RGP-2017 Repels Drain Flies Naturally with Citronella

Have you been served a cocktail at a bar or restaurant and noticed tiny bugs in your drink? A product that repels drain flies naturally, may be the answer.

Drain flies are small—measuring an eighth of an inch, which is about the size of a fruit fly or a gnat.

Drain flies are gray or brown in color with light-colored wings, and can leave behind a powdery substance.

The larvae live in aquatic to semi-terrestrial or sludge-based habitats, including kitchen and bathroom sinks, where they feed on bacteria and can become problematic. The larvae of the most commonly encountered species are nearly transparent with a non-retractable black head and can sometimes be seen moving along the moist edges of crevices in shower stalls or bathtubs or submerged in toilet water. 

In some species, the larvae can secure themselves to surfaces of their environment using "attachment disks" on their ventral side. Like mosquito larvae, they cannot absorb oxygen through water, and instead breathe via a small dark tube (a spiracle) on their posterior end — they must regularly reach the surface to obtain oxygen.

Typical diet is bacteria and yeast. Yeast is formed from alcohol, sugars, juices, sodas, rotten food & urine. So you can see why drains are their preferred habitat. Additionally, they breed in grease and yeast producing areas.  

The larval stage lasts for between 9 and 15 days, depending on species, temperature, and environment. There are four instar stages.In small numbers, the larvae are sometimes considered beneficial, as their strong jaws can cut through the hair and sludge waste in drains which might otherwise form clogs. However, unless this sludge layer is removed entirely, the adult flies will continue to find it and lay more eggs.

While the biting midges also have larvae that have no prolegs and which also have attachment disks, the larvae of the netwinged midges can be distinguished from those of the moth fly by the multiple deep lateral constrictions of the latter.

The pupal stage lasts between 20 and 40 hours. During this stage, the insect does not feed, but stays submerged near the water surface, still breathing through a spiracle, and soon metamorphoses into an adult fly, which bursts through a seam in the pupal casing and emerges onto the water's surface.

The adults are half as long as the larvae, but are much broader in appearance, with a pair of hairy wings held pitched-roof-like over the body. The wings have the most elementary venation of any of the Diptera, having little more than a series of parallel veins without cross veins.

 

The adults are typically nocturnal, though they orient themselves around lights and may appear to be attracted to light and odors. They are erratic fliers, and are often seen walking or running rapidly as well as taking flight. They are most active at night, but may also be seen during daylight, or near windows, lights, or illuminated display panels.

The product that repels drain flies naturally is our RGP-2017. Please read the technical data and call us with any questions: 866-938-7657