Want to eliminate fruit flies from your NC home? This is how to do it.

Leaving a bowl filled with apples, bananas, oranges on your kitchen counter may provide easy access for an afternoon snack.

But the arrangement--left out over time -- could also attract those pesky fruit files.

The flies, which are one-eighth of an inch in length, “are attracted to overripe produce, juices, and alcohol” and uncovered garbage, according to Charlotte-based Go-Forth Pest Control.

A single fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs, and the females like to lay them in ripening fruit, vegetables, or any organic matter, which is why fruit flies appear out of nowhere. Fruit flies are also attracted to fermented goods, including liquor, wine, and beer.

Even though fruit flies might be annoying pests, the insects are considered beneficial species. The decaying matter they consume might otherwise turn into a source of fungal or bacterial infection or attract more undesirable pests, such as mice or rats, according to gardeners.com.

So how do you keep these small insects out of your kitchen? Here are some tips to follow.

Keep your kitchen spotless

Go-Forth first recommends keeping all surfaces as clean as possible to ward off insects.

“None of us keep a pristine kitchen all the time, but when you’re plagued by fruit flies, you will want to do your best to keep your surfaces clean,” Go-Forth explains. “Any food or spill will attract fruit flies and can even be perfect mediums for them to lay their eggs.”

Throw away expired food

The pest control agency also suggests throwing out any overripe or rotting food from open areas, pantries, and your refrigerator.

“Only buy enough fruits and vegetables to last you a few days rather than more at once,” the agency stated.

If fruit flies are still a problem even after cleaning and throwing away food, other options exist.

One way, Go-Forth suggests, is to create a trap comprised of apple cider vinegar and plastic wrap. You can fill a glass with vinegar, which fruit flies are attracted to, cover the opening of the glass with plastic wrap, and poke enough holes so flies can get in.

Call for help if all else fails

In the event all the other methods do not work out, it is suggested to call a pest control specialist to have the flies removed, Go-Forth recommends.

“Unfortunately, they can be hard to deal with, so it is important to understand the best pest control for fruit flies, especially in Charlotte, where they will quickly invade with the right food sources and weather,” said Go-Forth.

This story was originally published August 21, 2023 at 4:09 PM.