How do I keep fruit flies off of my bananas?

Fruit flies can be a pesky problem when you’re trying to enjoy fresh bananas. These tiny insects are attracted to the smell and taste of produce, especially overripe or damaged fruit. While chemical insecticides may seem like an easy solution for getting rid of fruit flies, using natural preventative methods can help deter flies without the use of harsh toxins. Read on to learn some simple, effective ways to keep those annoying fruit flies away from your bananas!

Why Are Fruit Flies Attracted to Bananas?

Fruit flies are attracted to bananas and other produce for a few reasons:

• Ripening bananas give off ethylene gas, which fruit flies can detect from far away using specialized odor receptors.
• Fruit flies are especially drawn to fermenting fruit, which gives off alcohols that attract the flies.
• Damage or cracks in the banana peel also allow the flies access to sugary banana fruit that they want to eat and lay eggs on.
• Fruit flies prefer ripe or overripe bananas, as unripe green bananas don’t give off as strong of an odor.

Female fruit flies are particularly attracted to bananas and other produce, as they need a soft, moist surface to lay their eggs on. The eggs then hatch into larvae that continue feeding on the fermenting fruit. So keeping flies away from ripening bananas also prevents them from breeding and multiplying.

Storing Bananas to Avoid Fruit Flies

Since fruit flies are attracted by the smell of ethylene gas emitted from ripening bananas, one of the best ways to deter them is through proper banana storage. Here are some tips for keeping your bananas contained and fly-free:

• Keep bananas away from other produce like tomatoes, melons, and peaches, which also give off ethylene gas that will accelerate ripening.
• Store unripe bananas at room temperature. Unripe green bananas don’t need refrigeration and won’t ripen as quickly.
• Once bananas start to ripen, move them to the refrigerator. The cold temperature slows the ripening process and ethylene production.
• Wrap banana bunches tightly in plastic wrap, which contains the ethylene gas and odor. You can also use paper bags with holes poked in it.
• For fully ripe bananas, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This restricts access by fruit flies.

Keeping bananas isolated from other produce, wrapped up, and refrigerated whenever possible will limit their appeal and accessibility to fruit flies looking to feed and breed.

Trapping Fruit Flies

If you already have an infestation of fruit flies in your kitchen, you’ll need to take steps to trap and kill them off:

• Make a trap using apple cider vinegar or wine in a small bowl or cup. Add a drop of dish soap to break the vinegar’s surface tension so flies sink and drown.
• Alternatively, fill a jar halfway with vinegar or wine, then roll up paper into a cone shape secured with tape. Place the cone opening down in the liquid to create a funnel that flies can enter but not escape.
• For a low-cost trap, poke holes in a plastic bottle or container and fill 1/3 with vinegar. The flies will be drawn in but unable to find their way out.
• Set out multiple traps around your kitchen and replace the liquid every few days to kill off newly emerging adult flies.

Traps will begin decreasing the fruit fly population after a couple weeks, but be sure to eliminate any remaining breeding grounds by cleaning up ripe produce.

Preventing Fruit Flies on Bananas

Aside from storage and traps, there are some additional tricks for keeping flies away from your bananas:

• Rinse bananas as soon as you get home from the store to wash away any eggs or larvae already on them.
• If you spot an infested banana, put it in a zip-top plastic bag, seal, and freeze for 48 hours to kill maggots.
• Clean up any spilled juice or produce scraps immediately to avoid attracting flies.
• Use ripening bananas quickly and toss any that are overripe.
• Store bananas on the counter in a fruit fly trap or under a paper towel to monitor for flies.
• Keep your kitchen very clean and take out the trash frequently to avoid breeding grounds.

Being diligent about hygiene, storage, and monitoring your bananas for signs of flies can help prevent an infestation from ever taking hold.

Using Natural Repellents Against Fruit Flies

If you want to avoid using insecticides, there are also some natural fruit fly deterrents you can employ:

• Apple cider vinegar – The smell helps repel flies when in open bowls around your kitchen.
• Cloves – Stud a banana with whole cloves or scatter them around fruit bowls.
• Mint oil – Apply a few drops onto cotton balls near produce or mix with water in a spray bottle.
• Basil – Keeping basil plants on the counter helps repel flies from the area.
• Cinnamon – Sprinkle ground cinnamon in bowls or on countertops to mask fruit odors.
• Bay leaves – Scatter these strongly scented leaves in your fruit bowl and around the kitchen.

Essential oils like peppermint, lemongrass, and lavender can also be diluted in water and sprayed around areas where flies are problematic. Any strong herbal scent will help mask the smell of fruit to flies.

When to Take Further Action

Preventative measures coupled with traps may be enough to control a small fruit fly issue. But if you still see flies buzzing around your bananas despite your best efforts, it may be time to take additional action:

• Discard any infested produce – Get rid of any overly ripe or damaged fruit and vegetables.
• Use an insecticide spray – In severe cases, non-toxic sprays with pyrethrins may be warranted to kill adult flies.
• Plug in electrocuting traps – These devices zap flies with an electric current to rapidly lower populations.
• Contact an exterminator – For whole-home infestations lasting months, professional pest control may be needed.

Sealing cracks around your home and identifying any drains or pipes where flies are emerging from are also key. The Goal is to find and eliminate their breeding ground.

Conclusion

Dealing with unwanted fruit flies means taking away their food sources, traps, and breeding grounds so their lifecycle can’t continue. Focus on denying flies access to ripening bananas by storing them properly, keeping your kitchen very clean, setting out vinegar traps, and using natural repellents. With diligence and patience, you can enjoy your bananas again without the nuisance of flies buzzing around them.