'Disgusting little heroes': fruit flies invade Edmonton
'Every kitchen I hear about is buzzing with fruit flies,' gardening guru Rob Sproule says
Every summer, Albertans are driven buggy by swarms of red-eyed fruit flies.
Like clockwork, they appear — seemingly out of thin air — transforming fresh produce from delightful to disgusting.
It's prime mating season for the Drosophila melanogaster, also known as the common fruit fly. And this year, they`re everywhere in the Edmonton area.
"Every late summer seems to be awful, but this one is worst than the rest," said Rob Sproule, co-owner of Salisbury Greenhouse in Sherwood Park.
"Every kitchen I hear about is buzzing with fruit flies."
They have incredible little noses on them, they can smell overripe fruit like sharks smell blood.- Rob Sproule, co-owner of Salisbury Greenhouse
Sproule said a rainy summer has made northern Alberta a veritable breeding ground for the minuscule creatures.
"Fruit trees, which are getting more rain than they need, they take up all of this moisture — and apple trees, cherry trees, plum trees — you name it, are trying to pump this moisture into the fruit, and it's splitting the skin of the fruit," Sproule told CBC's Radio Active.
"And that exposes the flesh and all the sugars, and that's just like a magnet for fruit flies. It's like a dinner bell for them."
Fruit fly frenzy
Fruit flies infiltrate kitchens through the tiniest cracks and crevices, and can even be brought home aboard an infested bundle of bananas. Even the most immaculate home can fall victim to the bugs, Sproule said.
"They have incredible little noses on them, they can smell overripe fruit like sharks smell blood," Sproule said.
"There is no keeping a fruit fly out."
But Sproule cautions not all the insecticide in the world will allow you to annihilate the annoying buggers for good.
They reproduce like mad. They can go from egg to adult in just seven days, and the newborn bugs begin mating just eight hours after they hatch.
Oh, and if that wasn't enough to ensure a massive infestation, these petite pests are also polygamous, with both male and female flies swapping partners to ensure maximum egg-output.
Banish the bugs
The best way to banish the bugs is to ensure your home is decay-free. Even the smallest smear of fruity guck is all they need to reproduce. Sproule said.
Be sure to turf any overripe fruit, seal and dispose of your compost and toss any moldy sponges that may be lingering in your sink.
"They don't need much, even If you have an old red wine glass sitting around from last night, they'll live in there," Sproule said. "Or if you have some old food under the sink stopper, in the drain, they can live there as well. "
Wash out any contaminated dishes and wipe down your kitchen with a good dousing of soapy water. And if that doesn't work, Sproule said a DIY fruit-fly trap may do the trick.
"Grab a mason jar, put a splash of apple cider vinegar in there and a few chunks of banana and cover that jar with Saran wrap, and just poke a few little holes in it," he said.
"They'll be driven to that smell but they won't be able to get out, so that will trap a few of them."
'Disgusting little heroes'
Even in his despair in dealing with own personal fruit-fly infestation, Sproule has a certain respect for the pests.
They have been used in medical research for more than 100 years. Their quick life cycle and low-maintenance lifestyle make them ideal test subjects. Even today, labs across the world are using the tiny flies to map the genetic code and find a cure for cancer.
"I call them disgusting little heroes," Sproule said.
"Fruit flies have actually been responsible for huge medical breakthroughs. It doesn't mean they're not annoying and that we shouldn't smash them.
"I'm grateful to them as I hit them with my newspaper."
With files from Nola Keeler
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