How to save an apartment from fruit midges in two accounts?

With the start of the harvest season, many are looking for a way to help get rid of fruit midges. These small annoying insects do not cause serious harm, but they can spoil food and nerves. There are many ways to combat these pests: poisonous sprays, traps, a rich arsenal of folk remedies. We will find out how insects get into the house, what to do to prevent their appearance, and how to remove Drosophila in an apartment or private house.

Where do insects come from in the kitchen?

Fruit midge - a small insect of black or brown color, belonging, like indoor moss, to the Diptera squad. These insects feed on plant fruits and rotting plant matter that have begun to deteriorate. On warm summer days, they can appear in the kitchen, planting in a fruit bag or bin. To fight these insects, you need to understand where they come from and how they get into the house.

Even the cleanest dwelling is not insured against Drosophila infection. Flies appear from eggs laid by adult insects on the fruit as they ripen. Then the fruits are picked, brought into the house and put into storage, forgetting to wash. Now there is enough heat to begin the process of decay. After that, larvae will emerge from the eggs to feed on the rotting mass and turn into adult flies.

There are other ways of infection:

• The invasion of flies from the yard through a window or ventilation ducts. This path is especially relevant for private homes. If apple trees or other fruit trees grow in the yard, it is necessary to promptly remove rotting fruits from under them. Otherwise, Drosophila will appear on the rotting remains and fly to housing in search of food.
• The entry of insects into the house along with contaminated soil. Often the place of emergence of midges becomes flower pots. Especially dangerous is the soil for which fertilizer was used humus.

In order not to encounter the propagation of fruit flies in flower pots, do not use "waste" tea leaves to feed plants. Rotting tea leaves are an attractive medium for the appearance of insects.

Knowing the ways in which midges enter housing, it is easier to organize effective infection prevention.

Prevention of the appearance of fruit midges

So that a whole swarm of annoying midges does not appear in the apartment, you need to make it as unattractive as possible for insects as a breeding ground. The following measures will help:

• Destruction of the feed base. The trash can must be tightly closed with a lid and removed in a timely manner. Any fruit that starts to deteriorate should be thrown out without any pity - or removed damaged parts. Preventive measures also include timely cleaning of products from the table, proper storage of flour and cereals (closed containers, timely disposal of spoiled products, etc.).
• Elimination of water sources. Like other harmful insects, fruit flies need a source of moisture. In its quality, a leaking tap, a dripping pipe joint and even a constantly wet rag for cleaning are suitable. Remove all sources of fluid, and your home will become much less attractive for midges.
• Maintaining hygiene rules. Fruits and berries brought into the house must be washed before storing to store insect eggs from them. Then the fruits are dried and placed in plastic bags. In addition, important preventive measures are wet cleaning, garbage removal, timely washing of dishes.
• Overlapping access from the street. All opening windows are covered with mosquito net. Also mesh screens are placed on ventilation vents.

Compliance with these rules will help protect your home from the penetration of fruit flies into the house. If the infection was nevertheless detected, urgent measures must be taken: find the place where the flies are displayed (usually a jar of groats, a bag of rotten fruit or a flower pot) and carefully dispose of the spoiled food along with the flies.

What are Drosophila dangerous?

Attitudes toward fruit flies range from total neglect to undue fear. For humans, they are practically safe: they do not bite, do not cause allergies. But the appearance of these insects in the house has several harmful consequences:

• Flies carry on the paws the remains of rotten fruit along with bacteria. Once in food, these bacteria multiply rapidly, leading to spoilage of foods. Rotting food stored in spoiled food can cause food poisoning.
• The annoying midge, flickering in the face, sitting on the skin, climbing into the eyes and nose, can quickly bring even the most patient person to white heat. Since Drosophila does not feed on blood, a person is not too attracted to these insects. But with a strong infection, the intrusiveness of fruit midges is already becoming a problem.

A fruit fly is a popular subject to study in genetics. Thanks to her, many fundamental laws of nature were discovered. But outside the science lab, this insect does more harm than good.

Despite the relative harmlessness of Drosophila, you should not hesitate to start the fight. The more time passes from the moment of detection of infection, the more hordes of flies will have to fight.

The best household cleaning products to combat midges

The chemical industry produces many varieties of insecticides and insect repellents. Some of them can be used to combat Drosophila.

Here are some of the most effective medications:

• Liquid for the fumigator "Combat". The reservoir with liquid is screwed to the fumigator, then the device is connected to the mains. The fumigant distributes fumes that have an insecticidal effect. In addition to midges, the drug will relieve mosquitoes and flies. The tool acts quickly (the effect is noticeable after an hour), affordable. A bottle of liquid costs about 300 rubles.
• Trap with sticky inner side "Raptor". The bait solution is supplied with the trap. It is enough to pour a small amount of solution into the trap and put it in the place of accumulation of insects. One trap is enough to effectively protect a room of 10 square meters. m for a month. At the same time, the trap remains clean outside and does not spoil the interior of the kitchen. The price of the kit is about 150 rubles.
• Aerosol "Dichlorvos". A powerful effective insecticide containing cypermethrin and tetramethrin. In most cases, a single treatment is enough to get rid of Drosophila. However, the product is not safe for health - after spraying and exposure, it is necessary to thoroughly ventilate the room.

Processing a kitchen requires special care so that the insecticide does not get into drinking water or food. Before spraying, put all food in a tightly closed container and hide in a cupboard. Also, flowers, pets are removed from the kitchen, children and elderly family members are not allowed to enter the room during treatment.

Folk remedies: cheap and safe

The use of industrial insecticides is justified as a "heavy artillery" - as a last resort for severe infection. In other cases, it is better to use safer folk remedies:

• A good effect in the fight against Drosophila give odorous products: garlic, cloves, orange peel, vinegar.
• Indoor plants that emit strong odors, such as geranium, will help.
• Another helper is tape with an adhesive surface.
• A good effect is given by a home-made poisoning composition: half a glass of milk, 40 g of sugar, 40 g of black pepper. Saucers with a solution put in places of flies.

Often these funds are enough to deal with a fruit fly.

How to make a trap with your own hands?

You can make an effective trap for fruit midges yourself. At the bottom of a glass jar put a piece of apple, apricot or other sweet bait. A sheet of paper is inserted into the neck, a funnel folded in its bottom should leave a hole with a diameter of 3 mm). Flies will make their way into the bank to the bait, but will not be able to get back.

Getting rid of a brood of fruit flies is quite simple. The main thing is to notice the infection in time and take action quickly. Then the insects can be defeated with the help of home-made traps or folk remedies. And, of course, do not forget about prevention. Throw away rotten fruits in a timely manner, do not forget about cleaning - and Drosophila will not become a problem for your home!