PEST SOLUTION: FRUIT FLY Guardian Pest Control Procedures for Fruit Fly Management
Description
There are over 4,500 species of fruit flies (Family Tephritidae) distributed worldwide. More than 50 species are classified as major agricultural pests. Drosophila melanogaster Meigen is the most common fruit fly species known as a structural pest. Adults are small about 0.125 inches. They have bright red to orange eyes. Larvae are small, legless and pointed at the head. Fruit flies are attracted to fresh and fermenting fruits and vegetables in homes, restaurants, fruit supermarkets, and other similar places.
Lifecycle
The fruit fly life cycle is temperature dependent and can be completed in two weeks at 70°F or 8 days at 85°F. The newly emerged adults are attracted to light and become sexually mature in two days. Females mate more than once and start laying eggs 48 hours after mating. A single female lays about 500 eggs per its life span. Eggs hatch within 24 hours and newly hatched larvae go through three larval developmental instars. The larval stage lasts about six days and the puparium develops from the third larval instar and is completed in six days.
Customer's Responsibility
Prevention
Please follow the following steps to prevent fruit fly infestation.
DO NOT buy wounded fruits and vegetables (eggs or larvae could be present in the wounded area).
Cut and discard damaged portions of fruits and vegetables.
Ripened fruits and vegetables should be eaten, discarded or refrigerated.
Regularly clean and sanitize spilled food or fruit juice areas (pay particular attention to the back of a cabinet, under a refrigerator and floor cracks and crevices).
Regularly, empty and clean the recycling bin.
Store fruits, vegetables and organic substances in well sealed containers.
Screen windows, doors and openings with tight-fitting (16 mesh) screens.
Direct fans at boxes of fruits and vegetables to keep flies from landing and laying eggs as well as help dry out liquids.
Guardian’s Responsibility
Inspect potential feeding and breeding locations
Fruit flies prefer to breed in damp organic materials, rotting fruits and vegetables, garbage, drains and fresh fruits. The Guardian pest management specialist will:
Inspect areas where fruits or vegetables are stored outside of refrigerators or coolers.
Inspect recycling bins seldom used, emptied or cleaned.
Inspect garbage cans, underneath and behind large appliances.
Inspect under floor mats
Thoroughly inspect behind or under bars, beverage centers, dishwashers, food displays, food service islands, sinks, ovens, supply racks, vending machines and food preparation tables.
Inspect the thin layer of debris that naturally accumulates in pipes, traps and drains.
Inspect where the legs or feet of appliances, tables or cabinets touch the floor to locate any tiny amounts of organic debris that can harbor thousands of fly larvae.
Inspect beneath counters and unseen boxes of stacked materials on a bottom shelf to locate rotting fruits and vegetables.
Inspect empty tomato, ketchup, and other fruit and vegetable bottles stored in the basement.
Thoroughly inspect all small cracks and crevices at floor level.
Inspect dirty dried mops or brooms.
Inspect in any leaking pipe or standing water.
Inspect in cracks and voids behind liquor bars.
Inspect outside in nearby dumpsters, outdoor garbage cans or even damp compost piles where fruits and vegetables are discarded.
Traps
Traps help in detecting and pinpointing feeding and breeding areas. The Guardian pest management specialist will install proper fruit fly traps near potential breeding and feeding sources mentioned above. The Guardian pest specialist will check traps for captured fruit flies once a month or each visit. When traps are used, the following steps are recommended.
Do NOT use ceiling mounted Insect Light Traps (ILT’s) in food preparation areas. Electric Grid ILT’s should be mounted a minimum of 10 feet from any food preparation surface.
Adhesive ILT’s should be mounted a minimum of three feet horizontally from any food preparation surface.
In kitchens and food preparation areas, use a trap that uses a combination of ultraviolet and pheromones.
Use baited jar traps with special tops that allow access but discourage escape.
Dispose of traps when full of flies or after one month.
The traps capturing more flies than others are the closest to the breeding source.
Pesticide Treatment
If needed, the Guardian pest control specialist will apply EPA’s registered pesticides for fruit flies elimination. The treatment will target the fruit flies breeding and feeding sources.
Precautionary Measures
During the treatment, no people, food, or pets should be present in the facility to be treated.
Do not enter the treated room for two to four hours after the treatment.
Anyone with a respiratory condition should notify facility manager and the Guardian Pest Control Service Specialist.
