TINY gnat/flylike bugs swarming north of Kingman, AZ - Ask Extension
We moved here last July (after 28 years in the CA desert) and yesterday was the first time I recall ever meeting up with these. They showed up in the ...
Knowledgebase
TINY gnat/flylike bugs swarming north of Kingman, AZ #238073
Asked April 19, 2015, 3:05 PM EDT
We moved here last July (after 28 years in the CA desert) and yesterday was the first time I recall ever meeting up with these. They showed up in the afternoon and just LOVE to land on me, and I could swear there is mild biting going on. They are VERY bothersome and were doing their best to cover our exposed arms and clothing. This morning, they are back. I assumed they were gnats until I took this macro photo. A neighbor said they come every spring for 4 to 5 days and disappear. Any ideas what they are? And better yet, is it true they disappear? If not, how to dissuade them from our property.
Mohave County Arizona
Expert Response
I will need to send your photo to the University of Arizona entomology department for ID. Once they identify it I can answer your questions.
Thank you, Tom. :)
I got this update from our taxonomist on campus who is trying to ID the insect from your photo.
"It's hard to tell without seeing the entire wing venation, but at the moment I think it's a species of 'eye gnat' that belongs to the family Chloropidae, possibly Liohippelates or Hippelates. I'm going to look at specimens in the collection to confirm the ID, so not saying anything concrete yet. Of course, it would be ideal to have specimens."
Do you have samples you could send to him?
Also, there is a good publication on eye gnats available from UC Davis the following is a link to that publication:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74164.html
Thank you! Like my neighbor predicted, the swarms did disappear. But, I might be able to get one in my rain gauge in the next few days. I had emptied it of a few bodies yesterday morning before the rain. Is he in the Kingman area?
Send dry samples in a zip lock bag (baggie) or other container (bottle) to:
Gene Hall
Collections Manager
UA Insect Collection (UAIC)
Department of Entomology
1140 E. South Campus Dr.
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721
Indicate that you are working with Tom DeGomez on this ID and that you emailed a photo of the suspected "Eye Gnat" to Tom who emailed to Gene.
Indicate that you are working with Tom DeGomez on this ID and that you emailed a photo of the suspected "Eye Gnat" to Tom who emailed to Gene.
Sending out today with a spider as well. I hope they do spiders. ;)
Tom, it is me again. I couldn't find any more gnats. I even looked in my rain gauge (that collects bugs) and found none. I sent him a spider instead. I apologize. Here are two of the spiders I just mailed out today. I know what *I* think they are. And my exterminator disagrees but has no idea what they 'could' be. So we are asking Gene if he or one of his associates could ID them for us. My exterminator would like to know, too. :)
Hopefully, if I am right, Gene will be able to tell me the actual species as well. THANKS TOM. (sorry for the confusion but I really can't find any more gnats ANYwhere)
Hopefully, if I am right, Gene will be able to tell me the actual species as well. THANKS TOM. (sorry for the confusion but I really can't find any more gnats ANYwhere)
Tom, it is me again. I couldn't find any more gnats. I even looked in my rain gauge (that collects bugs) and found none. I sent him a spider instead. I apologize. Here are two of the spiders I just mailed out today. I know what *I* think they are. And my exterminator disagrees but has no idea what they 'could' be. So we are asking Gene if he or one of his associates could ID them for us. My exterminator would like to know, too. :)
Hopefully, if I am right, Gene will be able to tell me the actual species as well. THANKS TOM. (sorry for the confusion but I really can't find any more gnats ANYwhere)
Hopefully, if I am right, Gene will be able to tell me the actual species as well. THANKS TOM. (sorry for the confusion but I really can't find any more gnats ANYwhere)
I do not ID spiders other that the couple that are poisonous. Maybe Gene will look at them.
Hi Tom! Me again.....just a note to let you know Gene did ID the spiders. They were what I suspected - Loxosceles deserta. They are venomous, and known as Desert Recluse. Just wanted to let you know. Have a great day
