Do fruit-flies damage plants/flowers?

Question

I've noticed a few fruit flies around my plants, and I was wondering if they eat the leaves/flowers, and if they generally damage plants.

Answer 1

Actually they don't they only like fruit and vegetables, they like food that's rotten in the refrigerator or in the garbage, they wont hurt your plants or flowers unless there is something rotten in your plants-hope this helps-

Answer 2

they can do some damage ( especially if they lay their eggs / larvae on the leaves of your plants ) I'd recommend a good natural spray of garlic ( juice from crushed clove ) real small quantity -- like half a teaspoon to a litre of water --- and give them a spray in the morning after any likelihood of dew or rain has passed ( although theres not much hope of rain these days ; certainly not in my neck of the woods ) .
it could be also as simple as perhaps a bird having dropped after eating at a fruit tree or similar .i make a home brew of beer which has a fruity flavour ( of sorts ) and i remember tipping the 'dregs' out and went back for another and low and behold I'd never seen such an attraction --- the fruit flies must've been sitting in the trees waiting for me ( and no' !i wasn't out of my tree ) .
so it just shows it doesn't take much to get around . anyhow enough waffling on . good luck with the recommendation .

Answer 3

Not necessarily, it depends on the species. There are many types of Fruit Fly insects that are common to our gardens, but none that I've researched eat anything but the fruit and where part of its life cycle is in the fruit and soil.

Are there any type of fruit trees near by? If so that is where damage may be occurring. They can cause havoc on fruit production.

Note: Many fruit fly species overwinter in the soil, and what you're seeing are the adults just after popping out.