Drain flies are moth-like pests that can appear in any household. But what makes them want to go there? Why do they thrive to find the tiniest holes that allow them to get in your house?
It turns out that their greatest drive is to find wet places that are full of decaying organic matter. They can smell drains, garbage cans and leaking pipes with stale water around them from far away. Once they smell it, they are going to find a way to get in.
They can get in through vents, air conditioners, basement windows or any little hole they can fit into. The reason why moth flies want to get to drains and other wet places so much is because those are ideal breeding places.
While the substance found in drains seems like pure filth for us, drain flies consider it as a main source of their food. It is great for drain worms, just like living and growing under gelatinous slime where bacteria multiply and organic matter decays.
Are Drain Flies Attracted to Fruit?
Drain flies are not attracted to fruit at all. If you run into a fly in your house that constantly lands on fruit, then it is probably a fruit fly. It is important to distinguish the two because each fly species has different habits and prefer different breeding grounds.
Even if it’s rotten fruit, moth flies are not going to go near it. You are going to find them near the drains or other wet places where they reproduce. If the drain in question happens to be in the kitchen, then they might accidentally land on fruit but it is not their main source of nutrition.
What is the Difference Between a Fruit Fly and a Drain Fly? Visit our article about the subject to find it out in detail
Are Drain Flies Attracted to Light?
Sometimes you can’t find the source where adult drain flies come from that easily. This happens in showers where they can establish their breeding ground in the wall. In these cases, you can drill a hole there, which will allow some light to go in.
What makes this method effective is the fact that moth flies are attracted to light. Since they can’t resist it, they are going to fly out of the hole, which gives you the opportunity to kill them.
Are Drain Flies Attracted to Food?
Drain flies are indirectly attracted to food. If we think about what actually gets accumulated in drains, it turns out that food waste often plays a huge role. As food gets washed down the train, some of it will stick to the drain wall.
As time goes on, the combination of water and food waste will cause bacteria to multiply and fungus to form. Thanks to this fermentation and decay, a gelatinous film is going to form in the organic matter. For flies, it is perfect to lay their drain fly eggs under that film.
One way or another, leftover foods get trapped in the drain, which turns into the perfect breeding ground for moth flies over time.
Are Drain Flies Attracted to Vinegar?
Since drain flies are attracted to substances that are in the process of fermentation, they simply can’t resist vinegar. They are immediately going to follow the smell hoping that there is plenty of vinegar to consume. This is why it is easy as pie to create an effective trap that catches moth flies.
All you need to do is fill a cup with apple cider vinegar and also add some dish detergent to it. Just leave it somewhere in the house, preferably close to the drain these pests are coming from. It will take an hour or two until the drain flies get trapped in it.
Thanks to the detergent you add to it, those flies are going to drown in the mixture. Drain fly traps usually include vinegar of some sort, as it can be found in most households and they can’t resist it.
Are Drain Flies Attracted to UV Light?
As we mentioned above, drain flies are attracted to all types of light. Although they are nocturnal, they always go near light sources once they spot them. These include light bulbs, display screens or the daylight that shines through the window.
Pest control experts know that UV lights play a huge role in insect elimination methods. The fact is that moth flies are attracted to UV light just as much as to other light sources. Seeing ultraviolet light urges them to move in that direction.
They simply can’t resist it, which is why you can build highly effective drain fly traps that utilize UV light. As moth flies start to fly towards the light, it provides a great opportunity to trap or kill them. For example, there are the so-called zappers which are excellent devices for killing flies in general.
They emit UV light which lures drain flies closer and closer until they run into the zapper and get electrocuted. A simple solution because you only need to switch it on and wait. In some cases, it is a better idea to trap them because zappers are not very hygienic.
Each time a fly gets electrocuted, some of its particles land around the device. Not to mention all the dead insects laying around. In a kitchen, you really don’t want those particles to contaminate your food. It is better to go for different methods and trap them instead.
How to Get Rid of Drain Flies
We covered 10 house remedies to get rid of drain flies. With them, you can solve your infestation. We also reviewed a 100% bio drain gel, what got many positive reviews so far. You can read the article here: How to Get Rid of Drain Flies