Fruit Flies: Controlling And Eliminating Them

Every bar will probably have a fruit fly problem at least once during its lifetime. Their larvae come in on fruits that you use, but these insects are so small they can also get in through the minute gaps around windows and doorways; and they can smell food from a long way off!

It’s summer, fruits are ever-present in your bar, the weather is favorable and fruit flies are making their cameo appearance in your location. Don’t worry we’ve got the guide to help you get rid of them.

What Do They Come For?

Fruit flies love sweet things: fruit, wine, sweet liqueurs, and liquors, this is what they feed on and will try and lay their eggs in or near to. They also have a taste for fermented products, such as beer. They lay their eggs in damp environments, think sponges, wet towels, drains, etcetera, and the closer to their food the easier it is for them and their offspring.

Population Control

Fruit flies multiply quickly -laying up to 500 eggs and turning from egg to adult in eight days- even if you don’t have any in your establishment they can turn from a few to too many very quickly. A few of the below measures are necessary for bar cleanliness, but it might be a good idea to put some others in place in case some fruit flies decide to wander in off the street looking for a new home.

• Clean, Clean, CLEAN: The best way to prevent all pest related problem in your location is to keep everything sparkling clean. Always.
• Cover Fruit: Cover cut fruit by day and store cut and uncut fruit in the fridge at night. Ideally, always keep uncut fruit in the fridge until it’s needed.
• No Wet Items Left Out: This means mops, sponges and towels. Ensure these items go in their appropriate locations and are locked up for the night.
• No Standing Water: Don’t let water pool and sit.
• Seal Bottles: At the end of the shift seal all bottles. You can leave them sealed throughout the day too if it’s practical.
• Fruit Fly Strips: A tried and tested first line defence. Ensure that you replace them as regularly as the manufacture recommends.
• Catching Bowl: Half fill an old fashioned glass with apple cider vinegar, put in a few drops of dish soap, cover with cling film and use a toothpick to poke in a few small holes. Place somewhere out of sight in your bar area. Check and replace regularly.

Eliminating The Pests

If you follow the above steps you should, theoretically, never have a fruit fly problem in your location. However, if these pests do still manage to stick around and get out of hand here are some methods to really eliminate them.

• Pest Control: The best way to ensure the critters are gone. Although there are effective alternatives to drawing unwanted attention and questions to your location.
• Bleach The Drains: Every night, for 11 days, pour hot, bleach water down all your drains and cover them with towels. This will help eliminate one of the fruit fly’s main breeding grounds.
• High Powered Fan: They can’t fly in high winds. Point these along your bar at night and they won’t be able to reach what they desire.
• Ice Down Drains: Has the same result as bleaching the drains. Although it’s not as effective as bleaching the drains.

If you’re having problems with fruit flies you can eliminate them yourself before calling pest control. Follow the above control steps and some of our tips to eliminating them and you’ll quickly see a dramatic drop in fruit fly numbers and will be fruit fly free soon!