Household item deters fruit flies by making it difficult for them to fly

Small flies or gnats flying around kitchens or dining rooms are likely fruit flies.

While they are more common in the summer and autumn months, they can appear throughout the year and wherever ripened fruit and vegetables are.

Fruit bowls and larders, for example, where fruit and vegetables are kept can be prone to fruit flies.

Melons, tomatoes, grapes, bananas, potatoes and onions can all cause an infestation to develop indoors.

Fruit flies are usually a couple of millimetres in length and have red eyes. The front part of the body is a tan colour and the rear is black.

READ MORE: Kate paid £750 for a farmhouse in Wales but Princess of Wales felt ‘so isolated’

Fruit flies usually lay their eggs near the surface of the fermenting fruit and vegetables or moist organic materials.

When the eggs hatch, the larvae will feed near the surface of the fermenting mass.

The flies can reproduce quickly and are able to lay around 500 eggs at a time.

The entire lifecycle from an egg to an adult can be completed in around a week.

Getting rid of a fruit fly infestation from the home can be particularly difficult, especially without using chemicals.

To help Britons reduce the chances of having pesky fruit flies in the home, Rachael Kiss from Alliance Online has shared how to banish the pests using a fan.

Many people have fans in their homes in the summer months and the slight breeze will not only keep homes cool while irritating flies.

She explained: “Using a fan is a preventative measure to deter fruit flies.

“Fruit flies are weak fliers and dislike strong air currents.

“By placing a fan near where fruit flies congregate, you can create an environment with increased air circulation which makes it more difficult for the fruit flies to fly and land on surfaces.

“In addition to the benefit of a fan cooling down your home during hot weather, the constant movement of the air created by the fan can disorient fruit flies and makes it a challenge for them to navigate and find food sources.”