Start to attract fruit flies, perhaps

ROT

Think of what happens to overripe bananas left out on the kitchen counter too long.

"Start to attract fruit flies, perhaps" hints at the word "ROT" by playing on two ideas. First, "start to attract" suggests the beginning of something that draws in pests—like the first letters of "attract" (A) or the idea of decay. Second, fruit flies are famously drawn to rotting fruit, so "rot" fits as both the cause and a short, punchy answer. The clue cleverly ties the literal meaning (decay) with the wordplay (starting letters or initial action).