Learn the key differences between fruit flies and phorid flies, including appearance and behavior, to effectively manage infestations in your home or business.
What do I do now that these nasty flies have invaded my home?
✅ 1. Identify the Source
- Fruit Flies are attracted to fermenting fruits, vegetables, alcohol, sugary liquids, and drains.
- Phorid Flies prefer organic matter in moist areas like garbage disposals, plumbing leaks, floor drains, or rotting food.
🔍 Tip: Watch where they hover — it usually leads you to the breeding site.
🧽 2. Eliminate Breeding Grounds
- Remove overripe fruits, empty the trash, and clean recycling bins.
- Pour boiling water or a drain gel down kitchen and bathroom drains.
- Fix leaky pipes and dry out damp areas.
🍎 3. Set DIY Traps
- Fruit Fly Trap: A bowl with apple cider vinegar + dish soap covered with plastic wrap (poke small holes in the wrap).
- Phorid Fly Trap: Use sticky traps near drains or moist areas to catch adults while identifying their source.
🧼 4. Deep Clean Affected Areas
- Scrub down sink drains, garbage disposals, trash cans, and mop buckets.
- Don’t forget under appliances, where spills or moisture may attract flies.
🛠️ 5. Repair and Exclude
- Seal cracks around baseboards and sinks.
- Fix any plumbing leaks that could be supporting hidden breeding sites.
🧪 6. Use Targeted Treatments (If Needed)
- Use a drain fly killer gel or insect growth regulator (IGR) designed for indoor fly infestations.
- Avoid spraying general insecticide — it won’t kill larvae and may scatter adults to new breeding sites.
👷 7. Call a Professional If It Persists
If the infestation lasts more than a few days, or you can’t find the source, contact a licensed pest control technician. They can:
Prevent a recurring infestation.
Identify hidden breeding grounds (like wall voids or septic issues),
Use safe, professional-grade products,
If you are fed up with a fly infestation that seems to have no end, or you are having trouble figuring out where these flies are coming from, it may be necessary to hire a professional. Here at Adams Pest Control, we have the expertise to rid your home or business of these pesky, unsanitary flies. Get help today and be phorid fly free! Be sure to contact Adams. You’ll be glad you did.
Fruit Flies
Phorid fly
