Wine midges: where do they come from in the house and how to quickly get rid of them

Midge: from and to

How does a midge develop and where does it come from?
It develops in about a day and lives only five days. The female of this insect lays about 400 eggs in the environment of rotten fruits standing in a vase on the table. The eggs begin to open after 24 hours. Larvae grow within five days

and during this time they molt twice: 24 and 48 hours after their birth. The larvae are then sealed into a puparium and undergo a metamorphosis stage of five days, after which they develop into adults.

And then the owner looks, and a whole swarm of midges is already hovering over this vase. The only good thing in this case is that the midges do not grow to a large size. But all this does not make them attractive.

Small, ubiquitous midges suddenly appear in the house, and soon a whole swarm of these annoying insects is found in every corner: on house flowers and in the bathroom, on snow-white curtains and, of course, in the kitchen. Here they feel like full-fledged owners: they sift through fruits, climb into jars of honey and jam, and try to get into your morning coffee. Because of this, many people have a question: where do midges come from at home and how to avoid this invasion?

Varieties of small midges

Small midges that occupy houses and apartments are divided into several types. Each of them has its own favorite habitat, so small insects can be found in different parts of the home.

In kitchens

Drosophila, fruit flies or fruit flies prefer to live closer to food. More often, they or their larvae enter the house along with overripe, damaged fruit. However, there is another way to get to know insects. A piece of fruit left in a warm place for several days will certainly turn into a convenient place of residence for tiny “freeloaders.”

In indoor plants

Another type of winged invaders “thrive” in them. These are sciarids (soil or fungus gnats) that have chosen indoor plants as their habitat. The most popular culprit for the appearance of this type of midge is tea leaves, which many owners use to water flowers. Constantly waterlogged soil is another factor favorable to insects.

Drosophila and sciarids are absolutely harmless creatures that irritate only by their flickering. But there is another type of midge that is extremely dangerous for plants. These are whiteflies (aleurodids). Fortunately, you can even notice such “whites” with the naked eye.

How to get into the house

Drosophila in nature most often settle near fruit and vegetable crops. Very often insects lay their eggs on fruits. Insect eggs are very resistant to the external climate, so they can enter the house during the purchase of fruits and vegetables. In warm conditions, insects emerge from eggs within 1-2 days. However, if the rotting process has begun in the fruits, the flies hatch in a shorter time.

Insects can also appear from the soil that is used for indoor plants. There are also very often Drosophila eggs in the soil. Exposure to warm temperatures and regular watering very often lead to the formation of entire hordes of pests.

In the summer, insects can get into the living space through ventilation and open windows. Fruit flies react to various odors, especially spoiled foods. Therefore, the appearance of insects in the trash can area is a frequent occurrence.

Reasons for appearing in the apartment

Drosophila flies are spreading at a rapid pace. At one time, the female lays about 20 eggs. They are born in the early morning. Therefore, when you wake up, you can find many fruit flies in the apartment that were not there yesterday.

Important! Insects are able to reproduce within eight hours after birth; the larva turns into an adult in 8–10 days.

They enter the apartment in different ways.

1. Drosophila lay eggs in the skins of fruits and vegetables that we bring into the house. Midges choose soft fruits, the peel of which they can bite through. Identifying damaged fruit is an almost impossible task.
2. Insects also breed in the trash can.
3. Another way for midges to enter houses is through open entrance doors and open windows. Drosophila are attracted to the smell of fruits. Insects can live in your apartment even if you use an air freshener with cherry, lemon or orange scents.

The larvae can be noticed only at the early stage of formation, when the midge has just laid eggs. During this period, their size reaches only 0.5 mm. Larvae are identified by their white color. Then they take on the color of the fruit, which is why we cannot identify them when buying fruits or vegetables.

Midges can enter the house through open windows and doors, as well as through fruits and vegetables brought into the apartment

How to distinguish fruit flies from other midges?

People often do not know how to distinguish fruit midges from sewer midges, biting forest midges, “fungus gnats” and other insects. Some even believe that these are all the same creatures. In fact, there is a difference. It lies in the degree of danger of insects, their habitats, the rate of reproduction, as well as the “favorite dishes” of these creatures:

1. If flies are coming out of your kitchen or bathroom sink, they are sewer flies (flies). They appear “fluffy” due to the dark hairs with which their bodies and wings are densely covered. For details on getting rid of these flies, read the material “How to destroy sewer flies: 6 best remedies.”
2. If you notice that small flies are swarming in your indoor flowers, and the plants themselves have begun to wither, fungus gnats are to blame! They need to be destroyed as soon as possible.
3. If some insects fly out of your wardrobe or kitchen cabinets, unfortunately, these are clothes moths or food moths. These pests can cause much more damage than a spoiled mood. We have already encountered this problem and have discussed in detail the best methods and means of getting rid of moths.
4. Some annoying midges try to get into your eyes or have already bitten you at home - and was it painful? If these are not mosquitoes, and there is a body of water near your house, then these are probably isolated midges that flew into your house from the street, and there is nothing to be afraid of. But if they continue to attack your home, then it’s time for an intensified fight - choose the best means in our review “How to get rid of midges: the best traps, sprays and other means”
5. If flies have settled and reproduced on spoiled fruits and vegetables, or fly over fermented alcohol or sweets, then these are precisely fruit flies - fruit flies, also otherwise called fruit flies. We will tell you in detail about getting rid of them in this material.

The fruit midge is one of the most harmless creatures on this list. It is classified as an insect that is not dangerous to humans. It's just that she multiplies too quickly. And also, it gradually spoils fruit plants and homemade food supplies... So we still won’t be “friends” with her. We will fight and for this we will get to know the “fruit tree” better.

So, by “fruit flies” we mean dozens of species of insects that have similar qualities. This is a small midge, the size of an individual is from 1 to 3 mm. It can be recognized by its oval, bulbous body and slow, “drunk” flight. There are many species of fruit flies, ranging in size from one to two millimeters. The color of their “carcasses” can be different: most often they are dark yellow and brown shades. Black and orange midges are a little less common. They have 2 symmetrical neat wings and 6-8 legs.

Drosophila fruit flies lay their larvae only on the feeding surface. Most often these are sweet foods such as fruits, vegetables, and aromatic cheeses. Most of all they “value” the fruits of citrus plants. Scientists have recently found out that their eggs there are not touched by the main fly destroyers - wasps. The larvae “travel” through the “delicious house” and turn into adults in 10 days. Before this, they are practically invisible to humans: eggs and larvae quickly disguise themselves as the color of the fruit. And only at the very beginning, whitish “seeds” 0.5 millimeters in size can be seen with the naked eye. By the way, due to inconspicuousness, people more often bring spoiled nursery fruits to their apartment directly from the store. And only then do fruit flies appear in their home. They appear and begin to annoy you.

What are fruit flies and where do they come from?

These insects can most often be found in close proximity to a person’s home, as well as on garden trees. This is explained by the feeding habits of fruit flies. They prefer rotting fruits, as well as sources of sugar: sweetened water and other sweet liquids, sour juice, flower nectar. When deciding how to get rid of fruit flies in an apartment, you need to know that they also live near plants. Insects are attracted to moist soil, evaporation, and, to a greater extent, rotting foliage.

The body length of fruit flies is small - up to 2 mm, and the female can be distinguished by its pointed abdomen and larger size in comparison with males. These flies have a light brown, yellowish body and red eyes. The lifespan of fruit flies is up to 3 months, however, in a short period of time they manage to increase the population many times over. This is due to the fact that the incubation period of insects is 3-5 days, after which the female begins to lay eggs almost immediately (on the second day). This means that the offspring become sexually mature very quickly.

One clutch can contain from 40 to 90 eggs. Given the high rate of reproduction, you should quickly find a solution to the problem of how to get rid of fruit flies in your apartment. Typically, females lay eggs on plant leaves and rotten fruits. Larvae require a liquid or semi-liquid medium for development. Insects appear in an apartment in different ways: along with soil, fruits, vegetables, through windows, ventilation shafts.

Important: Drosophila are not dangerous to humans and animals: they do not bite or transmit pathogenic microbes, however, the constant presence of a large number of insects in the air brings discomfort. .

Fruit flies: who are they?

Fruit flies (also called fruit flies, vinegar flies, wine flies), Drosophila (drosophila) melanogaster, are a small black flying insect 2-3 mm in size.

Intrusive insects feed on the juice of fruits and plants, giving preference to rotten parts. This is where the flies lay their eggs, from which the larvae hatch.

The reproduction process in Drosophila is very fast:

one female lays from two hundred to one and a half thousand eggs; in just 10 days, the larva from the laid egg will become an independent adult insect.

Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to remove fruit flies from housing immediately.

Reasons for appearing in a person’s home

Drosophila are found very often in an apartment or residential building. Popular places of their settlement:

flower pots with waterlogged soil (overwatering causes the roots and stems of houseplants to rot); rotten vegetables and fruits that were not disposed of in a timely manner; supplies in the pantry - fruit flies infest cereals and nuts; A trash can that is not emptied every day is rarely washed.

Often flies are found in boxes of onions, zucchini or pumpkins stored in the closet, bags of potatoes or beets. It is enough to rot one fruit in a bag for fruit flies to choose this source of food and reproduction.

One of the names is the wine fly, the fruit fly was given for its special love for wine smells and fermented foods.

Carelessly forgotten and sour jam or compote in an open jar will certainly become a breeding ground for insects. For this reason, it is unacceptable to store empty, unwashed alcohol bottles at home.

On a note! Drosophila are permanent inhabitants of human homes. This is why they appear so quickly when fruits or vegetables rot unattended. Insects fly into the apartment through windows, doors, ventilation shafts, and cracks. Often, without knowing it, a person brings fruit fly testicles from the store along with groceries.

Prevention of occurrence

Drosophila will not enter a human home if they have nothing to eat, so it is necessary:

• Regularly inspect food storage areas and carry out hygienic cleaning.
• Throw away spoiled fruits, vegetables, and herbs in a timely manner.
• Take care of the flowers in pots, remove diseased plants in a timely manner, and do not flood the soil with excess water.
• Store food in closed containers out of reach of insects.

Timely cleaning of premises where food that is tasty for flies is stored will help prevent their appearance in the home.

From the following video you can learn some more useful recommendations on how to get rid of fruit flies in an apartment:

Ways to eliminate “uninvited guests”

Before proceeding with the total destruction of fruit flies, the source of their appearance should be identified and eliminated. Otherwise, it will be a fight against windmills - there will be no sense in such a “battle”. And after the source is found and destroyed, you can take on insects.

Among the effective ways to combat midges are:

• physical methods of destruction;
• traditional methods;
• various traps;
• chemical disposal.

Let's look at each of these methods in more detail.

PHOTO: detsentr-rus.rf If you do not eliminate the cause of the appearance of midges, you will not be able to get rid of them

Related article:

A physical way to eliminate midges in the kitchen

The first thing you need to do is create a strong draft in the room - some of the midges will fly out into the street. Places where insects are most concentrated can be “treated” with a vacuum cleaner. The main thing is not to forget to take the bag or container outside after this and shake it out thoroughly.

You can put the rotten fruit you find in the sink, and after a swarm descends on it, simply turn on the water. Most large individuals will be washed into the sewer, from where they will no longer be able to get out.

PHOTO: rasfokus.ru Apple is the favorite treat of these pests

Insect traps, options for use and DIY

Sticky tape, which is used to kill large flies indoors, works well against fruit flies. Having settled on the adhesive layer, the midges stick tightly to it.

In order to make a trap yourself, you will need a small jar in which rotten fruit and berries are placed. You can use wine instead of fruit. Next, a plastic film is stretched over the neck of the jar, in which a small hole is made. Drosophila fly to the smell, crawl inside, but can’t get back out. After there are a lot of midges in the jar, they need to be taken outside. Also, some advise putting the jar in the freezer, and then, rinsing with water, pouring the contents into the toilet.

PHOTO: youtube.com Traps are a very effective way to fight insects PHOTO: youtube.com A trap can be made like this PHOTO: flower care.rf Sticky tape does a good job of killing insects

Folk remedies for getting rid of annoying little things

Folk remedies are good because, unlike chemicals, they do not harm human health. The most effective methods are fumigation of rooms and aromatization. Moreover, fruit flies cannot tolerate only certain odors, such as citrus fruits, vanilla, and patchouli. This treatment can be done using an aroma lamp.

When midges appear in flowers, a very effective way is to place tangerine zest in pots. Its smell will drive away “uninvited guests” in a few hours. They also cannot tolerate the smell of garlic. If the housewife collects and dries herbs, then she should definitely stock up on tansy and wormwood. When midges appear, the smells of these herbs will help get rid of them.

PHOTO: krsk.au.ru Similar aroma lamps can help in the fight against midges in the kitchen

Related article:

The use of chemicals in the fight against midges

It should be understood that the use of chemicals, especially in the kitchen, is potentially dangerous to humans. Therefore, you should resort to this method only as a last resort. In addition, the contact of such chemicals on plants can simply destroy them.

Among the most popular remedies for such insects are O, “Raid”, “Aktara” and “Grom-2”.

PHOTO: krsk.au.ru Dichlorvos also comes in different forms

Indoor plants to combat fruit flies

Knowing the main reasons for the appearance of midges in the kitchen of an apartment, as well as what is included in their diet, you can take advantage of their weakness for drinking the sweet juice of indoor plants. In order to destroy parasites, you can purchase predator plants at the flower market that can easily digest fruit flies caught in a fragrant live trap. Such living weapons do not require special care and do not take up much space on the windowsill, but the effectiveness of their fight against uninvited invaders has been proven by time. Plus, the very process of opening or closing a flower when prey is caught inside is very interesting to observe while eating or relaxing in the kitchen.

Reproduction of midges

At a room temperature of 25 degrees, the life cycle of these insects will be 10 days. If the constant temperature is within 18 degrees, then life expectancy increases to 1 month.

The reproduction of food midges occurs according to the following scenario:

The female lays about 400 eggs in the water, and within 24 hours they hatch into larvae. Over the course of 5 days, the larvae grow, and at 24 and 48 hours after birth they begin the process of molting, after which they crawl to the surface of the water and, when dry, become covered with a shell. After five days, the larvae turn into adults - adults.

Throughout their lives, females are fertilized only once, and after mating they will lay eggs constantly. The sperm will remain inside the female all this time.

Where do midges come from in an apartment and how to fight them?

Drosophila midges, fruit midges, wine midges - there are many names, but one attack. And it is familiar to almost all of us. Small annoying insects seem to appear out of nowhere and settle in our apartments on vegetables or fruits. These midges range in size from 3 to 5 millimeters. The warmer it is, the faster they hatch from eggs, which the female lays in any decaying material, up to 400 eggs at a time. If the apartment is about 25 degrees Celsius, then the eggs turn into flies already on the 10th day. And almost immediately after “birth”, newborn midges are ready to reproduce.

Where do they come from?

From anywhere. but, as a rule, you yourself bring the larvae of fruit flies from greengrocers. And already at your home they hatch and quickly, one might even say rapidly, multiply.

Ways to combat midges

To destroy clouds of flying insects, you can use special means. They can kill effectively and quickly. The downside is the presence in their composition of harmful components that affect human health and the impossibility of use in the kitchen area. If there are small children in the house, people suffering from allergies should give preference to folk remedies.

Cleanliness and tidiness

Their effectiveness should be supported by cleanliness in the apartment and especially in the kitchen. Therefore, simultaneously with the destruction of insects, it is necessary to perform the following actions.

The trash can is emptied as it is full, but at least once every two days. The container is washed and dried regularly. Treatment with an antiseptic will give a good effect. The place where the pet is kept, its feeding bowl, and toilet must be kept clean

When breeding fish, it is important to monitor the frequency of water changes in the aquarium. A clog remover will help block the path from sewer pipes.

Instead, treating drain holes in the kitchen and bathroom with soda and vinegar is suitable.

Foam helps remove food residues. Finally, wash with plenty of water. Vegetables and fruits are sorted and stored in the refrigerator. Regular matches will help rid plants of insects. They are stuck into the ground with their heads down, watering is reduced and tea leaves for feeding are abandoned. A preventative measure would be to use decorative pebbles on top of the soil or a small amount of ground black pepper. You can moisten the soil from time to time with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Compliance with these rules will not give midges a chance to establish a colony.

Midges will not get to vegetables and fruits if you store them in the refrigerator

Means for killing midges

Preventive measures involve performing a certain type of action. But if an insect invasion does occur, effective recipes that operate on the principle of a trap will tell you how to destroy the midges. Attracted by the appetizing smells, the flying aliens quickly penetrate the offered treat.

A simple and effective method of destruction is the use of bait. Sweet tea, juice, compote, wine, etc. are suitable. The liquid is poured into a container with low sides. The layer height is approximately 5 mm. The next morning, the army of pests will drown in sweets. Banana peel trap. The bait is placed in a plastic bottle or jar. Holes are made in the plastic with a hot awl, and the jar is covered with polyethylene and pierced. After some time, almost the entire team of uninvited guests will gather inside. Now the trap can be taken out of the apartment. Cone trap. The film can be replaced with paper if there is no desire or suitable tool for creating holes. Attractive food for insects is placed at the bottom of the dish, and a cone twisted from a sheet is inserted into the neck. The smell of camphor will help repel midges

It is carefully heated until white smoke appears and is sent on a journey through the house. Harmful neighbors will leave the home as soon as possible

A cone trap can be made from scrap materials

Where and when do midges appear?

The scientific name for fruit midges is Drosophila. They really love comfortable conditions for themselves, so they arrive instantly after we create these conditions for them. Before you fight midges in your apartment, let’s find out what causes them to appear. Let's list the most possible situations.

So, these insects appear in the house:

• If the owners store fruits and vegetables incorrectly, because the eggs of these insects are already present there. By storing such fresh products not in the refrigerator, but in a warm kitchen, we provoke the rapid reproduction of fruit flies. But low temperatures will destroy insects in their infancy, and fruits and vegetables after exposure to cold will become completely safe and harmless.
• If the spoiled product remains on the table or in the trash bin for a long time. Food spoils even in the refrigerator. We may not notice this in time, and then we put out bags of rotten food without taking out the trash for a long time. Midges are very attracted to the pungent specific smell emitted by spoiled organic matter.
• If the humidity level in the apartment is high. Often, midges appear due to a large number of flower pots with waterlogged soil.
• If pet food sits in the bowl for a long time. Leftover animal feed must be thrown away daily. In addition to the fact that your beloved dog or cat may suffer from stale food, midges will multiply in the container.

In an apartment, flies can only be seen where there is something to eat. In most cases, this is a kitchen, dining room or pantry where fresh food is stored. Try to get rid of the “flying invasion” as quickly as possible to prevent their reproduction. Now we’ll try to figure out how to most effectively get rid of midges in an apartment.

Folk remedies against fruit flies

There are many excellent passive means that allow you to quickly get rid of these creatures, without the use of chemical insecticides.

For example, if it’s approaching autumn and the weather is cold outside, you can open the window in the kitchen and close the door, and in just one night all the flies will die.

These insects are extremely sensitive to odors. Drosophila flies really do not like the aroma of fern and elderberry leaves. These plants should be spread throughout the room, and within a few days the insects will find a more pleasant place to live. In addition, they cannot tolerate the smell of herbs such as tansy, chamomile and lovage. To combat midges, you can use dried bouquets of these plants.

An excellent way to get rid of such unpleasant neighbors forever is to wash the windows and all surfaces in the kitchen with soapy water and turpentine. This will not cause an unpleasant odor in the room, but it can repel fruit flies.

In some cases, flower pots may be the source of fruit flies. It is necessary to have geranium or eucalyptus.

In containers with other plants, insert a match with the sulfur head down. If desired, you can also catch most flies with a regular vacuum cleaner. These creatures are not strong enough and fly slowly, so they are quickly sucked into the unit. In addition, to drive away these insects, you can grate horseradish and leave it in the kitchen.

The fruit fly, or Drosophila, is morphologically a representative of the genus Drosophila, and according to the results of genetic studies, it belongs to the genus Sophophora. As a rule, flies appear where there are missing vegetables and fruits. There are many different means to combat annoying pests.

How to get rid of midges

Step 1. Conduct an audit

The main enemy of kitchen midges is the most ordinary hygiene, which deprives them of food. Therefore, when fruit flies appear, first check the inside of the kitchen:

• Sort through the potatoes, onions, and carrots stored for the winter. Throw away or recycle rotten vegetables. Do this regularly.
• Place separate containers for bulk products to prevent moisture from getting into them. While pouring, carefully check the grains for the presence of fruit fly larvae.
• Place all spoilage foods in the refrigerator. Try to fill the vase with fruit as it becomes empty, rather than later.
• Wash the bread bin thoroughly and dry. Only after that put bread in it.
• If there are plants in the kitchen, loosen the soil, remove fallen leaves, thoroughly wipe the outside of the pots and wash the tray with cleaning product. If there are midges in flower pots, change the soil to new one, and irrigate the leaves of the plants with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
• Take out the trash and wash the bucket several times with a strong disinfectant.
• If you have pets, regularly change the water in the drinking bowl and make it a rule to put leftover food in the refrigerator or a specially designated container.
• Check the cleanliness of the refrigerator. Be sure to tidy it up if there are any smudges, old food debris, or moldy food.

Step 2: Do some spring cleaning

It is very important to thoroughly clean all kitchen surfaces. The breeding ground for midges may suddenly appear in some crack where, for example, a piece of an apple accidentally fell. Wash the stove thoroughly, especially its side walls.

The oven can be quickly cleaned with steam. Place a baking tray with water diluted with dishwashing detergent inside. Preheat the oven to 100°C and leave for 30 minutes. Now the grease and burnt marks can be easily removed with a damp cloth. Be sure to check your microwave. To get rid of stubborn fat, use a mixture of 500 ml of water and 1 tablespoon of citric acid (or 4 tablespoons of lemon juice). Heat the resulting solution in the microwave for 5–10 minutes at maximum power, then let the device cool for 5 minutes and wipe the surface with a sponge. Thoroughly clean all hard-to-reach places with a brush, wash the floors

Wash the stove thoroughly, especially its side walls. The oven can be quickly cleaned with steam. Place a baking tray with water diluted with dishwashing detergent inside. Preheat the oven to 100°C and leave for 30 minutes. Now the grease and burnt marks can be easily removed with a damp cloth. Be sure to check your microwave. To get rid of stubborn fat, use a mixture of 500 ml of water and 1 tablespoon of citric acid (or 4 tablespoons of lemon juice). Heat the resulting solution in the microwave for 5–10 minutes at maximum power, then let the device cool for 5 minutes and wipe the surface with a sponge. Thoroughly clean all hard-to-reach places with a brush, wash the floors

Pay special attention to the compartment under the sink. One of the breeding places for midges is the sink drain, where small pieces of organic matter often get stuck

To clean the drain, you can use any pipe cleaner or a traditional recipe.

Pour a few teaspoons of baking soda into the hole, pour in a glass of vinegar and wait 20 minutes. Then rinse with hot water.

Step 3: Kill the midges

If you have already removed everything, and the midges are still enjoying life, you should use special bait traps. Wrap a plastic glass or jar with cling film, first placing a piece of fruit on the bottom or pouring a little sweet wine, compote, or apple cider vinegar. Pierce the film in several places with a thick needle and leave the container overnight. Attracted by the aromas, fruit flies will flock to the bait, but will not be able to get back out due to the size of the holes. It is better to immediately throw the filled trap into a trash container on the street.

In addition, you can use various chemicals that are sold in specialized stores and aromatic oils. Drosophila do not like strong odors, so it is worth lighting an aroma lamp with patchouli, lime, lemon, ylang-ylang oil or spreading chopped garlic around the kitchen.

The simplest traps for wine midges

To combat annoying midges in an apartment or private house, you can make simple trap designs that are placed in different rooms.

1. The simplest trap is an empty bottle with a narrow neck . Pour fruit juice diluted with a teaspoon of liquid soap and water into the prepared container. The smell of fruit will attract the fruit fly, which, once in a tank with liquid on which there is no film, will not be able to get out due to the presence of soap. This method will allow you to get rid of annoying insects without human presence. Although the procedure itself may take several weeks, since the parasite could lay eggs and you need to wait until new individuals hatch.
2. The second device for catching fruit flies is also based on the use of a container , but for this purpose it is not necessary to take a bottle; any unnecessary container will do: a glass jar, an old mug or a plastic bottle with a cut off neck. The container is filled a quarter with any treat that attracts midges and covered with a cone made of paper. The midges, having penetrated the jar, will not be able to find a way out, since the hole is insignificant and the housewife will only have to take the catch outside and throw it away.
3. If wine midges were found in the kitchen at the end of summer , then to combat them you can use watermelon or melon, which are abundant on the market at this time. To do this, the bait is placed in small pieces in a plastic bag without holes, which is left in the kitchen overnight. In the morning, the housewife just has to go into the room and quickly close the bag, and then take the uninvited guests to a trash container on the street. However, a one-time event to destroy Drosophila may not be enough, since the insect could lay eggs.

Naturally, simply placing traps in places where wine midges accumulate is not enough; you need to additionally remove all possible sources of food for the fruit fly - even a small slice of an apple rolled under the kitchen table can gather a whole horde of annoying insects for a banquet.

In what places in the house can they appear?

Popular places where midges can appear:

• pots with plants and flowers;
• flower bouquets in vases;
• fruits and vegetables, both raw and thermally processed;
• organic waste;
• open sewer pipes;
• basement;
• a neighbor's room, from where it will not be difficult for midges to move into your home.

Drosophila reproduce at lightning speed, and before you know it, they will take over the entire apartment space in a matter of days. All the plants in the house, the trash can, prepared meals on the table, and leftover food will attract small pests. And dealing with them will not be as easy as simply taking action and preventing their occurrence. In addition to food midges, you may encounter the following types of new residents in your apartment:

1. Water midges. They often breed in places with high humidity (bathrooms - bathtubs, showers, near aquariums or in sink drains). Midges do not live long, but they successfully lay eggs.
2. Clothes midges. They increase their number exponentially in damp, undried things. Especially in summer and in hot, humid climates.
3. Sciriades. They multiply well and grow in the soil of flower pots when fertilized, especially with organic fertilizers. It is also not recommended to overfill the flowers with water, so that a stagnant swamp does not form there.

Fly in the house: how to get rid of it using traps

The destruction of fruit flies is a rather labor-intensive process. In order not to take up the newspaper and kill flies manually, you can make traps from improvised materials or buy ready-made ones.

Types of traps for small insects:

1. Place a few pieces of banana or apple in a glass jar and pour in sweet syrup or juice. Make a funnel from a sheet of paper so that there is a small hole at the bottom. Place the funnel in the container with the tip down and seal the diameter with tape on the neck at the joint. Fruit flies will fly to the smell of the bait, get trapped and will no longer be able to get out.
2. Pour apple cider vinegar into a deep plate, add a little water and a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent. Cover the container with cling film and make several holes in it with a thick needle or toothpick. The flies will fly into the trap, they will be attracted by the smell of the bait, and will no longer be able to get out of it.
3. You can remove small flies from your home using a glue trap with Raptor liquid bait. Insects are attracted to the substance with which its inner side is treated. Once they land on a sticky surface, they can't get back out. Drosophila remain inside the trap, thereby maintaining its aesthetic appearance.

The use of chemicals against midges

Is it worth fighting midges in the kitchen with chemical insect control products? Most likely not, but in the bathroom, they can be destroyed with the help of Dichlorvos. At the same time, care must be taken to ensure that the midges do not return, creating unfavorable conditions for them to live and reproduce. You must always remember that results can only be achieved through an integrated approach.

As a rule, chemicals are used when they cannot be dealt with using conventional methods. And so, it is better to use folk remedies, which are safe for everyone living in the apartment.

Chemical treatment

To completely kill aphids, the following drugs are used: “Decis”, “Karate” and other insecticides, which can be purchased in stores.

Chemical preparation for aphids on grapes

However, before using chemicals, it is better to try to get rid of the scourge using relatively safe folk remedies, since the use of chemicals can affect the quality of the crop.

Are such “neighbors” dangerous?

The Internet is full of information that midges are dangerous and should be carefully avoided and feared, since they carry an infection worse than mosquitoes. But we must understand that the most dangerous midges that are found in our country are located near swamps and reservoirs. The maximum she can do is bite like a mosquito. And the consequences will be similar.

Yes, in southern African countries mosquitoes and midges carry terrible diseases, and there you should be careful and use repellents in advance. Midges that have settled in the apartment for a short time do not pose any danger, except for a little stress due to their intrusive and shameless behavior.

Life cycle of the midge

An insect goes through three stages of development. During growth, the larvae molt twice: 24 and 48 hours after formation. At this time, they feed on the substances of the decomposing fruit and microorganisms involved in this process. After 4-5 days they pupate. They spend another 4-5 days in this state, during which metamorphoses occur that change, develop and prepare the organs for transformation into an imago.

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The first mating in females occurs no earlier than 12 hours after final development. Only from the second day they lay eggs, 50-80 eggs at a time.

Depending on the air temperature, the answer to the question of how long fruit flies live differs. In the warm period - 10 - 20 days, in the cold - up to 2.5 months.

Types and life cycle of insects

There are several varieties of fruit flies, but most of these nasty creatures prefer the mild climate of the tropics and subtropics, which is why more than three hundred different species have been found on the Hawaiian Islands. Among the most famous is Drosophila melanogaster, a fruit fly not adapted to flight, which is often found in Russia. It is curious that these creatures, annoying to city dwellers, are very important for the scientific world, since numerous studies are carried out on them. In addition, Drosophila trivittata, histrio and funebris are also common.

The life cycle of small insects looks like this:

1. Egg. The female fly lays up to 400 eggs measuring 0.5 mm in moist soil, most often in the flesh of rotting vegetables or fruits, but not always. Any organic substrate is suitable for this purpose.
2. Under favorable conditions (temperature from +25°C), larvae appear within a day. Their length is about 3.5 mm, molting occurs very quickly - in 5 days the larva manages to molt twice. Their food is half-rotten fruit.
3. Pupation lasts approximately 5 days.
4. An adult female begins to mate after approximately ½ day, the process occurs only once, then the sperm is stored for further reproduction.

Both eggs, larvae, and adults are quite unpretentious, the main thing for them is high temperature and abundance of food, so they quickly spread throughout the world at any stage of their life cycle. In the north they have taken a liking to human houses, but in the south they are often found in vineyards and gardens.

Video

To get rid of fruit flies, various methods and means are used. To learn more about fighting methods, watch the following videos:

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