Fruit Flies Fester in Brielle, NJ
Challenge
Recently, I went out on a service call for a new commercial client, a restaurant owner in Brielle, NJ. The owner contacted Cowleys because of a heavy fruit fly infestation near the garbage room in his restaurant. Fruit flies are about 1/8 inch long and have red eyes. The front portion of their body is tan and their rear portion is black. Fruit flies lay their eggs near the surface of fermenting foods or other moist, organic materials. They are especially common during late summer because they are attracted to ripened or fermenting fruits and vegetables.
As I began my inspection, I immediately found fruit flies circling around a box of fruit on a shelf in the kitchen. I also noticed a number of sanitation issues throughout the restaurant, including stagnant water between the tiles in the janitors closet, a build-up of debris and grease inside the garbage cans, and rotten, discarded fruit near the bar area. Additionally, the was a buildup of food debris underneath all the kitchen equipment.
Solution
Before I can apply any type of treatment, all potential breeding areas must be eliminated and sanitized. Unless the breeding sites are removed or cleaned, fruit flies will continue to infest the restaurant no matter how often treatments are applied. I brought up the sanitation issues with the owner and he immediately told the restaurant staff to begin cleaning the affected areas. Once the affected areas were cleaned, I sanitized the drains in the garbage room by applying a liquid application that removes the bad bacteria from the drain. Next, I applied a bio-foam solution which effectively removes the organic build-up, odors, and scum in kitchen drains and other areas where these flies are breeding.
Finally, I treated the main harboring areas of the restaurant with a fly bait application. This application provides baiting properties which will aid in bringing flies into a treated area. The application applies fast and dries clear with no mess, leaves no odor, and is safe to use around commercial and residential properties. Once a fly comes in contact with the application, they are eliminated.
After applying the treatment, I talked to the owner about implementing a few simple sanitation procedures that'll keep these pests out of his restaurant. Prevention is the most cost-effective way to deal with fruit flies or any other pest infestation.
