Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Summary: In order to get rid of fruit flies you need to locate their breeding spots. Fruit flies can breed in small deposits of decaying matter, so to get rid of fruit flies takes a thorough inspection.

That tiny fly that dares to dive-bomb your face while you are dropping a month's worth of mortgage payments at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is probably a fruit fly or Phorid fly, also known as a humpback fly. Both of these little demons seem to have little care that you are paying big bucks to chow down on that New York strip steak. So, you make obvious swatting motions hoping your waiter sees you in distress and will rush over to apologize and pick up your dinner tab. Probably won't

Fruit Fly

happen, however, because most restaurants seem to suffer the curse of these fast-multiplying creatures and they are long past apologizing.

The amazing thing is that many experienced restaurateurs expect their pest control vendors to resolve the issue even though it has been explains too often that the problem is one of sanitation. “My kitchen is clean” protests the chef. “My bar is cleaned every night”, bristles the bartender. Close examination by management is called for, but is frequently passed off to the night cleaning crew to handle.

These flies come in on fresh fruits and vegetables, especially during warmer weather. Or, they simply fly in though the open back door. They quickly establish themselves in standing water around dish washing machines, in floor drains or in mop heads that are way past their "discard" date. These flies have a life span of only a few days, but they

have a fantastic capacity to mate and lay hundreds of eggs. A few flies develop into a full fledged problem in a hurry.

For the most part, the presence of these flies tells you that the restaurant is in need of a thorough cleaning. That doesn't mean you should go running to every restaurant to complain that they are dirty. Many times the problem is caused because the restaurant management simply overlooked a hidden crack or crevice. However, just as commonly it is the restaurant's lack of willingness to do the hard work of moving heavy cooking equipment or getting down on hands and knees to clean under counters and preparation tables.

Some of the special tools required to get rid of these flies are fairly inexpensive. Products like Vinegar Fly traps and bacterial drain cleaners work well. There are also floor detergents with grease-eating bacteria like "Bio-Mop", that do a nice job.

So, lodge your complaint with the restaurant and give them a second try to work through their fly issue. If the problem is just as bad on your return visit the flies may be telling you to find a new place to call your favorite eatery.