Its scientific name is Ceratitis capitataalthough it is much more commonly known as the fruit fly or mediterranean fly. This small insect, which shows an enormous ability to reproduce when temperatures are high, is a very annoying pest both at home and in orchards and gardens.
Fruit flies do not carry disease, but they can make the fruit on a tree ugly and make for unwelcome company. If you want to learn how to eliminate fruit mosquitoes so that they do not cause problems in fruit trees or inside the house, keep reading this article from EcologíaVerde on how to get rid of fruit fly and how to prevent it.
How to remove fruit fly from fruit trees
In fruit trees, a fruit fly infestation It can be especially harmful, since they can lead to a loss of up to 30% of the crop’s production. These insects can be seen throughout the year when the weather is warm enough, but it will be in summer and autumn when you have to be more attentive to their appearance, as they will be attracted by the smell of ripe fruits.
If you are wondering how to eliminate fruit flies from plants and fruit trees, take note that using fruit fly insecticide in a massive or indiscriminate way should always be the last of our options, since this type of practice is harmful both to the environment and to the fruits, the tree itself or the plants on which we spray it, since residues may remain on these .
Thus, it is best to opt for a ecological treatment for fruit fly, as is the case with traps. prepare a ecological trap suitable for organic crops is also very simple. Follow these steps:
- Look for a plastic bottle, no matter its size, but transparent or semi-transparent if possible.
- Add to it apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of food coloring.
- After this, stir the mixture well and put a stopper on the bottle.
- Make small holes in the upper part of it, which will be where the flies enter, since they will not find the exit later.
- These bottles must be distributed throughout the area of the crop to be protected, adding up to three traps per fruit tree, at different heights, if the pest is serious.
The traps prolong their effectiveness if they are placed in the shade, but they will have to be changed if it rains and water enters them. In any case, it is important to renew each fruit fly trap after 30 days, cleaning them and filling them with a new mix. The holes must be small so that the flies do not easily find the exit, since the smell will guide them to enter and it will be much easier for them to enter than to leave.
How to get rid of fruit flies in the kitchen
These flies are also common in kitchens and homes when the temperature is favorable, reaching our homes through doors and windows, almost always attracted by the smell of fruit scraps in our trash, or by the aroma of fruit fermenting in the fruit bowl, even if it looks fine to the naked eye. doHow to fight the fruit fly Inside the house?
- To eliminate them from the kitchen, the best and simplest thing will be to resort again to the traps. Those described for fruit trees also work at home, although here it is easier to make them with a bowl, water, vinegar and a little dishwashing liquid. Mixing the ingredients mentioned in a bowl and leaving it uncovered and in the air, in the area where the flies are, they will come to get wet attracted by the smell of vinegar. However, ordinary detergent has the property of lowering the surface tension of the water, so the flies will sink and drown instead of landing on the surface.
- Another especially useful solution for plant lovers is to resort to our insectivorous friends, that is, the carnivorous plants. The venus flytrap and sundew are two species that will give a good account of them, obtaining extra nutrients in the process. Here you can learn more about Types of Carnivorous Plants and Carnivorous Plant Care.
- If what you want is drive away fruit flies without having to kill them, you can use the onion, whose smell acts as a repellent for this insect. Cut an onion in half and put one of the halves in the fruit bowl, or where the flies are most concentrated, and they will soon disappear.
How to prevent fruit fly
As with most pests, prevention tends to be a much more effective measure than elimination once the pest has appeared. For prevent an infestation of fruit flies follow these tips:
- The main thing is to maintain optimal levels of hygiene, throw the garbage out daily and keep it covered, in addition to cleaning the bucket or container as often as necessary.
- If you do not want to store the fruit in the fridge or in a cupboard, you have to keep it covered in linen or cotton bags, which will make it difficult for the fly to catch its scent or reach it.
- Avoid the accumulation of dirty dishes or bottles and glasses with traces of drinks.
- In an orchard or garden, it is essential to remove the fallen pieces of fruit before they rot on the ground and collect the ripe ones from the branches.
- Again, it is important that the garbage or composting areas are kept under surveillance in the orchard or garden.
- Use plants that act as a repellent, such as onions.
Now that you know how to get rid of fruit flies, you may be interested in reading about other pests, such as:
- How to get rid of mosquitoes on plants.
- How to eliminate the white fly.
- Olive fly treatment.
- How to get rid of a plague of locusts.
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