Drain flies and fruit flies have a lot of similarities as well as a lot of differences.
Due to many similarities between the two, people do not understand which fly has attacked their house.
Today we will learn about the differences and similarities of drain fly and fruit fly so that you will be able to easily find out which one has infested your home?
Not only this we will also know how you can get rid of the infestation of drain flies and fruit flies.
And what are the measures that keep your home safe from both these types of pests?
So let’s start without delay.
Drain Flies Vs Fruit Flies:
Here we will find out the difference and similarities between the two through 7 important points.
Appearance:
The first thing that fruit flies are recognized for is their eyes. The color of their eyes is red. While the eyes of drain flies are black in color.
The second main difference between the two is that of the wings.
The wings of the fruit fly are translucent, while the wings of the drain fly are covered with long grey hairs which give it a fuzzy look.
The third most important difference is in their body shape.
The body shape of an adult fruit fly is oval in shape, while the body of the drain fly looks like a moth.
These are the three major differences in the appearance of the drain fly and the fruit fly.
If we talk about the similarity, then both adults are as tiny as 1/8 inch in length.
Habitat:
Even here people get very confused. Because the Habitats of both are almost the same.
Fruit flies and drain flies require a moist film of fermenting material. Wherever they get fermenting matter, they start hovering there.
There is the slightest difference in their habitat, if you observe carefully, then you can easily spot that.
Like drain flies, fruit flies also hang around in garbage disposals, kitchen sinks, trash containers, septic tanks, and bathroom drains.
Now the difference is, fruit flies also hover on empty bottles and cans, cleaning rugs, mops, rotten vegetables, and fruits, but you will not find drain flies hovering over these places.
So on the basis of Habitat, this is the very slightest difference that you can easily find out now.
Lifecycle:
The life cycle of both drain flies and fruit flies passes through four stages, egg, larval, pupal, and adult.
While eggs of drain fly take 48 hours to hatch, eggs of fruit fly hatch within 24-30 hours and turn into larvae.
Eggs of drain flies are up to 1 mm in size and are translucent, on the other hand, eggs of fruit flies are smaller in size, about 1/2 mm and look like a yellow piece of rice.
After the eggs hatch, the molting process starts. In which their head, abdominal and other parts of the body are developed.
It takes 8 to 24 days for drain fly larvae to reach the pupal stage, then 25 to 40 hours from pupal to adult, and an adult drain fly lives for 14 to 18 days.
On the other hand, the life cycle of fruit flies is longer than that of drain fly.
Eggs of fruit flies turn into adults within 14 days after hatching and an adult fruit fly can live for 6 to 7 weeks.
Thriving Season:
This is where most people get confused. Because both the flies are most active in high temperatures.
Drain flies do not like dry weather conditions so in winters they hide in the drains or die. And sometimes they eat each other to survive.
If you see these flying flies in your kitchen in winters, then most of the chances are that they will not be drain flies but fruit flies.
If the difference is to be fully understood, then the better question would be at what time of the day they are active?
The drain flies are mostly seen hovering during the evening while the fruit flies are seen during the daytime.
What Do They Eat?
The larvae of the drain fly feed on the bacteria collected in the slime. But adult drain flies feed on flower nectar and polluted water. That’s why you will see them the most where the water stagnates.
As I said that drain flies also eat flower nectar, so many times people get confused they think that these are fruit flies.
You will never see fruit flies eating flower nectar, but they prefer rotten fruits and vegetables that contain yeast.
We have recognized the difference between drain fly and fruit fly, now it is time to know how to get rid of them and what are the best methods that help us to treat their infestation quickly.
How to Get Rid of Drain Flies?
As I mentioned, drain flies are mostly found around kitchen sinks, garbage disposals, septic tanks, and bathroom drains. If they are not treated in time, then there is a possibility of increasing the infestation.
1. Clean The Sink And Drain Pipe:
This is the easiest and most effective way to get rid of drain flies. All you have to do is boil 2 liters of water in a pot and add 3 tablespoons of dishwashing detergent. Allow the water to cool slightly for 3 to 4 minutes so that it does not damage the plastic drain pipes.
Now pour this water slowly into the drain hole. Once the hot water has completely gone down the drain, turn the faucet on to the highest heat.
Repeating this process 2 to 3 times will not only get rid of drain flies but will also clear out the most complex drain clogs.
2. Use of Natural Drain Cleaner:
There are three types of drain cleaners mainly available in the market namely foaming, traditional, and enzyme cleaners. Enzyme cleaners do not contain any chemicals and are also environmentally friendly.
Enzyme drain cleaners work very effectively with warm water and are very easy to use.
To use it, you have to pour it into the drain in the amount specified on the label. And it has to be left to sit for a while, then you flush it with warm water.
It clears clogs without damaging your drain pipes and drain flies disappear once the clogs are cleared.
Both of these methods work best on drain flies. Now let us tell you how you can get rid of fruit flies.
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How To Get Rid of Fruit Flies?
If you are seeing fruit flies around kitchen sinks or drains, then you can get rid of them by using the same two methods mentioned above.
But if you see them other than drains and sinks in your home, such as around mops, on the kitchen counter, around cleaning rugs, or around vegetables and fruits, you can use the methods listed below.
1. Dispose Rotten Fruits & Vegetables:
Whenever you see these tiny flies in your kitchen, first of all, check the vegetables and fruits that they are not rotten. If you feel even a little bit that they are rotting or they smell, then you should immediately dispose of them.
2. Dry The Mops After Use:
many times you can also see fruit flies on mops. This happens when mops are not dried after use and they love wet dirty mops. After use, you should dry the mops thoroughly in the sun and you can also get new mops if needed.
3. Throw Away Empty Bottles And Cans:
Many times we leave juice bottles or cold drink cans in our house without disposing of them. And these empty bottles and cans attract fruit flies.
4. The Use Of Trap:
The trap method works when a large number of fruit flies gather in one place. If it is everywhere in the house then this method is of no use.
In this method, first, you have to fill half of apple cider vinegar in a bowl. And cover the bowl with plastic and seal it with the help of a rubber band. And poke 5 to 7 holes on the plastic surface at an appropriate distance.
Since fruit flies have an exceptional sense of smell, they rush to investigate apple cider vinegar. Once they go inside the bowl, they can’t come out.
5. Clean Trash Containers Daily:
Daily cleaning of trash containers is very important if you do not clean them then they act as a 7-star hotel for fruit flies.
If you follow these five methods, you can not only keep your home safe from fruit flies but also prevent them from coming back.
In the context of drain flies vs fruit flies, we will now know some important questions that most people ask.
Are Drain Flies and Fruit Flies Harmful to Humans?
As it has been found in many pieces of research that fruit flies do not harm or bite humans, but if they sit on the skin, then problems like skin rash or skin irritation can occur.
On the other hand, drain flies also do not directly affect human health. But since they sit in sewer-filled drains, many bacteria stick to their body and when they sit on any food item, they can spread the infection.
Do Drain Flies and Fruit Flies Go Away on Their Own?
As far as drain flies are concerned, they go away on their own after 24 to 30 days if the infestation is mild but if the infestation is high enough, they will not go away until you completely destroy the source of the infestation.
Fruit flies, on the other hand, do not go away easily whether the infection is mild or severe. To treat them effectively, you have to completely destroy their food or breeding source.
Do Drain Flies and Fruit Flies Eath Their Colony Members?
It is a very fascinating fact that when the drain flies do not get enough moisture and food during the winter, they start dying, so they start eating each other in order to survive.
On the other hand, since fruit flies can easily survive in winter, they do not eat each other. Although fruit flies are less active in winters, they still do not eat each other.
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Conclusion:
Soon we came to the conclusion and I hope you liked this concept of Drain Flies vs Fruit Flies and now you will be able to easily know the difference between the two.
If I tell their difference, in brief, they are quite different from each other in appearance, they are very similar in the case of Habitat. In the same way as the lifecycle of drain flies is up to 24 days, fruit flies can live for 6 to 7 weeks.
If you have any doubts then you can ask us by commenting. We would be very happy to answer your questions.
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