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Repairing these spots could reduce or completely eliminate your gnat problem, as they will lose their food source. Drawn in by moisture, fruit bowls, garden flowers, or garbage cans, gnats are on of the most frustrating pests to have in your home. If you're wondering how to get rid of gnats quickly, look no further. We've rounded up 10 easy methods for removal — from simple home remedies, like a trap made from apple cider vinegar, to top-tested products that have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal. With interior gnat and fly issues, the issue will likely go away once the feeding or breeding ground is found and removed. If you are having trouble finding where the gnats or flies are coming from, call a professional integrated pest management specialist to help you deal with the problem.
How to Make a Fly Trap with Vinegar
After the eggs hatch into larvae, they feed, become pupae, then grow into full-grown adults. You may only notice their presence when they start flying around. Fruit flies are brown bugs mostly found around rotting or overripe fruits and vegetables. You will most probably find them flying around your fruit bowl, the trash bin, and open alcohol bottles. They thrive in the summer, but sometimes, you may also see them during the cold months in your house.
How to Prevent Gnats in Your Home
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That's because as the larvae develop, they can feed on and damage your plants' roots. "To get rid of gnats, we need to prevent the larvae from maturing into adult gnats," she says. Inside your house, use sterile potting soil to avoid unwanted problems and pests such as the Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix. This mix is designed to be less prone to gnats and contains no compost or bark, which can attract fungus gnats. In their larval stage, they mostly eat fungi and organic matter found in soil. This is why potted house plants are one of the gnat’s favorite places to breed.
Apple Cider Vinegar Trap
There are also other devices that use fans to trap bugs and then dehydrate them, and they work without electrocution. While wet areas and areas of standing water may attract them, there isn’t always something specific that is causing gnats to infest your area. They often fly around the heads of people and animals, feeding off of mucus released from eyes, ears, and other areas. Depending on the species, gnats may stay in their pupal stage for a few days or a few weeks. When the pupal stage is complete, they come out as a full adult gnat.
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Midges and Mosquitoes
This usually comes by way of decaying organic material, such as trash or soil. Once gnats infest a home, it’s unlikely that they’ll go away on their own. Their food source needs to be removed and larvae need to be killed to effectively get rid of gnats. Fungus gnats can also spread pythium, which is a plant pathogen that causes damping off, a condition that can rot the roots of seedlings, making them die.
Tiny Bugs in Your House—And How to Get Rid of Them
Then, slowly pour the diluted mixture down the drain to kill any gnats and potential larvae. Alternatively, you can use a commercial drain cleaner to produce the same results. This is a good way to remind your household to eat fruit before it starts to spoil. Whether they're in your home or outside, gnats are problematic. You probably have most of the ingredients that can be used to bait and trap them, such as vinegar, wine, and rotting fruit. However, since rotting fruit can also attract gnats, ensure that you're thoroughly cleaning your kitchen and garbage disposal.
There are many species of gnats, each with its own habitat, life cycle, and diet. For this old-school trick, place a long tapered candle in a candlestick holder, then put the holder into a pan that's partially filled with water. Turn off all the lights and wait for the gnats to fly toward the flame. If they don't hit the flame directly, they'll fall into the water. A trained professional can come to the rescue if a few flying gnats turn into a full-blown infestation. Pros can assess your individual situation and provide necessary assistance for removal.
Unfortunately, their larvae sometimes eat the roots of the plant. This may damage your houseplant, and when they emerge as adults, they will become even more of a nuisance. Overwatering indoor plants can lead to mold growth in the soil that attracts fungus gnats. Allow the soil to dry completely before rewatering, and use pots with holes in the bottom and water trays to catch excess water rather than let it sit in the soil. The most effective way to get rid of gnats is to eliminate their food sources and the conditions in which they thrive, rather than use an insecticide. “Because of a lack of rapid control methods for this pest, many pest control companies do not service them.
Candle Scents That Keep Ants Away (And How To Use Them)
To avoid gnat bites, apply a DEET-based insect repellent before going outside. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when going hiking, especially near streams and rivers. Gnats can't bite through clothing, so you can only get bitten on exposed skin. If you get bitten by a gnat, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
Similar to fruit flies, gnats are tiny flying insects that include fungus gnats, fruit flies, and drain flies. Usually, fungus gnats are dark with long legs around 2.5 mm in size; fruit flies tend to be brown, while drain flies have moth-like wings and are usually found anywhere near water. Speaking of plants, gnats are generally attracted to houseplants, as well as moisture, sweet-smelling fruit, and garbage. So while indoor plants are a great way to liven up your space, they can also be the reason why you’re spotting gnats. They feed on soil fungi that result from overwatering plants, according to Fredricks.
If you’ve tried these solutions with no luck, you’ll need to call in a professional pest control company to help address your gnat infestation. If you've noticed a swarm of gnats lingering around your sink drains, you may have drain flies. Carefully dilute one-half cup of bleach with about one gallon of water and pour it down the affected drain. Ensure you air out the space, and have sufficient ventilation.
You will notice them flying around your house plants because they are likely using their soil for egg-laying habitat. To clean the inside of your trash can, use a mixture of hot water and dish soap with a strong scrubber, such as the Non-Scratch, Super Long-Lasting Scrubbing Pad. These are multi-purpose and come with a “No-Nonsense Lifetime Satisfaction Guarantee”.
The vinegar is what will ultimately kill them, but you also need a way to keep them in the bowl long enough for that to happen. Either cover the bowl with plastic wrap and poke small holes on the top, or add a bit of dish soap to the vinegar and sugar concoction. If you try these methods and can’t fully eradicate your gnat problem, you may need to call a top professional pest control company to help, such as Terminix or Orkin.
While gnats are not considered dangerous, their presence can be a nuisance in the household. Planting basil, lavender or mint around outdoor seating areas can help repel gnats. Bug zappers designed to attract and kill gnats, as well as pyrethrin-based sprays, are effective. These tiny flying insects are a nuisance, hovering around faces and swarming in large numbers. USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day.
Using cinnamon in soil is also said to get rid of gnats in the house. The best way to get rid of gnats is to prevent them from coming into your house in the first place, says Gabriella Dyson, Head of Solved at Homes & Gardens. Along with vinegar, fruit flies like the smell of fruity beer and wine. Leave out an almost-empty open bottle of stale beer or old wine — the skinny neck will keep the flies trapped.
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