Fruit Flies in Central Arkansas
In North America, there are over 177 documented species of fruit flies, with eight being common in the United States. Fruit flies are attracted to decaying foods and can be found near garbage, trash cans, fruit, and glasses of wine. The scientific name for fruit flies is Drosophila, meaning “lover of dew”. This is likely because these flies require a moist environment to reproduce. Fruit flies are often confused with other small flies that can be found in buildings, but are unique in their reference to being fruit, vinegar, or pomace flies.
Fruit Fly Habitat
Fruit flies are small flies that can pass through ordinary insect screens and are often found in homes, fruit markets, salad bars, restaurants, bars, and any other place where fruits and vegetables are found. They will often enter structures from nearby dumpsters, trash receptacles, and damp compost piles where fruits and vegetables have been disposed of. Fruit flies lay large numbers of eggs on fruit, and the hatched larvae feed on the fruit. Fruit flies are active during periods of warm weather; single generations may develop in less than a week when temperatures are between 80° and 89°F.
Fruit Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers
Fruit flies are primarily a nuisance pest, however, they have been shown in recent studies to be capable of transferring Salmonella, E.coli, and Listeria from a contaminated source to fresh food. Fruit flies do not sting or bite and spend the majority of their time on fermenting foods, but are also known to land on flatware, drinking glasses, dishes, and even toothbrushes. Any time you use a product that has been touched by a fruit fly, you are exposed to the bacteria that the fly has been transporting from each site.
If you are dealing with a fruit fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.
