Damn it: one fruit fly can ruin your entire glass of wine
Is there a fruit fly floating in your glass of wine? You can simply fish it out with a teaspoon, and that’s that. Or is it? According to experts, such a tiny nuisance can ruin your entire glass of wine. ‘Fruit flies are the alcoholics among insects,’ says biologist Midas Dekkers.
Annoying fruit flies ruin your wine
Fruit flies, officially drosophila, have a simple life. They all flock to fruit, but they also love coffee grounds, flower water and the green bin, where they meet the love of their life, mate and immediately lay their eggs. The larvae grow on the yeast their mother has given them; after a week, they are adults and can also go looking for l’amour. Nature is wonderful, but it’s annoying when these creatures fly through your kitchen in huge clouds.
Virgin fruit fly
And sometimes one fly is enough, expert Joost den Heuvel tells 1Vandaag. Fruit flies that have not yet mated try to attract a partner with pheromones. These are special scent substances. The problem is that if such a virgin fruit fly ends up in your wine, she releases all those pheromones into the air in one go. And that ruins the aroma of your wine.
Smelling a tiny creature
Not everyone can smell those fruit flies. Some people have such a good nose that they pick up the scent of the flies immediately, even before they have seen the tiny creature floating there. They describe the smell as musty, a little like overripe fruit or old newspapers. And why are they attracted to wine in particular? They smell alcohol, because fruit is fermenting there—and they love rotting fruit. ‘They are the alcoholics among insects,’ says biologist Midas Dekkers. ‘There is no insect that can tolerate alcohol as well as a fruit fly.’
Get rid of them
Want to protect your wine and get rid of those pesky creatures? Get started with these tips. And put the green bin out on time—that makes half the difference.
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Source: 1Vandaag
