How Do Fruit Flies Affect Fruit?
Fruit flies have two types: male and female. Males usually engage in aggressive activities like courtship and patrolling while females feed and lay their eggs. They rarely interact with each other. Females usually fly away to lay their eggs and feed. During hot days, they may rest and do not attack the fruit.
In severe cases, fruit flies can destroy a whole crop. However, home remedies can remove a portion of the affected fruit. However, this approach may not be feasible on a commercial scale. Fruit flies are known to transfer contaminants from their breeding area to food, so it is important to protect your fruit against them.
Commercial producers use a variety of measures to keep fruit fly populations at bay. The presence of fruit flies can limit the variety of fruits that can be grown and sold in the market. Commercial producers spend millions of dollars each year on pest control measures. However, fruit fly outbreaks still lead to production losses. Fruit fly maggots can infest large portions of the crop, making an entire harvest unusable.
To protect your fruit from fruit flies, clean your fruit well and store it in an airtight container. Use a clear plastic food storage bag to trap adult fruit flies. You can also use a cone trap made of paper or wine. These traps are best placed in places where you can see them.