Thorough inspections for small flies

Dr. Janis Reed, BCE, Technical Services Manager, Control Solutions Inc.

As with so many other pests, identification is of paramount importance in small fly management.

A newer small fly is becoming a big problem in many commercial accounts – the dark-eyed fruit fly. Often confused with phorid flies, as well as red-eyed fruit flies, dark-eyed fruit flies are one of the most common small flies we encounter indoors. They breed in areas we are familiar with – damp areas such as around floor drains, under broken tiles, floor edges, etc. Additionally, these flies reproduce very quickly – sometimes completing their life cycle in only seven days.

These flies are often more difficult to manage because of their hidden breeding sites and fast reproductive rate. While we all know that eliminating breeding/harborage sites is the key to success – what is more important is being thorough in your inspections and treatments. These flies need very little space and water to survive, and only a few surviving flies can mean the difference between a happy customer and a lost account.