Fruit fly season is upon us, and if you don’t take preventative steps they can quickly become a nuisance. We have put together some easy steps to prevent them from taking over your office.
Clean your countertops – Fruit flies like more than just fruit. Ensure the counters are wiped down thoroughly. Any spills, crumbs, and smear can provide food and a place for fruit flies to lay eggs.
Wash and cover fruit and food – encourage staff to wash their fruit and vegetable, and bring their food in sealed containers, or closed bags. Fruit flies often find their way in on produce and really like finding things stored on the counter – so don’t give it to them.
Use the compost – Crack down on compost use! To ensure you make it easy for everyone to compost their food waste make a bin easily accessible in your workplace kitchen or lounge, and have it clearly labeled. This time of year a lid is necessary to stop fruit flies from getting into their ideal environment and really thriving.
Don’t put food in personal office bins – It is recommended to send a memo reminding staff to not place any food waste into their personal waste bins – unless they want to be sitting in a swarm!
Empty the compost more often – Emptying the compost bin this time of year should be done more frequently. Not only will this remove a food source for fruit flies if they can find a way in, but compost will begin to smell much sooner in the summer heat, becoming a beacon for all insects.
Set traps – On no, you have taken the preventative measures above, but fruit flies seem to be coming from nowhere. It is time to set a trap!
The most effective trap can be made in a small glass dish – glass is important for the saran wrap to stick properly. Place a small amount of apple cider vinegar in the dish as well as one drop of any vegetable based oil. Cover your mixture by pulling saran wrap over the dish tightly so it is smooth, then poke one or two small holes in the middle of the saran wrap. The fruit flies enter through the hole attracted by the smell of vinegar and once inside, walk around the perimeter of the dish, unable to find their way out. The oil ensures that once the fruit flies enter the vinegar they are unable to crawl out. Note: too much oil can cover the vinegar and mask the alluring smell to fruit flies – a small drop is plenty.
What you will need:
- Glass dish
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- A drop of vegetable based oil
- Saran Wrap
Place one or two of these traps in your fruit fly hot spots, changing them weekly.
Now enjoy your fruit fly free workplace!
