Reasons for the appearance of midges in apartments. Where do fruit flies come from and how to get rid of them

There are several million species of insects in the world, some of them living in the human habitat can be annoying and even harmful. Midges, which appear in abundance in the warm season, are sometimes a real disaster, they can be quite difficult to deal with.

Why do midges appear?

Drosophila became famous among geneticists, they were an ideal biological material for all kinds of experiments, in particular, when studying the functioning of various genes.

In domestic conditions, the presence of flies does not cause anything but irritation and annoyance. It is necessary to have certain skills in order to effectively deal with them, preventing their active reproduction.

Flies in an apartment or in the kitchen most often like stale vegetables and fruits, especially in hot summers. Insects are also called: fruit flies. These creatures belong to big class. There are more than two thousand species of Drosophila in the world. Their size is only three millimeters (often even less), they are distributed throughout the world from Chukotka to Patagonia, South Africa and Australia.

Insect eggs are only half a millimeter in size, the incubation period lasts an average of one week. These creatures live no more than two weeks, but even for that a short time the female can reproduce more than four hundred individuals.

Flies have six or eight limbs, two wings. Such creatures reproduce exponentially, the female (which is always larger than the male) is able to lay two dozen eggs at a time, of which offspring appear in just 24 hours.

Flies love decaying fruits, vegetables, moldy bread, so their food and habitat are:

• dirty dishes;
• garbage pails;
• sewer drains;
• rotting products.

Insects also live in those "hidden" places where there can be positive temperatures, high humidity and the necessary nutrient medium (under the bathtub, sink, toilet bowl). Such conditions contribute to the rapid activation of the entire life of these creatures. Most often, flies appear:

• in rooms of the house where there is no proper air exchange;
• in dirty animal cages;
• in stagnant water in tanks (eg aquariums);
• in vases with dried flowers, in which the water bloomed.

Insects, in a sense, are an indicator that it is time to put the apartment in order and start a thorough cleaning. In clean, tidy rooms, the appearance of fruit flies is impossible.

Drosophila are blood-sucking subspecies, so besides the fact that their bites are quite painful, they can infect humans.

In the place where the bite occurred, the wound should be treated with iodine, it may be necessary to apply a soda compress if a swelling forms.

How to get rid of insects?

Chemicals are not always permissible in residential areas, especially those where small children often visit. Potent drugs remain indoors for a long time, evaporating, they adversely affect the health of adults.

It is important to understand first of all the source of origin of these insects. An accurate “diagnosis” will make it possible to solve an important problem by 50%, to deprive fruit flies of a food base.

Often, a flower pot can be a Drosophila generator. If the plants are watered too often, then there is a nutrient medium for the reproduction of a host of similar insects. In this case, sprinkle with black pepper or pour the soil in a flower pot with a solution of potassium permanganate.

And also a source of colonies of midges can be a pear or apple core, which rolled under the sofa, falling out of the child’s hand.

Dirty drain holes in the bathroom and bathroom can become a breeding ground for the appearance. Specialty stores sell excellent products that can solve the problem. With their help, you can disinfect, destroying any colonies of pathogens and insects. Applying such drugs is as easy as shelling pears, even a third-grade student can handle it. Therefore, having solved the question of where the midges come from, you can also solve the second question of how to remove them without a trace.

Vacuum cleaners are an important pest control tool. Be sure to use a vacuum cleaner to process areas of the room under the furniture, as well as carpets. A vacuum cleaner can destroy the eggs that female fruit flies like to lay in various hidden places.

To effectively deal with insects, you can make a wine trap with your own hands.

The manufacturing technology is simple: wine (a small amount) is added to a glass vessel with a wide neck, a few drops of soap solution are dripped into it. The trap is left overnight somewhere on the floor; in a few hours it will be full of insects (if their colony is numerous).

The device is extremely simple, but quite effective. And there is another remedy: a seasonal trap. This requires any peel (melon, watermelon, potato peelings etc). All this "good" is folded into a PVC bag, which is left open at night. In the morning, the package is abruptly closed, taken out in the trash.

It is important to note that the peel of citrus fruits is not suitable as a bait, the smell of orange or lemon flies repels fruit flies.

To get rid of flies, a special Pest Reject device that is harmless to humans is often used. This device is based on the principle electromagnetic radiation, which is harmless to mammals, but repels any insects, including cockroaches - "Prussians". By the way, the fact has long been noticed among the people: with the advent of everywhere mobile communications the number of cockroaches in dwellings has decreased markedly.

Preventive measures

The process of the emergence of flies is simple. They lay their eggs on furniture and utensils if fruits appear in the house that begin to spoil. The eggs of the fly begin to develop, and after a short time the insect appears. Other individuals fly to the smell of rotting fruit and the “feast” begins.

Preventive methods are the most effective in this case. You should do the following:

• clean the living space, keep it clean;
• ventilate the premises;
• hang a small PVC mesh or gauze on the windows;
• after purchasing vegetables, pour boiling water or hot water over them;
• always store vegetables in the refrigerator;
• regularly remove garbage from the apartment, preventing it from accumulating on plates, dishes, and so on;
• treat the soil in flower pots with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Sometimes you still have to use various chemicals, the number of insects in the room may exceed all reasonable limits. Always use chemicals should be used with caution and by individual means protection:

• rubber gloves;
• glasses;
• good respirator.

After using the aerosols, you should wash your hands, and even better, take a shower. The clothes in which the work was carried out must be sent to washing machine. After spraying with such aerosols, be sure to thoroughly ventilate the room.

All Drosophila insects cannot tolerate various aromas, and can be effectively used to combat these creatures. essential oils. The most commonly used oils are:

• chamomile;
• eucalyptus;
• roses;
• wild rose.
• carnations.

There are over a million species alone. However, the hostesses are not concerned biodiversity, and where do midges on fruit come from. Small flying creatures appear here and there in the apartment, causing unsanitary conditions and disorder. They crawl on fruit, completely beating off their appetite. No matter how much you fight them, new ones will appear to replace them. In the Middle Ages, the appearance of parasites in human habitation was explained by spontaneous generation among dirty rags. Midges produce a similar impression. Where do they come from, and how to deal with them?

Causes and places of occurrence of midges

Drosophila are popular among geneticists and pet reptile hobbyists. But to other people fruit flies bring only inconvenience rapid reproduction. Where do they appear and for what reasons? For these insects, damp and dirty areas of human dwellings become a favorite abode.

• Indoor plants with frequent watering easily turn into a breeding ground fruit flies. Insects feel great in the remnants of water that collect in saucers under flower pots. Earth brought from the street may contain midge larvae and eggs.
• Fruits and vegetables should be stored in a dry place. As soon as they rot a little, they will immediately be chosen for laying eggs by fruit flies. And the young will not keep you waiting long. Eggs and larvae may already be on the fruits brought, because in nature, fruit flies live on fruit trees.
• The bathroom also becomes a hotbed small insects. The wettest part of the apartment is in itself attractive to them, and even more so if there are old damp rags under the bathroom or the plumbing is clogged.
• They can also start up near aquariums where the water has not been changed for a long time. Insects are attracted to dirty animal cages or leftover food in a pet's bowl.
• Midges enter the apartment through windows and ventilation. On city streets, they can be found on garbage heaps and trees, from where they fly into human habitation.
• Insects can start due to stagnant water in the refrigerator tray.

It is safer to store cereals in metal or plastic cans than in bags placed in kitchen drawers. Check frequently for fruit flies.

How to deal with the occurrence of midges

1. To prevent the appearance of insects in the apartment, it is necessary to regularly clean, keep the house clean and tidy.
2. You should prevent the appearance of damp and dirty areas and throw out rotten vegetables in time, do not leave fruits on the table for a long time in the hot summer.
3. Accumulate dirty dishes in the sink is also not recommended. It must be washed after every meal.
4. Watch for blockages in pipes. If the water drains slowly or comes out of the drain hole bad smell- call a plumber or fill in there special agent against blockages.
5. Freshly bought fruits and vegetables are best immediately poured over with boiling water and dried. It is possible that midges have already laid eggs on them, which will not slow down to turn into larvae, as soon as the fruits rot.
6. If there are few fruit flies, they can be destroyed with a vacuum cleaner.
7. Thoroughly clean the closet after killing the midges. soapy water and vinegar.
8. Fruit flies hate the smells of incense, citrus, garlic, and camphor.
9. Set special traps around the house: in glass jar put fruit pieces or pour compote. Fold the paper cone and insert it inside, carefully sealing the joints with tape.

Where the midges come from in the apartment is the key to preventing their appearance. However, even if insects are wound up, you should not panic. It won't be hard to get rid of them. By being vigilant and finding the problem area in time and cleaning it up, the owners will protect their home from fruit flies.

How to protect yourself from annoying insects, what to do if bites cause allergies, what folk remedies do they really help with the bugs? I learned the answers to these and other questions about blood-sucking "BG" in the department of epidemiology of the State Institution "Brest Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health".

Who are they?

Midges by appearance similar to small flies, among them there are early-, mid-, late-spring species and species that give several generations during the entire summer period. These insects live for about a month, and the peak of abundance lasts no more than 10-14 days, after which their number decreases sharply.

Everyone must have felt the difference between the bites of various bloodsuckers. This is because the mosquito, for example, only bites, and the midge literally bites, pinches off the flesh. At the same time, when she begins to drink blood, she anesthetizes the bite site with saliva. Therefore, a person cannot always immediately feel that the midge is eating: the pain appears after the insect “breaks away” from the skin.

Entomologists note that midges are active only in the evening and morning hours. Unlike mosquitoes, which annoy people both in open areas and indoors, midges bite only on the street.

Why are there so many?

The development of bloodsuckers occurs in running water. Insects fly to Brest and the suburbs from the Western Bug. Entomological examinations carried out in April of this year confirmed that if last year the period of midge activity went unnoticed, then this year a mass invasion in the second decade of May was simply unavoidable. Experts attribute this to the abnormal flood situation that has developed in the region. Many rivers have not yet entered the channel, there are tributaries everywhere, swampy areas - expanse for bloodsuckers! And warm weather helps.

There is also a second sad news: by the end of May, a massive attack of forest mosquitoes (of the genus Aedes) is also predicted.

When will they disappear?

Stock up on repellents: this year, insects will torment us for a long time. According to experts, the whole of May is for sure. But this is only the first flight, and in June there will be a second ...

Why are they biting me?

Some associate this with the blood type, they say, some attract mosquitoes and midges, and some seem tasteless to them. Still, entomologists note that all this is subjective and individual. Someone, for example, uses cologne. Mosquitoes and midges do not like strong odors, and this scares them away.

What is dangerous?

– Bites can cause severe allergic reactions.

- In addition to swelling, inflammation and itching in the area of ​​​​bites, a person can develop a real intoxication of the body. It causes general weakness, chills, fever, depression of cardiac activity, dysfunction of the respiratory and nervous systems.

How to become "invisible" to bloodsuckers?

Classic and very effective methods:

- Stock up on repellents.

- Do not go to the water.

- Cover your body with clothes.

- Hang the windows in the house with a fine mesh.

- Use electric fumigators, electric "killers" to fight insects.

Traditional folk remedies that repel insects with a pungent odor:

- mixture vegetable oil, 9 percent acetic acid and shampoo in equal proportions;

- any cologne with the addition of a few drops of valerian, clove, lavender or anise oil;

- an aqueous solution of crystalline vanillin (be careful - not vanilla sugar!).

What to do with a bite?

The most important thing is not to comb the bites: an infection can get there!

To relieve itching, you can use:

- a solution of baking soda (0.5 teaspoon per glass of water);

- Vietnamese balm "Golden Star";

- mixture ammonia, half diluted with water;

- celandine juice;

- ointments with menthol and other essential oils.

It won't "cure", but it will distract from the itching and pain.

children

An aqueous solution of vanillin is very convenient to use when walking with young children on fresh air. One has only to soak gauze or mesh with a solution, and then hang the stroller with it.

It is better to buy repellents for a child at a pharmacy, after consulting with a pharmacist. Preparations for children usually have a more pleasant smell.

Allergy sufferers

Everyone reacts differently to a bite. And if the mosquito is not so painful, then the bite of the midge in most people has a rather strong reaction, allergic, up to decent edema.

Those who know that his body is very sensitive to bites should increase their precautions and try to repel insects.

In the event of a general allergic reaction, contact your doctor immediately!

Population of an apartment by a population of small annoying midges it's a matter of a couple of days. Where a single individual was seen yesterday, tomorrow a whole swarm of these ubiquitous insects will be found. They are able to take a fancy to every corner modern apartment: from the bathroom, to house plants, from snow-white curtains, to objects kitchen utensils. Here they feel especially good: they penetrate into containers with honey and various jams, create a uniform “plaque” on fruits, and strive to taste your morning coffee. The constant discomfort that midges cause raises a number of questions: how do they appear in homes? Can this invasion be resisted?

Typical causes of the spread of midges

In nature, the midge is represented by about a thousand varieties. Some of them bother the animals, many of them amaze cultivated plants. People have to deal with fruit flies, or wine flies.

The sizes of midges vary from 3 to 5 mm. In development, they go through the stages of eggs, larvae and adults. Subject to the presence of a putrefactive environment, the period of transformation of an egg into a fly takes only a day.

Before taking any steps to combat fruit flies, you should determine the place from which they began their victorious conquest of the apartment. The zones of the dwelling in which the midge usually prefers to wind up are not a secret:

- a kitchen with the remains of rotten food: the presence of rotten fruits and berries is especially welcome;
- a bathtub with a clogged plumbing drain. In this room, the situation may be aggravated by the presence of wet, stale things;
- the space around the cages with pets, provided that they are not followed by careful systematic care;
- in pots indoor plants that are heavily watered.
There may be many more places like this in your home. They are united distinctive feature: the presence of dirt and dampness. If we exclude the manifestation of these factors, then the invasion of midges will move into the category of rare phenomena.

If everything is clean, then where do the midges come from?

An apartment or other living space is carefully cleaned, and a midge has appeared, you should immediately revise all the hidden corners where moisture and pollution can accumulate. First of all, this sewer drain and food stocks. It does not hurt to check indoor flowers, pet cages and aquariums, the refrigerator tray. This can help in determining the area of ​​insect accumulation.

Washing the skins of fresh horticultural products immediately after purchase helps kill fruit fly eggs and prevents the subsequent spread of midges. Since the insect will not be able to develop in a cool atmosphere, it is advisable to store fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator compartment. If something was destined to deteriorate, the rotten product must be thrown away without delay, and the place where it was washed with clean water.

Irrigation ornamental plants should not be excessive. Do not use when watering the remains of tea leaves and coffee grounds, as this will create a good breeding ground for midges. Wet soil is an excellent breeding ground for a special subspecies of pests. flower midge renders negative impact on flowers, as it damages foliage and root system apartment plantations. Getting rid of it is a long and laborious process. Its essence is reduced to the systematic cultivation of the land with a weak solution of manganese while reducing the intensity of irrigation. Under the formed conditions, special intoxicants are also used. In this case, sometimes the soil has to be completely replaced.

Insects feel comfortable in containers with stagnant garbage. The bucket should be kept clean and regularly disposed of the contents - then the midges will not have a chance to live.

The Drosophila midge may well settle on the shelves with cereals. Spoiled stocks are subject to disposal, and the shelves of the cereal cabinet are to be disinfected. For this internal surfaces kitchen furniture should be washed with warm soapy water, and on top of it - wipe with vinegar. Inside the compartments where supplies are stored, the placement of sticky traps is not contraindicated.

Delay in pest control is unacceptable, since their reproduction is very dynamic. Do not neglect the folk experience of getting rid of winged insects. Unlike industrial preparations, its methods are environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic. The first noticed midge should serve as a signal of the need for an urgent revision of all critical areas of the house. After the uninvited guests leave your monastery, it is advisable not to forget to maintain order and cleanliness in it. Don't forget about the rules long-term storage food stocks.

New development Aero trap

In August-September, you can often see small flying flies at home, which are very annoying and multiply very quickly. Their constant flickering and impudent attempts to fly almost directly into a cup of sweet tea sometimes become unbearable, and given the rate of increase in their numbers, this leads to one obsessive thought: what kind of phenomenon is this and how to get rid of it.

Meanwhile, this domestic midge manifests itself more and more boldly:

• curl around houseplants;
• eat food (especially sweet ones);
• teem with fruits and vegetables;
• are localized closer to the garbage (in the trash can) and literally impose their presence in all sorts of ways.

In total, there are more than 1000 species of different midges, but most often fruit flies settle in an apartment and feel quite comfortable (they are also called wine flies in a different way).

These are small dipterous insects, only 3-5 mm in length (females are slightly larger). Life cycle they pass in 3 stages: egg, larva and adult.

Drosophila breed rapidly: during her short life, each female lays about 400 eggs, and this is a very high speed.

Their eggs are small, only half a millimeter. From the moment they are laid by the female to hatching under normal conditions, only 5-10 days pass.

Adult Drosophila flies are very nimble, it is not always easy to catch them. They feed on the juice of fruits or vegetables, they especially like food waste and rotting fruits, where they lay their eggs.

Reasons for appearing in the house

Drosophila can breed and generally localize in the following places of the apartment:

• in the kitchen, pantry and wherever vegetables and fruits are found, especially those beginning to deteriorate;
• in the bathroom, where wet rags can be stale, there is a leaking sewer or a clogged sink;
• in rooms around houseplants;
• near animal feeders (if you rarely clean them).

And many more places can be chosen by flies, if only it was dirty and wet.

However, the owners of clean apartments, always keeping order, complain about Drosophila to no less extent. Where do these little buggers come from, then, and why do they appear clean? There are also several options here:

• from the sewer;
• from fruits purchased in a store or on the market, on the peel of which the fly has already laid eggs;
• from the trash can;
• from purchased spoiled fruits (if a rotten place was not immediately noticed);
• from contaminated wastewater, etc.

There are enough ways for flies to enter the house, but there are no fewer ways to prevent them from entering the apartment.

Prevention of flies entering the house

There are a lot of ways that prevent the development of Drosophila in a home:

• thoroughly wash the purchased fruits, it is even advisable to pour over with boiling water and dry well (wet fruits and vegetables deteriorate faster);
• dispose of very soft fruits that begin to rot;
• quickly eat quickly perishable fruits, berries and vegetables (peaches, strawberries, etc.);
• do not leave fruits on the table (especially chopped or peeled);
• clean food in the refrigerator;
• take out the garbage in time, and the garbage bucket should have a lid that fits snugly to the rim;
• do not accumulate dirty dishes;
• often check fruits and berries for spoilage and throw away those that begin to rot;
• regularly clean the house.

But if prevention for some reason did not save, there is nothing else left but to start an active fight against Drosophila.

Fighting methods

First you need to understand where the flies came from and find out the reason for this. After that, you can start to survive them from the house. This can be done in several ways, most of which are quite gentle for people, but if they do not help, they should be replaced by chemistry.

How to kill fruit flies:

• collect them with a vacuum cleaner (with a small amount);
• set traps around the apartment;
• deactivate flies with a homemade spray;
• try smoking Drosophila;
• expel due to exposure to unbearable odors for flies;
• apply insecticides.

These are the main methods of controlling flies and are usually enough to kill or drive the pesky insects away.

Traps

You can fight fruit flies and bring them out with the help of self-prepared traps. For this you need to take plastic bottle or an unnecessary jar, put sweets or rotten pieces of fruit on the bottom. After that, tightly wrap the neck of the container with cling film and make holes in it with a toothpick.

The flies will surely flock to the delicacy inside the trap, but they will not be able to get back. Such traps are placed in places where fruit flies accumulate, and after a decent number of flies accumulate inside, they are thrown into the trash.

You can prepare a spray for the destruction of flies from the following ingredients:

• water;
• alcohol;
• glass cleaning fluid.

Pour the resulting liquid into a spray bottle and quickly spray a flock of midges. After that, immediately collect them in a bag, tie it up and throw it away.

Banishment by odors

Drosophila flies do not tolerate the aromas of herbs that are pleasant to humans. To do this, you can use the essential oils of clove, ylang-ylang, lavender, etc. The oils are refilled into the aroma lamp, and the exhaled smell literally expels small annoying insects from home.

If there is no aroma lamp, you can simply moisten a cloth in water mixed with any ether and put it on the battery. Under the influence of heat, the oils begin to evaporate into the air and fill the room with their aromas.

By the way, aroma candles can play the same role.

smoking out

To do this, you first need to grind camphor, then pour it into a hot frying pan. After that, immediately from the hot pan, the camphor heated in it will begin to exude an unbearable smell for Drosophila. You need to go through all the rooms with this "smoker", which will destroy or drive out the midges.

Vacuum cleaner

The included device will really help to immediately catch a lot of midges. But immediately after the event, you need to remove the dust collector from the vacuum cleaner and take it out of the house. This should be followed by wet cleaning with chlorine.

The method is not bad, but it will not help in any way against already laid eggs. For the new generation, you will either have to run around with a vacuum cleaner again, or decide on more constructive ways to kill fruit flies - insecticides.

Insecticides

This method is less secure, but more effective. It is necessary to work with any chemical carefully, but the effect occurs almost immediately. It is only important to first remove all products and not spray the product on the leaves of indoor plants.

Small midges will not withstand exposure to the chemical, and will literally fall to the floor before our eyes, instantly poisoned. However, it is more appropriate to use this method when there are already too many insects, and other methods may or may not work, or it will take a long time.

But no matter how effective the proposed methods of dealing with fruit midges are, the preventive measures described above almost always help to avoid this problem and then there will be no one to destroy.