What kind of fly is the Drosophila Suzuki and why is it dangerous?

Drosophila are small fruit flies. Most often, their habitat is the kitchen, because these pests feed on vegetables, fruits and their juices, and rotting plants.

Even though fruit flies do not bite people or pets, they are still a nuisance. In addition, flies carry many diseases that a person can become infected with through fruits and vegetables eaten by insects.

You can get rid of fruit flies using both folk and professional means. This is not an easy task, but if you act correctly, removing pests will not be difficult.

Where do fruit flies come from?

Before you get rid of fruit flies, you need to know the reasons and ways of their appearance in the house.

All year round, pests live mainly in warm regions of the country. However, in summer, flies are ubiquitous, and even in winter, residents of the middle zone are not immune from their invasion.

Spoiled fruits and vegetables become food for fruit flies, so flies live where there is an abundance of food, and rotten ones at that. Insects do not disdain animal feces, which poses a particular danger to humans. The main habitats of fruit flies are:

• garbage cans, landfills, landfills;
• greenhouses, gardens, vineyards;
• fruit bases;
• places where livestock gather;
• houseplants.

Drosophilas usually don’t settle in houses just like that; this requires favorable conditions. Open juices, wines, spoiled fruits, vegetables, their improper storage, improper care of plants, non-compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards, irregular cleaning in the apartment - all this can lead to clouds of flies, which are very difficult to get rid of.

Drosophila appear indoors in the following ways:

• through ventilation;
• together with fruits, especially spoiled ones;
• on the fur of pets if they walk outside;
• through windows, vents, doors;
• with soil for indoor plants, brought flowers.

  

It is worth noting that fruit flies do not fly far, so adult flies can appear in an apartment only if there are food depots, landfills and greenhouses near the house. Most often, these pests enter a person’s home in the form of eggs, reaching a size of no more than 0.5 mm, on vegetables, fruits, clothes, wool, etc. Therefore, it will not be possible to completely protect the apartment from insect invasion.

Advice! To prevent the appearance of fruit flies in the house, you need to carefully select products in the store and buy only fresh fruits and vegetables.

Benefits of fruit flies

Aquarists and fishermen love these midges most of all because their larvae are excellent food for fish at all stages.

The role of this baby is also great in science, especially in genetics. Their fleeting life and the ease of changing characteristics make it possible to trace the transmission of genetic characteristics live within a few months (the method of dominant mutations, etc.).

And the fact that more than 60% of human diseases have corresponding diseases in the genetics of this insect makes it possible to model genetic diseases by observing several generations of midges. The important role of fruit flies in the study of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, cancer, and drug addiction.

Appearance and activity

Drosophila or fruit flies live next to people in apartments and houses, since the most favorable conditions are created for them there.

Flies have several subspecies, but most of their characteristics are the same:

1. Length. It does not exceed 3 mm, females are slightly larger than males.
2. Color. Most insects are light brown in color, but black, dark brown, yellow and orange individuals are also found. They also have red eyes, dark stripes on the back of the abdomen, and transparent wings that are longer than the body.
3. Reproduction. A female Drosophila can lay up to 400 eggs in her life, so the insects reproduce very quickly.
4. The lifespan of a fly under favorable conditions is about 2.5 months.
5. Larval development. About 10 days pass from the moment the egg is laid until the adult appears, provided that the temperature is above 25°C. Otherwise, the duration of this cycle increases by 2 times.
6. Already on the second day after metamorphosis, insects become reproductive, females begin to lay eggs.
7. Drosophila don't bite.
8. Flies do not tolerate cold. They are able to live only at temperatures above 18°C.

Drosophila development

Over the entire period of its life, the female of such an insect is capable of laying about 400 eggs in rotten fruits or any other plants and food products.

If there are favorable conditions for its development, the larvae may appear within a day. Over the course of five days, they develop, feeding on microorganisms and, in the case of fruits, fruit juice.

The larva then becomes a pupa, and remains in this stage for another five days. After this, a young fly emerges from the pupa.

REFERENCE The entire process of the emergence of Drosophila, starting from the laying of eggs and ending with the emergence of a young insect, usually takes about 10-20 days.

When the young fly flies out of the doll, within two days it becomes sexually mature. Its lifespan ranges from one week to two months, usually depending on the conditions in which it lives.

Are fruit flies dangerous?

The flies themselves are not dangerous to humans: they do not bite, since their jaws are simply unable to bite through even the thinnest skin.

Flies are annoying with their flickering, they constantly come to hand.

However, this is not the most unpleasant consequence that an insect invasion leads to; the danger of fruit flies lies elsewhere. Pests feed on organic matter, including waste from landfills and animal feces, and their sweat. They can contain dangerous bacteria, which flies carry on their legs or proboscis and then leave on food.

Thus, a pathogenic bacterium can enter the human body, which, if the immune system is weakened, will lead to intestinal infections. In addition, eating food with fruit fly eggs on the surface causes diarrhea and nausea, accompanied by a rise in temperature.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Drosophila fly in nature

Fruit flies are annoying, fussy insects. Their life expectancy is short, so these midges are in a hurry to leave behind offspring as soon as possible. Wine midges live wherever there are fruits, vegetables, their remains, wine, jam and other food products. The entire life of these animals takes place in apartments, private houses, wine storages, various warehouses and shops.

The Drosophila fly is highly sensitive to fermented foods. If these appear somewhere, then in the very near future we can expect the formation of a whole swarm of annoying midges. At the same time, flies live and reproduce regardless of the time of year. In addition to vinegar, fruit acids, and rotting products, these insects are attracted to high humidity. They often live in flower pots, outdoor flowers and some ornamental crops. The cause of midges is excessive watering of plants.

Interesting fact: Drosophila bring not only harm, but also great benefit to people. They are often used in various studies. For example, they are used to model some human diseases. During such studies, about 61% of matches were found between diseases and the genetic code of the insect.

The rhythm of activity of Drosophila flies in natural conditions is with a period of about twenty-four hours. However, scientists found midges with an arbitrary rhythm of life - they moved, ate and rested at completely different intervals. Midges do not live very long - no more than twenty days. Their lifespan depends on many factors: ambient temperature, nutrition, type of insect, humidity level.

How to get rid of fruit flies in an apartment?

You can get rid of fruit flies using folk and special remedies. It is best to take a comprehensive approach to solving the problem, otherwise the invasion of flies will repeat itself after a while.

To effectively get rid of insects, you should:

1. Figuring out where flies breed and live is where you need to make the most impact.
2. Clean the kitchen: throw out spoiled food, clean out trash cans and drains.
3. Comply with all food storage conditions.
4. Remove fallen, dry leaves from indoor plants, and put rotten flowers in the trash can.
5. Wash pets' bowls thoroughly, especially if they contained plant-based foods.
6. Treat the kitchen with anti-fly products, paying attention to their habitats.

Attention! The most important step when trying to breed fruit flies is to eliminate their source of food, because without food they cannot survive for long.

Traps

You can get rid of flies using traps; this is one of the simplest and most effective ways. To fix the problem, you need to do the following:

1. Choose bait. It can be any spoiled fruit, but it is best to take bananas, apples, honey, and berries. Drosophila are also not against enjoying juices and jams, apple cider vinegar. An excellent solution would be to use fruits that have already been eaten by flies for the trap, because in any case you will have to throw them away.
2. Next, you need to place the selected bait in a plastic bag and leave it open in the kitchen, preferably in the place where insects fly most.
3. For greater efficiency, you can close the bag, but make small holes in it so that pests can get inside. It will be difficult for them to fly back.
4. When a large number of individuals are trapped, you should quickly close the bag if it was open.
5. Then you need to throw the trap in a landfill; do not leave it in the trash. If the bag accidentally breaks, the flies will become free and the fight will have to start all over again.

   

You can make a trap in another equally effective way:

1. Cover the bottom of a glass jar with a thick layer of jam or honey.
2. Place a sheet of paper rolled into a cone inside so that the narrow end comes out of the opening of the jar.

Attracted by the smell of “goodies,” the flies will crawl into a small hole, but will not be able to get out of it.

There is a third method that will help get rid of annoying flies. It is necessary to mix equal amounts of sweet liquid bait and any detergent, for example, for dishes. Cover a cardboard or an unnecessary plate with this mixture and place it in the kitchen. The flies will eat the bait, and the dishwashing liquid will act as poison.

Chemicals

Professional means will help destroy fruit flies much faster and more effectively than traditional methods and traps. However, some types of chemicals are quite toxic and can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, before using such drugs, carefully read the instructions.

There are many means to help get rid of fruit flies, among them are:

• Raptor. Works on the same principle as traps. It is a sticky tape, the surface of which is treated with a sweet odorous substance that attracts flies. Once on the Velcro, the Drosophila cannot get out of it. This product perfectly helps to get rid of both flies and other types of insects: ants, house flies, mosquitoes.
• Dichlorvos. It is produced in the form of an aerosol, which is sprayed in the habitats of fruit flies. It is noteworthy that Dichlorvos is odorless and is also suitable for getting rid of other types of pests. Before using the spray, you should remove any products that may be exposed to particles. After completing the procedure, you should thoroughly ventilate the room.
• Combat is a fumigator that comes with insect repellent liquid. For the device to start working, you need to connect it to an outlet. Toxic fumes have virtually no effect on humans, but they are good at getting rid of house flies, mosquitoes and midges. However, you should not leave the fumigator near the bed, in the bedroom while sleeping, or in the nursery.

  

Since most chemicals are quite toxic, do not forget about the following precautions:

• Wear thick protective rubber gloves and a mask when using sprays.
• Keep the sprayed product at arm's length, as far as possible from the respiratory system and mucous membranes.
• If there are symptoms of poisoning (nausea, dizziness, weakness), quickly remove the clothes in which the treatment was carried out, wash your hands thoroughly, rinse your mouth and drink 3-4 tablets of activated carbon.
• If your condition worsens, consult your doctor immediately.

Repellers

Repellers are the most humane, but not the most effective way to combat fruit flies. Such devices use electromagnetic frequencies to which humans are immune, but insects are very sensitive.

Pets also cannot tolerate such radiation, so if you have them in your apartment, you should look for other ways to get rid of pests.

To remove fruit flies, turn on the repeller where they live most often. It is advisable to buy several devices if the room is large or flies have taken over the entire apartment, since the repeller has its own range of action.

There are several brands that have proven themselves:

• EcoSniper;
• EMR;
• WeiTech;
• Hawk.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies help remove fruit flies just as well as professional ones. You can find them in any home, and preparation does not require much effort. In addition, most of these products do not cause allergies.

Smells

Like many pests, fruit flies cannot tolerate the odors of certain plants. Particularly effective will be: tomato tops, geranium, tansy. They need to be placed around the apartment or pots with plants should be placed in the room where flies have appeared. You can also use oils or incense sticks, candles. Flies especially do not like the smells of camphor, ylang-ylang, patchouli, verbena, and cloves.

Indoor flowers can be saved by burying a clove of garlic in the ground. Its smell also helps get rid of flies.

Manganese solution

If fruit flies are infested in plants, you need to wipe the infected flowers with a weak solution of manganese every 2-3 days. Pour the active ingredient with water to obtain a slightly pinkish liquid.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Drosophila fly

The Drosophila fly can appear in any home, and in vegetable or fruit warehouses and stores it is a permanent resident. This animal is familiar to any gardener and gardener. This fly is quite annoying and extremely difficult to get rid of. Despite this, fruit flies are highly valued by scientists. They are unique scientific material. Today various experiments and scientific experiments are carried out on this animal.

Video: Drosophila fly

The Drosophila fly is called differently: Drosophila minor, fruit fly, fruit midge, Drosophila vulgaris. In Latin the name sounds like Drosophila melanogaster. This is an insect with two wings, a type of midge belonging to the genus Drosophila. Drosophila belongs to a large family of fruit flies.

Interesting fact: Drosophila has many different names and nicknames. People call these insects wine or vinegar flies. This is due to the fact that they very quickly detect the source of the sour fruity smell. Therefore, there are many such animals in various factories and plants for the production of juices and wine.

Today there are quite a few varieties of fruit flies. Scientists count more than a thousand species. Most species live in subtropical and tropical climates. In particular, more than three hundred species of such insects live on the Hawaiian Islands alone. On the territory of the Russian Federation, the most common type of fly is the flightless Drosophila.

The Drosophila fly is characterized by the following features:

• a diet consisting of fermented products;
• high sensitivity to sour aromas;
• fertility - one female is capable of laying several hundred eggs throughout her life;
• the presence of obvious visual differences between females and males.

Prevention of Drosophila

To prevent fruit flies from appearing in your apartment, you should follow some rules:

1. Carry out both dry and wet cleaning regularly.
2. Observe the storage conditions and terms of food products.
3. Dispose of food waste immediately.
4. Wash dishes immediately after eating, do not leave crumbs or open food in the kitchen.
5. Store fruits and vegetables in separate packages in the refrigerator.
6. Throw out garbage in a timely manner and prevent it from accumulating in the apartment.
7. Periodically wipe houseplants, remove dry leaves, cut off rotting shoots.
8. It is important to monitor the water regime of the flowers: do not overdry them or overfill them with liquid.
9. Clean and wash pet bowls regularly.

Prevention is the best remedy

Let's tell you a terrible secret. Drosophila breed where untidy hosts live. Sour food in pets' bowls, leftover food or drinks on the table, rotting or spoiled fruits, vegetables, berries. All this is a provoking factor for the appearance of flies in the apartment. They fly towards similar smells from the street. By the way, the mosquito net on the windows is not at all an obstacle to the entry of small reptiles. They easily crawl through the cells.

What needs to be done to prevent fruit flies from getting into the house? Take away:

• Take out the trash can in a timely manner.
• Do not leave food or drinks on the table.
• Discard any leftovers from pets' bowls and wash them thoroughly every day.
• Store fruits, vegetables and berries in the refrigerator.
• Do not create dampness under the sink and bathtub.
• Frequently sort through vegetables stored in cabinets. Throw away spoiled ones immediately.

After all, even a piece of fruit lying under the table can be a decent bait for midges from the street. A person won’t notice, but an insect will definitely find it. Or a wet tea bag. Or potato skins. The list could take a long time. But the point comes down to one thing: clean the apartment and especially the kitchen. Then the flies will not appear at all.

On the vastness of the mighty Internet, you can find advice on planting any insectivorous plant at home. They praise it, they say, and take up little space, are unpretentious in care, and bring great benefits. No doubt, carnivorous plants do their job perfectly. True, there are several but. Firstly, the flower pot should be placed in places where fruit flies accumulate. Secondly, when the trap slams shut, it needs some time to digest the insect. This process takes about a week. During this time, so many fruit flies will hatch that a whole forest of predators will be needed. Thirdly, all insectivorous plants are extremely difficult to care for.

Or do the advisers think that the flower will flap its trap like a dog hunting flies in the summer? If the doors slam shut in vain, they will open only the next day. By the way, when the midges disappear, you will have to periodically feed the plant with live food. If you don't do this, it will die in a month or two.

In general, this is absolutely not a method of getting rid of fruit flies in an apartment. This is unnecessary hassle in caring for the plant.

By the way, about home flowers. When purchasing new ones, be sure to replant them in another soil, having first disinfected it. This can be done by placing the soil in the freezer for a day. Or bake in the oven, setting the temperature no higher than +115°C. It will be very good if the soil is thoroughly watered with a strong, hot (+80°C) solution of potassium permanganate before planting.

The fact is that store soil is often contaminated with fruit fly larvae. And high humidity in the pot and part of the plant is the most suitable environment for the development of flies. Be sure to remove fallen leaves and promptly treat rotting plants.

If you neglect these simple rules of care, then at some point you will have to use approved insecticides. Because traps won't work here anymore. The difficulty is that all your tricks only work on adults. And completely safe for larvae and pupae. The systemic fight should continue regularly for at least a couple of weeks. Then your products will also work on subsequent generations of insects.

Otherwise, some comrades will bring out adult flies and calm down. And after a few days, new individuals hatch. Then angry comments begin online: the methods don’t work, the fruit flies have won, what to do, nothing helps... It’s their own fault. More diligence and everything will work out as planned.

How to get rid of fruit flies in an apartment? It’s easier to prevent their appearance by thoroughly cleaning your home. But, if there are already uninvited guests, then dealing with them will not be difficult or impossible. Methodically and regularly using the methods described above, you can evict insects from your home forever.

Fruit flies: how to quickly get rid of annoying insects

Once fruit flies appear in your kitchen, they will not leave. And, what good, they will also multiply. You can’t do this without special tools—some of them are stored in your home.

Small fruit flies, attracted by the smell of rotting fruit, garbage and forgotten food, settle in the apartment for a long time, refusing to voluntarily leave the nourishing place. They are quite harmless - at least they do not bite humans or domestic animals. But they multiply at tremendous speed.

Just imagine: a female Drosophila can lay up to 500 eggs, and within 24 hours the first larvae are born! So, if you notice a swarm of small brown flies in the kitchen, don’t hesitate: sort through the food (flies are attracted to darkened bananas and rotting fruits and vegetables), throw out the trash, clean up the kitchen and start eliminating annoying insects - with the help of these simple household funds.

Fruit fly traps

There are also ready-made products on sale to get rid of fruit flies, and they are effective. If you use homemade vinegar, place traps right next to it, otherwise the flies will scatter throughout the house.

The Raptor glue trap with bait liquid will provide effective protection against fruit flies. The principle of operation of the trap is simple. The liquid contains a special substance that attracts flies. Following the smell, insects end up on the sticky surface on the inside of the trap without the ability to get out of it again. At the same time, the trap remains clean and attractive in appearance. A feeling of comfort and cleanliness in your kitchen is guaranteed!

Directions for use: Open the box. Take out a can of liquid. Unscrew the cap of the can. Take out the cardboard tape with the sticky layer. With a sharp movement, remove the protective paper from the adhesive layer.

Fold the trap in the form of a “house” with the sticky side with the printed pattern inside, connecting the lock with the inscription “insert into grooves” in the direction of the arrows. Place the trap on the neck of the can. Make sure the perforation on the trap fits snugly around the neck of the can. Place the trap in places where insects grow - in kitchens near fruit and in pantries - cabinets for storing food - potatoes, onions, etc. Do not place in drafts. The trap retains its ability to attract flies for up to 30 days. Consumption rate – 1 trap per room of 10-12 m2.

And one more trap: Aeroxon trap for fruit flies. It is structured in approximately the same way, only here there are 2 pieces in the package. The flies begin to fly in very quickly - excellent cleaning of the room!

The Aeroxon glue trap is designed to kill tiny flies flying over rotting fruit. Fruit flies are found in kitchens, utility rooms and warehouses where fruits and vegetables are stored. The flies are lured with a special bait onto the adhesive surface of the trap and are firmly glued to it. The trap can be placed in close proximity to food products; it is completely safe.

Source: hnh.ru/food/2010-09-19-1