What's the Best Way to Get Rid of Fruit Flies?

By Paul Hope

July 3, 2023

illustration of jar with fruit flies around it and pieces of fruit next to it (apple, pear, and banana)

If you have a fruit fly infestation, chances are that a banana is to blame. “Fruit fly eggs are commonly introduced into a home by way of bananas,” says Jody Gangloff-Kaufman, senior extension associate at Cornell University’s New York state integrated pest management program. The simplest way to stop them from hatching in the first place? “Wash bananas when you first bring them home.”

But if these tiny pests are already in your kitchen, the best way to get rid of them is to remove their food sources. A fruit fly’s life cycle is 40 to 50 days, but it’ll last only about a week without food. Fruit flies are drawn to the yeasts found in fruit sugars when fruit begins to ferment, Gangloff-Kaufman says, so dispose of rotten fruit immediately. And don’t let ripened fruit linger on your countertops. Instead, refrigerate apples and pears, and even tomatoes once they’re about to turn. Freeze ripe bananas to use later in smoothies or baked goods.

Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the August 2023 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Paul Hope

Paul Hope is a senior multimedia content creator at Consumer Reports and a trained chef. He covers ranges, cooktops, and wall ovens, as well as grills, drills, outdoor power tools, decking, and wood stains. Before joining CR in 2016, he tested kitchen products at Good Housekeeping and covered tools and remodeling for This Old House magazine. You’ll typically find him in his old fixer-upper, engrossed in a DIY project or trying out a new recipe.