Fruit flies set to invade Ireland this summer and how to keep them away

Ireland is bracing for a fruit fly invasion this summer, with warmer temperatures and an abundance of food making it the ideal breeding ground for these pests.

According to Alliance Online Ireland, a supplier of insect control devices, there are on average 1,600 searches per month in Ireland for “how to get rid of fruit flies”. John Girvan from Alliance Online Ireland warned: “Summer is just around the corner which means longer, brighter days for those itching for some glorious sunshine. However, when warmer weather arrives, insects are more likely to appear in the house and cause a nuisance, and pesky fruit flies prove to be the biggest culprit.”

He added that there are preventative measures you can take to reduce the chance of infestation. “Keep your surfaces clean and sanitised to prevent fruit flies, and any other unwanted insects, who will be attracted to any food remnants, however small they are. Fruit flies usually appear in the kitchen when food is being prepared and served, especially common during the summer months when the doors and windows tend to be left open.

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“Take out the rubbish bin more often than usual ahead of fruit fly season, so food waste doesn’t end up rotting the perfect attraction and breeding ground for fruit flies. Fruit flies are attracted to the ripeness of fruit and vegetables and the smell of fermentation, so seal and refrigerate food and keep it in an airtight container.

“There are numerous airtight containers currently on the market and, thankfully, they aren’t too expensive, so it’s worth investing if you’re sick of fruit flies. The most used, and arguably the most successful, fruit fly prevention tactics are traps and repellents.

“Traps and repellents are easy to set up as you will likely already have all the ingredients ready at home. For a trap, fill a small bowl or jar with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of washing-up liquid.”

“Cover the container with plastic wrap and poke some small holes to entice the flies, this works with red wine too! Natural repellents are strong deterrents for fruit flies. Dried basil, mint and bay leaves can be left where you tend to find fruit flies which should repel them.”

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