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If you find yourself swatting at tiny flies in your kitchen, you probably have an infestation of Drosophila melanogaster, otherwise known as the fruit fly.
Fruit flies can be a problem year round but they are a particular nuisance in the fall. They can enter the kitchen as eggs or tiny larvae on produce from the store or they can fly in through the window. Adults lay their eggs on any ripe fruit or vegetable. They also breed in garbage and compost bins, as well as in garbage disposals or infrequently used drains.
Drosophila is widely studied for biological research. It is an incredibly "fruitful" organism with each female capable of laying up to 100 eggs a day. The entire lifecycle of the fruit fly, from egg to adult, lasts about 10 days. This rapid reproduction enables scientists to study several generations within a few weeks.
However useful fruit flies are to science, nobody wants them in the kitchen. The good news is that getting rid of them is not difficult. Here's how:
Pour a quarter pf a cup of cider vinegar into a ramekin or shallow bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and poke several holes in the top with a toothpick. Place your trap near the fruit bowl or garbage. The flies are attracted to the vinegar and will find their way through the holes and become trapped.
To avoid future infestations, store ripe produce in the refrigerator and clean your garbage and compost bins regularly.
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