Fruit flies in Whiting

Challenge

One of my commercial accounts was experiencing fruit fly activity in their kitchen. They were very confused as to why the flies were congregating on the prep table since it was constantly being wiped down. There is a saying that a good pest control technician follows: "Look beyond the obvious, you never know what is behind it." In this restaurant, fruit flies were hovering mysteriously over what appeared to be a spotlessly clean prep table.

Solution

Sure enough, after a thorough inspection, I found the culprit: Bananas were being stored right underneath the table. The kitchen moved the bananas to a storage closet and, because of a little detective work, the problem was solved.

Fruit flies are especially attracted to ripened or fermenting fruits and vegetables. They are common in homes, restaurants, supermarkets and wherever else food is allowed to ripen, ferment, and eventually rot. But rut flies are resourceful. All they need is a moist film of fermenting materials. So, you will seem them breed in drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, trash containers, mops, and cleaning rags.

Fruit fly infestations must be resolved quickly because of their reproductive rates. A single fly can lay hundreds of eggs. And they grow up quickly: a fruit fly goes from egg to adult in about a week. Once there is a fruit fly infestation, all potential breeding areas must be located and eliminated; otherwise, the problem will continue no matter what else is done. With my restaurant accounts, I enjoy the challenge of locating all potential pest breeding sites to keep their kitchens pest-free. These businesses rely on me to keep their kitchen in tip-top shape and I understand the importance of my job.