Community Forums

anewtoi · 07-17-2013, 06:58 PM

I have a dometic side by side fridge and everyday for the last week I've had no less than 10 dead fruit flies on the bottom shelf. I have the vent pictured. Has anyone had a problem with fruit flies? Didn't ever notice them before last week although this is my first summer with the DP. I'm thinking of covering the 3/4 grates with a screen. I assume that the grates are this large for a reason and I'm not sure the screen would provide adequate ventilation. I also assume they are getting in thru the water discharge. Any thoughts?

rgvtexan · 07-17-2013, 09:55 PM

If you think they are coming in the water discharge, why not put the screen on it? Then you won't have to mess with the ventilation.
You could place the discharge tube in a bottle with enough water to cover the end of the tube, or use a long tube and bend to make a trap.

Happy Camping.

SarahW · 07-17-2013, 11:26 PM

Fruit flies are pretty tiny; I doubt if you will find a screen that would keep them out while not blocking air flow. There are little plastic cover things that you can put on the end of the drain hose.

Tony Lee · 07-18-2013, 07:08 AM

Checked all the fruit and vegetables in the fridge??

Barb_0925 · 08-26-2013, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anewtoi

I've had no less than 10 dead fruit flies on the bottom shelf.

I also assume they are getting in thru the water discharge. Any thoughts?

Any resolutions to this? I have these too, except they are larger than a fruit fly. I believe they are common in an RV in wet areas, even grey water drains, etc. We have since spent hours cleaning the black and gray tanks, didn't do it... still had these flies. Found out hubby had been maintaining the tanks just fine, it's the DRAINS. So he made a concoction of calgon, and some other goodies he read about on this site, filled all the lines up, let it sit, and rinsed. No more flies. Or so I thought.

Now, we have accomplished zero flies IN the coach (yea!), but they still somehow in the refrigerator.

My question is how are these little suckers getting into a sealed refrigerator? I wonder if they are maybe hatching in the refrigerator drain line?

Eww.

Let's try to figure this one out. Me no likey!

Barb

offshore · 08-26-2013, 01:37 PM

My DW would have me get a new fridge.

Barb_0925 · 08-26-2013, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by offshore

My DW would have me get a new fridge.

Ha! My motto is clean it, repair it, and make do... too expensive to buy new! Plus, I'm a tough old gal!

I just need to get to the bottom of where they're coming from. Hubby's guess is the drain line.

WesinRockies · 08-26-2013, 04:25 PM

Are you sure their not on the fruit or other things coming into the fridge? Last winter while traveling we got little flies from fruit while in Ca no less, don't know if they was fruit flies but they were small and found them dead in the fridge, now we wash everything that can be before in goes in fridge. We got a deal on some potting soil at Walmart and it was full of them another time.

anewtoi · 08-26-2013, 07:16 PM

Actually just today, while hunting a cooling issue, i discovered a damaged door gasket. Rigged up a piece of window foam type gasket and hoping 2 issues solved in 1 fix. Check all gaskets, even the very bottom one even if you have to get all the way down to the ground to see it. Good luck.

Lmar1 · 08-26-2013, 07:44 PM

We summer in the Whatcom County Washington among the blueberries, raspberries and wild blackberries. Fruit flies are a real problem. We have found it’s best to wash all fruit and berries outside. They will hatch in the refrigerator and in sink drains. Cantaloupe are a big carrier, scrub them with a brush and running water. If you get an infestation trap them. Use a wide mouth jar, ¼ inch cheap wine in the bottom; stretch a coffee filter over the top, held in place with a rubber band. Using a skewer punch about 5 holes in the filter. Over night the little devils will find their way in and drown. It may take a couple of days to get them all.

Barb_0925 · 08-27-2013, 07:11 AM

Reading your posts, maybe the little pests are getting in through a bad gasket on the seal of the refrigerator. Or on the food itself (although the only fresh fruit/veg I store in the refrigerator is bagged salad, bagged baby carrots, etc).

We'll try fixing the things suggested here and let you know how we do. Have a great day everyone!

Barb