Fruit flies can be a big problem for anyone who keeps fruit in their kitchen. These small insect pests find their way into any home with an abundance of fruits and vegetables. Once inside, they are able to feed on the ripening fruit and lay eggs that hatch into new adult fruit flies. These new adults go right back to feeding on the same fruits they came from, continuing the cycle until there is nothing left to eat or lay eggs in. It is important to know how much damage they can do and how to treat them if you have them in your house. Today we address the question “Can Fruit Flies Survive in the Fridge?” as this is one of their favorite places to hide.
Can Fruit Flies Survive In The Fridge?
Fruit flies are able to survive in the fridge, but their life expectancy is greatly reduced. Fruit flies typically only live for around two weeks, but in the fridge, they may only live for a few days. The cold temperatures of the fridge slow down their metabolism, meaning they need less food and water to survive. However, without access to these things, they will eventually die.
What Do Fruit Flies Look Like?
- Fruit Flies are about the size of a half-dollar. They have two pairs of wings that are transparent and translucent. They also have a pair of legs that are transparent as well.
- Their bodies are yellow in color with black spots on their wings, legs, and backsides. The tips of their wings look like little antennae, and they have black veins all over their body.
- Fruit flies like to feed on ripe fruits and vegetables such as apples, peaches, plums, strawberries, melons, and so on; this is why they make such great house guests!
- They usually live in dark places such as closets, drawers, or even behind wallpaper or appliances in the kitchen, but they can also be found around windows, vents, or even in ceiling fans!
- They do not bite humans but they do excrete waste which can cause irritation if it is touched by the skin. This waste is usually very sticky, which is what causes it to stick to your skin! You can try getting rid of them by using a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment or by using sticky traps made for fruit flies, such as Fruit Fly Trap. These traps will catch hundreds of these pests at once!
How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies In The Fridge
Clean the Fruit
The first thing you will probably do when you discover fruit flies in your fridge is to clean it out. This might mean throwing out all of the food, or it may mean that you have to throw away some of the food and replace it with new food. You will want to make sure that all of the fruit flies are gone before putting any more food in there.
Treat the Fruit
One thing that helps fruit flies survive in a fridge is their ability to eat and lay eggs while they are inside. They can do this because they are attracted to a certain type of chemical called ethylene gas. This gas is released by fruits when they are ripening, causing them to lose their natural protection against insects. The fruit fly is able to sense this gas and find its way into your home through an open door or window or through cracks in walls or floors. Once there, it can lay eggs by laying its own body on the surface of the fruit, allowing them to hatch into adults within hours, if not minutes after being laid.
Remove the Fruit
The next step is to remove any remaining fruit from the fridge. This will prevent them from laying eggs and sustaining their population.
Replace the Fruit
After removing all of the fruit, you will want to replace it with something new. Be sure to choose fruits that are not going to be ripe for long, such as bananas or apples. You will also want to choose fruits that have a strong odor, such as onions or garlic, since these are also known attractants for fruit flies. After replacing your food with fresh fruits, you can put a light freeze on your fridge for 3-5 days at a time in order to kill any remaining fruit flies and eggs that may have survived your cleaning efforts. Be sure to keep checking on your fridge after this process is complete in order to make sure that there are no more fruit flies inside it.
How Long Can Fruit Flies Survive In The Fridge?
Fruit flies can survive for a very long time in the fridge
If fruit flies are not killed or removed, they will continue to lay eggs and reproduce in the fridge. These eggs will hatch into new fruit flies that will continue to feed on your food.
Fruit flies can also survive for a short amount of time in the fridge
If fruit flies are killed or removed before they have had a chance to reproduce and lay eggs, they will not survive for very long, all in the fridge. The cold climate of the refrigerator kills them off quickly, as well as any pesticides you might use inside to kill them. If you do have fruit flies in your house, it is important to remove them if you can and then keep them out of your fridge at all times so that they cannot enter again.
Fruit flies can also survive for a long time in the freezer
Fruit flies are cold-blooded, which means they will not be killed by the temperature of the freezer. Unlike in the fridge, fruit flies will not be affected by pesticides either, as they do not have to breathe or have a heart rate to kill them off. They can survive for a very long time in a freezer, so it is important that you remove them and then keep them out of your freezer at all times.
How To Limiting The Number Of Fruit Flies In Your Fridge
- Check the fruit. If you see signs of fruit flies, throw out any rotten or moldy fruits or vegetables. Remove any infested fruit from your refrigerator and put it outside in a garbage bag.
- Clean the refrigerator. Remove all food and clean the fridge with a mild bleach solution. Bleach kills off any eggs that may be hiding in the fridge and is safe to use around food items.
- Don’t keep fruit in your fridge longer than two weeks at a time; they need to be consumed before they begin to rot. Otherwise, they will attract more fruit flies into your house!
- Keep your fruit in the fridge at the same temperature as you keep your food. Fruit flies need to be kept at a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below to survive.
- If you have a fruit fly problem, use a vacuum cleaner to pick up any dead fruit flies that are left behind. This will help prevent more from coming into your house and will keep them from spreading throughout the house.
- Keep an eye on the fruit in your fridge; if you see any signs of mold or rot, throw out all rotten fruits and vegetables immediately! Fruit flies like to lay their eggs on moldy fruits and vegetables, so avoid this by throwing out all rotten food as soon as you see it!
Conclusion
Fruit flies are an incredibly common problem in homes across the world. They are attracted to ripening fruits and vegetables, so it is important to keep fresh produce clean and dry. It is also important to make sure that your fridge is sanitized and free of any food spills that may attract flies. If you find that you have fruit flies in your home, follow these tips to get rid of them.
