Warm weather can mean more fruit flies in your house. Here's how to get rid of them

If you are finding yourself constantly swatting away pesky fruit flies around your home, you're not alone.

Fruit flies live year-round, but they thrive in New England during the summer because of the warm weather.

Sick of those annoying insects? Here's how to get rid of them.

What are fruit flies?

Fruit flies are a type of flying insect most often found around trash and food.

While there are many types of fruit flies, any species can become a nuisance in your home.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, fruit flies can enter homes as larvae on produce, such as bananas and other fruits.

They can also get into homes through open windows or doors and garbage disposals.

Are fruit flies harmful?

Fruit flies are not harmful; they do not sting or bite.

However, fruit flies can carry bacteria from one place to another, which can potentially be harmful depending on the type of bacteria.

How to get rid of fruit flies

There are a lot of ways to get rid of fruit flies in your home.

Some common homemade solutions include a combination of apple cider vinegar and dish soap in a container. If the container is covered and a few holes poked in the top, fruit flies will be attracted to the smell and get trapped inside.

If you don't have apple cider vinegar, you can replace it by using wine in the container.

If you don't want to DIY-it, you can also buy fruit fly traps on Amazon or a retail store.

How to prevent fruit flies

The easiest ways to help prevent fruit flies from getting into your home is keeping it clean, especially in the kitchen and around the trash.

Getting rid of food waste daily and not keeping produce on countertops will help reduce the likelihood of fruit flies taking over.