They're tiny and a nuisance, but fruit flies do more than just hover over fruit that's left out in your kitchen. Like many flying insects, they can spread bacteria and disease into your home. If left to multiply, you could have a sizable population of these pests infiltrating your kitchen.
How to prevent fruit flies before it gets to that point can be accomplished by recognizing their source and getting professional help from a pest control service like Abel Pest Control, which will provide a pest inspection, customized treatment plan and advice on how to prevent a recurrence.
Fruit flies can disturb your home at any time of the year, although their population increases significantly throughout the summer. When fresh fruits and vegetables are harvested in late summer to early fall, they're at their highest numbers if you don't take steps to limit their growth.
There are some simple steps that homeowners can take to prevent fruit flies from taking up residence in their dwellings. Instead of putting fresh fruit in the refrigerator as soon as you get home from the market, take time to wash each piece before putting it away.
All the fruit needs to be put away. Although fruit like bananas ripen better outside the fridge and often discolor more quickly in the cold, putting everything away prevents fruit flies from hovering in the kitchen and nesting somewhere inside the house. Seal your fruit in containers with lids, airtight bags or in the produce bin of the refrigerator to deter fruit flies from surviving in your home.
Many people think that fruit flies are only attracted to fruit that's rotting, but they're also drawn to fresh fruit that has no signs of decay. If you must have a basket of fruit on your counter, or prefer to ripen some fruit outside the refrigerator, cover it with a cake dome.
While fruit flies probably came into your home with fruit you brought from elsewhere, they're also drawn to other substances that have a sweet odor. For instance, fruit flies multiply near trash disposal areas, where they're as likely to be as attracted to the sweet aroma of discarded liquor, beer and soda bottles, which should be rinsed before recycling.
Most communities have only one trash pick-up each week, so in the meantime, place organic waste in a large airtight bag before throwing it away. Clean up counters every time you cut fruit so there's no residue the flies will be attracted to.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
