Most likely fruitflies. They are small and like to hang around fruit, vegetables and other organic matter or food stuff. The key to getting control of the problem is to first identify where they might be nesting and remove any of the food they need to reproduce. Once this material has been removed, a good treatment using the products listed in our Fruitfly Control article should keep them under control.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Fruit Fly Control Article with Video:  http://www.fruit-flies-fly.com/fruitflies/fruit-fly-control.html

Compost piles are prime locations for fruitflies. They love the organic matter and when it's both warm and moist enough, they will move in and start living quite comfortably and compost infestations are pretty normal. There are several options for treating the compost and since you want something non toxic for fruitflies, I would say the Diatomaceous Earth or Flying Insect Killer Aerosol would do the job. Both are organic and made with natural ingredients and won't affect the compost in any way so you can still use it. The Diatomaceous Earth should stop the cycle quickly but it won't last long. You may have to apply it once a week. The aerosol will only last a day or two but if you use it daily, you should be able to keep the adults down to a minimum and it won't take much to get quick control. These and other products can be seen at NON TOXIC PEST CONTROL.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Diatomaceous Earth:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/dust/concern-diatomaceous-earth

Flying Insect Killer Aerosol: http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com/aerosols/flying-insect-killer-14-oz

Non Toxic Pest Control:  http://www.non-toxic-pest-control.com

Once in your kitchen, fruitflies will find a ready supply of food and attempt to establish themselves. Fruitflies love garbage disposals, garbage cans and fruit bowls. Washing produce will help to remove fruitfly eggs and pupae but it's hard to get 100% removed. Once they hatch, fruit flies will hover over the sink, garbage or fruit bowls searching for anything sweet to eat and lay eggs. They multiply quickly and will nest in several areas if there is a food supply to feed their larva. Fruitflies are small, about 1/8 of an inch, and have bright red to orange eyes which distinguishes a fruitfly from other species. Fruitfly eggs will hatch in less than two days and young will eat and pupate in under 8 days. Although infestations do not get huge, fruitflies will be persistent and aggravating if left unattended. The following video shows a closeup of two fruitflies where you can see their large red eyes.

Fruitfly Control

The best way to get fruitfly control is to first locate their food supply. If you eliminate what they are feeding and breeding on, fruitfly control will be quicker and more complete. Once you remove any food sources, the following treatment options work well for getting rid of fruit flies.

1) For most people, killing the fruit flies that are flying around with a space spray seems like the best thing to do. Space sprays are products that can be applied to the air and are safe for kitchens and other open areas where fruit flies like to hang around. For these locations, products like PT-565 is a good option. It uses pyrethrin as the active ingredient and is both fast acting with very little having to be applied for quick results. The organic choice equally effective. Known as FLYING INSECT KILLER it too will work quickly and will only require a little bit to be applied where you see activity. Both products can be used daily as needed but be prepared to use them quite a bit since neither will really "solve" the problem.

2) Since space sprays only kill adults, fruit flies will quickly replace the ones you've killed if you don't break their life cycle. One of the more effective products for doing this is the use of growth hormone like GENTROL AEROSOL. Odorless and easy to apply, Gentrol will break the cycle by preventing the eggs from developing into reproducing adults. It's good to use when the exact breeding location is unknown but the population keeps rebounding and you have an idea where it might be centered. Keep in mind the Gentrol is not an adulticide. That means it will not kill the adults you see; it only affects the young. So if you're seeing a lot of adults, you should get both the Gentrol (for long term control) and one of the space sprays mentioned under section 1).

3) Additionally, fruit flies can be caught with traps like the NATURAL CATCH FRUIT FLY TRAPS or FRUIT FLY GLASS TRAPS. Both can help keep down adult populations throughout the warm season without having to rely on the space sprays nearly as much. And since fruit flies tend to be active around food, the traps make it easy to treat these sensitive areas since you can set them right out in the open with no safety concerns or preparation like you must do every time you want to spray.

4) If you have a sink or drain system that is prone to having organic matter like food or grease build up, you'll need to pour some SURVIVORS down the drain a regular basis. It will eat away the organic matter the fruit flies need for reproduction. And spraying some GENTROL AEROSOL down the drain can really help as well.

This video shows how easy it is to treat for fruitflies in the home using some of the products mentioned above.

Fruitflies can be a persistent pest in the home. Though most common in the summer, they can persist throughout the winter if they find a location in the home on which to breed and nest. Treat with the Gentrol for long term control and keep some of the Fruitfly Traps out when adults are active. Use one of the space sprays to knock out persistent adults and you'll be able to keep them under control.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

PT-565 Aerosol:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-565-xlo

Organic Flying Insect Killer:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/organic/aerosol/flying-insect-killer-14-oz

Gentrol Aerosol:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/gentrol-aerosol-16-oz

Natural Catch Fruit Fly Trap:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/fly/natural-catch-fruit-fly-trap

Fruit Fly Glass Traps:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/traps/pheromone-and-food/fruit-fly-glass-trap

Survivors:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/sanitizer/liquid/survivors