Fruit Fly

Fruit Fly - Adult flies are very small insects, about 3mm long. Body colour is usually light yellow to tan colour with grey abdomen underneath.

A common characteristic of Fruit fly is distinctive red eyes.

Biology - Female fruit flies lay their eggs on the surface of rotting fruit, fermenting juices, soured milk etc. Their larvae feed on the yeast organisms and fungi growing on the rotting material. Their feeding soon turns their food into a semi-liquid. They are very common pests in pubs and commercial kitchens where suuitable food debris is present.

Control - The adult insects can be controlled with space sprays, fogging treatments and/or residual insecticides to surfaces.

It is critical however that breeding sites (eg, food waste/spillages etc are found and cleaned up. Good cleaning regime is required to control these pests otherwise the above treatments will only achieve short term control.