banana peels should not be lying around in the rooms - tell your family about this. Storage areas for vegetables and fruits should be washed regularly with a mixture of water and vinegar or laundry soap.

In summer, fruits should be stored in the refrigerator, and indoor flowers should be sprayed and watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or a pest repellent, but try not to water too much. If everything is followed, then the question of how to get rid of fruit flies in your apartment will not arise.

Everyone knows about fruit flies. It’s just that many people don’t realize that they are annoying small flies, hovering in the kitchen, are the very insects that biologists love to experiment with. Once settled in an apartment, they are a significant nuisance to the residents. How to get rid of them quickly and with minimal means?

Description of the insect

Drosophila are otherwise called fruit flies. These insects have long settled near humans and are now found only where people live. And all because man is an inexhaustible source of food for them.

Flies feed on rotten fruits, flower nectar and sour plant juice. There is all this in abundance around people.

Drosophila are very small midges. They do not live long, reproduce extremely quickly and develop from an egg to an adult also rapidly - in 10 days. Therefore, they can very quickly move into the apartment in which they live. Fly eggs are laid in products, rotten berries, fruits, plants. The emerging larvae penetrate deep into them and pupate there.

After hatching from the pupa, the fly becomes capable of laying eggs on the second day.

During her two-month life, the female lays from 200 to 2000 eggs. At this rate, there will soon become a lot of them in the apartment and it will be impossible not to notice the flies.

Small-scale sabotage

Theoretically, you can get intestinal upset if you eat fruits infected with fly larvae.

In practice, this is also unlikely, since people prefer fresh fruits, and fruit flies prefer spoiled ones.

Appearance in the apartment

Flies are poor flyers - they can only fly about 180 m a day. Therefore, they cannot get into the house from afar. But where do they come from then?

• As a rule, they live in nature on fruit trees, gardens and cottages.
• They find themselves in the apartment, brought on fruits and vegetables.
• They can be brought along with the soil remaining on vegetables or taken for planting indoor plants. Eggs and larvae of flies remain in the soil, which then hatch in the apartment.
• Through the window and ventilation shafts. Flies come from the street, where they can swarm in garbage dumps and trees.
• Indoor flowers- a place from where flies can populate the apartment. They happily live in acidified saucers on which pots stand.
• Drosophila may also like containers with food from pets - they will reproduce with pleasure in leftover food.

Way to fight

If Drosophila flies are found in an apartment, you must carefully examine it for the presence of rotting food scraps. Most likely, a forgotten apple, banana, spoiled berries in a vase will be discovered.

The most common location for fruit flies is garbage can, where leftover fruit continues to spoil and attract flies.

In order to get rid of them, you must do the following:

• find spoiled food and throw it away;
• wash thoroughly storage areas for vegetables and fruits, since eggs and larvae may remain there;
• do not leave pet food in saucers for a long time and remove it during the day;
• dry the flowers, wash the saucers, and replace the soil in the pots with new ones;
• set traps;
• regularly remove the trash can from the house (at least once a day).

Drosophila, what is it like (video)

Means of destruction

• Fly traps are very effective. They serve as your favorite treats. Attract flies you can by placing saucers around the house with beer, syrup, juice, a mixture of sugar and yeast in water. The flies will congregate above the limpets and drown in the bait. All that remains is to throw away the bait with fruit flies.
• A mechanical trap is also effective: you need to take a plastic cup and place a piece of apple in it. Cover the glass with cling film, making a number of holes in it. The flies will no longer be able to get out and they can be thrown away with the trap.
• A similar method can be considered a sticky fly tape, which should be hung and placed in the kitchen and next to flower pots if flies have settled there.
• You can get rid of flies using ordinary insecticide aerosols against flying insects. “Combat”, “Dichlorvos”, “Raptor” are suitable. You can spray the product in places where flies accumulate, after removing all food. After treatment, the room must be ventilated.

• You can breed Drosophila a mixture of apple cider vinegar and dish soap. They must be mixed in equal proportions and poured into jars. The latter should be placed around the house in places where fruit flies are found. The mixture must be renewed every week. Soon the flies will disappear.
• To destroy the larvae and eggs of flies in the soil, it is worth treating it in pots with a solution of potassium permanganate. Then treat the soil with an insecticide against pests of indoor plants.
• Drosophila are sensitive to temperature. If it is no longer summer outside and it has become quite cool, then you can simply ventilate the room. For this you need on a cold day, open the windows and open everything at the same time kitchen cabinets . Drosophila will die from hypothermia.

Prevention measures

To prevent flies from multiplying and infesting again, you must adhere to a number of simple rules.

You should not leave fruits and delicate berries on the table for a long time in the heat - after a few hours, fruit flies are guaranteed to appear. Fruits should be stored in the refrigerator.

The trash can should be taken out of the house every day.

Need to regularly clean the sink and unclog the drains using chemicals.

Getting rid of fruit flies is quite simple. And this does not require toxic agents at all - the most simple ways, described in the article, turn out to be the most effective.

Drosophila are small flying insects that appear in an apartment in the presence of spoiled vegetables and fruits. They also contain the sap and rotting remains of indoor plants. Despite the fact that these little flies do not bite people or animals, do not drink blood, and do not damage furniture, they still quite annoy residents by flickering around the room. Therefore, many housewives are puzzled by the question of how to get rid of fruit flies in the summer.

Features of the insect

Drosophila are small fruiting or fruit flies, the dimensions of which do not exceed 2 mm. Females differ from males in having a pointed abdomen and larger body size. The most common midges are yellow-brown in color, but there are also black and orange individuals.

The Drosophila fly enters the apartment along with vegetables or with soil that is taken for planting. Drosophila eggs remain in the ground. If there are favorable living conditions, they quickly settle in a new place of residence: the female lays up to two dozen eggs at a time, and in (insects live for about 2 months) she is able to lay up to 10 such clutches. The development cycle of an egg to an adult takes no more than 10 days. Therefore, if you do not get rid of fruit flies in time, very soon they will populate the entire apartment.

• Odors affect fruit flies essential oils. Insects cannot tolerate the aroma of cloves, patchouli, verbena, or ylang-ylang.
• Camphor is another one folk remedy from fruit flies. Fruit midges really don't like the smell of this substance. It is enough to heat the crushed product in an old frying pan until it starts to smoke. For humans, such vapors do not pose any danger, but midges are not able to tolerate it.
• If fruit flies are infested in flowers, you can get rid of them using garlic. It is enough to spread a few finely chopped garlic cloves on the surface of the soil. As the aromatic properties disappear, the raw material should be replaced with a fresh portion.
• If midges are harmful indoor plant, you need to prepare a weak solution of manganese. They should treat the flower every two weeks.
• Matches will help get rid of flowers that have grown up in flower soil. It is enough to simply stick a few pieces into the ground with the sulfur end.
• You can even remove fruit flies with kerosene. To prevent the acrid odor from creating great discomfort for the inhabitants of the home, a small amount flammable liquid mixed with water. The resulting solution is used to wash windows and doorways. Turpentine, which has similar properties, is also used for this purpose.

Industrial products

Midges can be exterminated much faster using industrial means. Manufacturers offer a wide selection of traps, repellents and aerosols.

• – glue trap with sticky inside, equipped with a bait liquid. Insects flying towards the scent, touching adhesive surface, stick tightly to it. And with outside the device remains clean and neat, which does not create feelings of discomfort and disgust.

  The trap can be used for a month. One device is designed for a room of 10-12 square meters. m. A set of a fruit fly trap and bait liquid costs around 140 rubles.

• Combat - with a plastic case, which comes with insecticidal liquid. When it is connected to the network, toxic fumes evaporate, which can destroy insects. The insecticidal composition has an effect on both fruit flies and mosquitoes, flies and mosquitoes. The effect can be observed within an hour after application. The cost of the set is 300 rubles.
• Gardex Extreme – repellent aerosol based on DEET is effective against black flies, mosquitoes, horse flies and mosquitoes. They can be used to treat bare areas of the body, clothing, as well as places where insects accumulate. The can is equipped with a special lid with a blocker, which prevents spontaneous spraying of the repellent composition. The residual effect extends for 8 hours (when applied to the skin), up to 5 days (when treating clothing and household items). The price of the aerosol is within 300-320 rubles.
• Dichlorvos is another insecticidal aerosol that can easily poison fruit flies. As active ingredients The agents are cypermethrin and tetramethrin. The composition is odorless, it can poison not only gnats and flies, but also mosquitoes, wasps, moths, cockroaches, ants and other harmful insects. The product is sprayed in places where pests accumulate: one bottle is designed to treat 80 square meters. m of treated surface. The price of a cylinder is 100 rubles.
• There are also covered special composition. They are effective against fruit flies, flies and other flying insects.

On a note!

Aerosol products are sprayed in the habitats of fruit flies, after removing food products. At the end of the treatment, the room must be thoroughly ventilated.

The appearance and removal of fruit flies can be avoided by maintaining order and cleanliness in the house. Fruits and vegetables should not be left on tables for a long time, and those that have begun to spoil should be disposed of in a timely manner.

The fruit fly, like most representatives of its species, is activated in summer time. However, thanks central heating these creatures are able to live and reproduce even in winter.

The more common name for fruit flies is fruit fly.

These insects are widespread in the natural environment. Currently, over 1,500 of their varieties have been described. Most of them live in regions with tropical and temperate climates, but these unique insects are also found in northern latitudes.

The secret to how annoying these flies are is that they literally multiply exponentially

This diversity of species is largely due to the high ability of fly genes to mutate, which allows them to quickly adapt to a changing external environment.

Throughout the 20th century, these creatures, due to their primitiveness and ability to mutate, were under the close attention of scientists around the world, so their genome has now been sequestered and well studied.

Today it is difficult to find a more studied creature than the Drosophila fly. During the observation process, not only many mutation abilities were identified, but also behavioral triggers that allow them to survive both in their natural habitat and in human homes.

Anatomical characteristics of fruit flies

These creatures are quite modest in size. The body length of adult individuals varies from 1.5 to 3 mm.

Most species of these creatures are yellow-brown in color with characteristic transverse stripes on the abdomen of a darker color.

Males are usually significantly smaller in size. There are other body features that distinguish them from females. In males Bottom part the body is usually darker and has characteristic pointed bristles surrounding the anus and genitals.

The beauty fly's compound eyes give her a wide view

In females, the abdomen has a more rounded shape. Drosophila are characterized by large eyes that occupy almost the entire area of ​​the head.

Their color usually ranges from dirty brown to red.

Drosophila flies have long wings. This allows them to be maneuverable, although they are not able to develop great speed.

Drosophila species

In addition, there are 3 pairs of legs, crowned with tenacious claws. Thanks to this structure and relatively low weight, these insects can quickly crawl on almost any surface. The oral apparatus of an adult is represented by a short proboscis. Flies feed mainly on the juices of vegetables and fruits, decaying plant debris and fungi.

Reproduction of fruit flies

The life cycle of these insects is quite short. After emerging from the pupa, the female is ready to reproduce in about 12 hours.

After mating, she can store sperm in her abdomen for a long time.

Experiments have shown that if unfavorable conditions occur during this period and the air temperature drops to 10 °C, sperm may die and not be used to fertilize eggs. In this case, when favorable conditions arise, the female again looks for a partner.

During her life, she can lay up to 400 eggs, reaching only 0.5 mm in length. Typically, females hide their eggs in rotting fruits or other nutrient media. The larvae hatch in about 24 hours. Then they begin to actively feed and in just 5 days they molt 2 times.

During this time, the larvae consume microorganisms that are involved in the decomposition process, as well as substances present in this liquid medium.

Plenty of food is extremely important during this period. The size of adult individuals, as well as their further viability, depends on it. After this, the larva begins to surround itself with a puparium and transforms into a pupa. Usually the insect remains in this state for about 5 days, after which it is ready to undergo a new metamorphosis. For more information about the insect, see this video:

Next, a sexually mature individual with wings emerges from the pupa. Adult fruit flies use spiracles to oxygenate their tissues, so falling into water or decaying slurry is deadly. After about 12 hours, insects begin not only to actively search for food, but also for a mating partner.

Chemical insecticides in the fight against fruit flies

These creatures cause a lot of trouble for humans, since in the summer their numbers in residential premises can grow at incredible speed.

They not only circle over a person, but also land on food and fall into drinks.

This cannot but cause serious discomfort to people. In order to cope with the invasion, first of all it is necessary to carry out a general cleaning of the apartment and throw away all the garbage.

Chemical insecticides are represented by preparations of various actions, from aerosols to adhesive tapes and special films

Particular attention should be paid to removing plant juices and sour dairy products from surfaces, which can become a breeding ground for these insects.

If spring-cleaning will be carried out efficiently, in just a few days the midges will disappear on their own, since they need a certain amount of food for normal life.

However, if desired, you can use chemical insecticides to quickly eliminate them. Currently, many toxic agents have been developed that can be effectively used in the fight against these insects. It is best to use aerosols such as:

To achieve the desired effect, spray insecticide indoors with closed windows and doors. Next you need to go for a walk for about 1 hour. After this, the home is thoroughly ventilated. Before processing, you need to put all the food in the refrigerator and cover the dishes with a cloth so that aerosol droplets do not fall on it.

Traps against fruit flies

If desired, such products can be purchased on the market. Regular adhesive tapes will be useless in this case, but large traps that form a cylinder when the ends are glued together can be very useful. good result. They are attractive to fruit flies because they have White color. If you don’t want to spend money on such devices, you can do something similar yourself at home. For more details, watch this video:

For the manufacture of simple remedy of this type, you need to place pieces of any rotten fruit in a liter jar. Next, a funnel is made from plain white paper, with a hole cut at the tip.

The edges of this design are glued to the edges of the neck of the jar with the tip down.

In this case, the midges will enter the jar through the bottom of the funnel, as they will be attracted by the smell emanating from the spoiled fruit. Neither adult flies nor their offspring will be able to get back. Although such baits do not completely eliminate all fruit flies, they contribute to a fairly rapid decrease in their numbers. When the jar is sufficiently filled with these insects, it should be poured inside through a funnel warm solution baking soda.

If desired, you can make another one a simple trap for fruit flies. To do this you will need a deep glass and cling film. At the bottom of the container you need to put some pieces of fruit or pour juice. Further top part Cover the glasses with cling film.

In the center of such an improvised lid, you need to pierce a small hole so that the fly can easily fit into it.

The bait needs to be placed in a visible place and wait until the insects flock to the smell. When the glass is filled with flies, you need to cover it again with cling film so that there are no holes left and throw it away.

Pour sweet syrup, juice or pieces of fruit into the trap

You can use a regular plastic bag as a trap. Pieces of apple or tomato should be placed inside it. Next, the edges of the bag must be tightened with string so that a small hole remains. After about a day, you need to completely close the bag and throw it away. Usually during this time, most of the food flies flying around the room manage to get into it.

If you wish, you can show your imagination using the same principle and make many traps that allow you to eliminate a significant number of these insects without the use of chemicals.

For example, some people pour a layer of beer about 2 cm into the bottom of a deep, wide container. This drink is extremely attractive to fruit flies. Read more about traps in this video:

Once in the container, most flies immediately drown. In addition, if there are fruit flies in the room, regular adhesive tape can be used, but they should be thoroughly coated with wine before use. This will attract insects.

Folk remedies against fruit flies

There are many excellent passive means that allow you to quickly get rid of these creatures, without the use of chemical insecticides.

For example, if it’s approaching autumn and the weather is cold outside, you can open the window in the kitchen and close the door, and in just one night all the flies will die.

These insects are extremely sensitive to odors. Drosophila flies really do not like the aroma of fern and elderberry leaves. These plants should be spread throughout the room, and within a few days the insects will find a more pleasant place to live. In addition, they cannot tolerate the smell of herbs such as tansy, chamomile and lovage. To combat midges, you can use dried bouquets of these plants.

An excellent way to get rid of such unpleasant neighbors forever is to wash the windows and all surfaces in the kitchen with soapy water and turpentine. This will not result in the presence of unpleasant odor, but at the same time it can repel fruit flies.

In some cases, the source of fruit flies may be flower pots. It is necessary to have geranium or eucalyptus.

In containers with other plants, insert a match with the sulfur head down. If desired, you can also catch most flies with a regular vacuum cleaner. These creatures are not strong enough and fly slowly, so they are quickly sucked into the unit. In addition, to drive away these insects, you can grate horseradish and leave it in the kitchen.