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If you know what to look for, it's easy to distinguish between bugs. Fungus gnats look black and feature long legs while fruit flies are typically brown and rounder in shape. Drain flies have a fuzzier appearance and larger wings, and as the name suggests, they hang out around sink drains.
Candle Flame Trap
Natural methods are the best first line of defense, so try these before turning to chemical solutions. The quickest way to get rid of gnats is to use a bug zapper or collection device that attracts the bugs, kills them and collects them in a removable canister. There's really no solution more trustworthy—or oddly satisfying—than fly paper, which simply catches flying bugs on its sticky surface. You can either hang "ribbon fly paper" from areas in your home that get a lot of gnat traffic or try window fly paper, which will cover an entire window in an adhesive sheet. Pour boiling water down the drain to kill the eggs before they hatch.
What are the signs of a gnat infestation?
Amanda Rose Newton is a pest specialist and horticulture expert, reviewing pest control and gardening content for The Spruce's Cleaning and Gardening Review Board. Her passion for pest control and sustainable gardening allows her to review plant and pest content for best practices and accuracy. She is a board-certified entomologist and volunteers for USAIDs Farmer to Farmer program. She is a professor of Horticulture, an Education Specialist, and a pest specialist. If you’re dealing with other pest problems, be sure to check out how to get rid of stink bugs, how to get rid of mice safely, how to get rid of roaches or how to get rid of ants in your home.
Hot Shot Buy a chemical spray.
Dirty kitchen sink drains can provide food, water, shelter and breeding sites to many fly species. More extreme measures for severe infestations or ongoing problems include moving indoor composting bins outside and calling in a pest management company near you. A professional can help pinpoint areas you might have missed that attract fungus gnats and even spray affected areas in your home to kill adult populations.
However, it may be time to turn to chemical options if you try a few natural solutions and still have a gnat problem. If your plant soil is infested with gnat larvae and you’re having trouble getting rid of them, repot your plants. Other signs of a gnat infestation are your plants wilting, losing leaves, and turning yellow. Gnat infestations can weaken your plants and make them more susceptible to other pests and diseases. Gnats are one of the few pests that can also be treated quickly by using home remedies.
Insect Control
“Because of a lack of rapid control methods for this pest, many pest control companies do not service them. Moisture [and] fungus remediation is critical to long-term control,” said Sansig. If gnats have been buzzing around your sinks and drains, scrub away grimy deposits in the pipes where they lay their eggs. Traps can cut down the number of adult flies and help you monitor the infestation's severity. Cutting off gnats' food supply is crucial, so store food in sealed containers, wipe up spills, and keep your trash bins covered and clean. With a little diligence, you can turn your home into a fly-free zone.
Buy a Natural Trap
These annoying insects are attracted to sweet smells, body heat, sweat, and other forms of moisture. Additionally, they can eat and lay eggs in nearly any kind of decaying organic matter, so they can be hard to get rid of. Mix a solution of half a cup of warm water, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of sugar, and about six drops of liquid dish soap into a small bowl. Once gnats go in for a drink, the sticky dish soap will trap them. Simply place the bowl in the areas where you've noticed a swarm of gnats. You may have noticed that there are a lot of gnats around your indoor plants.
Mix a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and a sprinkle of sugar. The gnats will be attracted to the sugar and vinegar and will get trapped by the dish soap and drown, Schutter says. One of the most effective methods for controlling and getting rid of gnats is by using a bug zapper. These devices attract gnats and electrocute them, causing them to die and collect in the bottom of the device.
How to Get Rid of Gnats, Indoors and Out
To make a do-it-yourself sticky trap, spread a viscous or sticky substance, such as petroleum jelly, motor oil or honey, over the surface of a yellow index card. Place the card inside your houseplant pots, laying it flat on the surface of the soil. The best way to avoid a gnat infestation is to make sure there are no areas in your home that provide their preferred feeding and breeding conditions. Although it works better with larger bugs (such as mosquitoes), a bug zapper is always a good option. Nowadays, there are plenty of brands and designs that are safe to use indoors, such as the KATCHY device pictured here.
Gnats? Fruit flies? Here's why you have 'em (and how to get them out of your house) - The Citizen
Gnats? Fruit flies? Here's why you have 'em (and how to get them out of your house).
Posted: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
If you’ve heard that how to get rid of gnats with white vinegar? Make a spray with equal parts white vinegar and water, and add a couple of drops of dish soap. Gnats are attracted to salt and moisture, but more specifically to produce, fresh flowers, houseplants, spilled food, and overflowing garbage cans. You may have unknowingly brought home a plant from a garden center that was infested with gnats—or brought freshly picked produce infested with gnats indoors. Whether they’re hovering by the hundreds around your fruit bowl, clouding your vegetable garden, or swarming your face—attracted to moisture and salt—gnats are unwelcome visitors. Fortunately, there are numerous remedies available to rid your home and yard of gnats.
If you have a drain fly issue, address it quickly before it becomes unmanageable or hazardous. Invest in an insecticidal spray that's safe for indoor use, like the Zevo Fly, Gnat & Fruit Fly Flying Insect Spray (which also happens to be a GH Seal holder). It uses geraniol and lemongrass oil, which are bio-insecticides that don't need to be registered with the EPA, to kill gnats on contact.
Found throughout North America, fungus gnats, part of the Mycetophila genus, are typically the culprits for indoor gnat issues. Fungus gnats generally are between 1/8 and 1/4 inch long (4 to 7 mm) and can be brown, black, or yellowish. Try these expert tips to get rid of gnats and fruit flies quickly. If the gnats don’t appear to be attracted to fruit or vinegar, you can also make a trap out of a candle.
They'll get rid of those annoying bugs and protect your plant pet, too. “How to get rid of gnats” is an age-old conundrum that seemingly everyone has to deal with at some point or another. Put a bowl of vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar is fine) with a drop of natural dish soap on a table, away from any food. Gnats are attracted to the smell of vinegar, so that will draw them into the soapy mixture.
This will help determine if you have any fungus gnat activity in the soil. For fruit flies, the easiest DIY option is a vinegar trap, which is simple and cost-effective to create. Simply place a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and a tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and stir. Most gnats don’t bite, sting, or spread disease, but they’re still a nuisance, particularly indoors.
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