Fruit flies
As the name indicates, fruit flies are those that feed on fruits. Its biological name is Drosophila melanogaster and it belongs to the family of Drosophilidae. These are small flies that are usually 3 to 4mm in length. They are found to be active in places where there are lots of garbage, dampness, rotten fruits and they get easily attracted to all kinds of sweet foods. They are commonly found in brown or tan shades. The life cycle of these fruit flies is about 8 days. These fruit flies reproduce very quickly and they are active all through the year.
Diet and characteristics
Rotten fruits and vegetables, trash cans, areas of standing water, open liquor bottles and other areas where there lots of decayed food are some of the common places where you can spot fruit flies. There are two main types of fruit flies that you commonly see in your homes – pupae and adult flies. The areas discussed above are the ones where you will spot the adult flies. Pupae usually are found in dry areas and they are easily differentiated from other insects, through a pair of horns that protrude from one end of the pupae. There are four types of chromosomes in these insects – three autosomal and one which identifies the sex of these flies.
Types of fruit flies
Some of the common types of fruit flies are the following:
- Mexican fruit flies – Commonly found in Central America, these flies are usually 7 to 11mm long and slightly yellowish-brown in colour.
- Citrus fruit flies – These are usually 7mm long and are reddish-brown in colour. As the name suggests, these are commonly found in citrus fruits.
- Olive fruit flies – Averaging about 5 to 10mm in length, these fruit flies are commonly found in the Mediterranean basin, these fruit flies are in a greyish black colour.
- Caribbean fruit fly – Also known as the Great Antillean fruit fly, this is found in the West Indies predominantly.
Some of the tips to control fruit fly infestations
Due to their capacity to reproduce at a great speed, fruit flies are quite commonly found whenever there are decayed fruits and vegetables. Trash cans and kitchens are the common breeding areas of these fruit flies. One of the first tips that you have to follow in order to control infestations from fruit flies is to store left over fruits and sugary foods in the refrigerators. You should also keep the areas where you have kept your trash cans clean and tidy. Fruits that are too ripe, damaged, half-eaten, left in the open for a long time and those that are too sweet are the first breeding places of fruit flies. Hence in order to control infestations from them, you should first remove all of these foods from your houses.
Once you have done the groundwork for the same, you can then call professional pest control agencies to advise you of permanent solutions for the same. Toro Pest Management, is one of the leaders in this industry and you can call them for a free quote for your requirements.
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