New kind of gnats - Ask Extension
I have dealt with typical gnats in the house previously. Put some vinegar, sugar, dish soap and water in a couple tuna cans and they will go right in ...
Knowledgebase
New kind of gnats #864413
Asked April 13, 2024, 5:25 PM EDT
I have dealt with typical gnats in the house previously. Put some vinegar, sugar, dish soap and water in a couple tuna cans and they will go right in die. I've done this for years with great success. HOWEVER... I have a new kind of gnat this year that is causing a lot of grief. These gnats are MUCH bigger than normal and they are not attracted to the tuna cans at all.
They are attracted to the windows and patio door glass.
They are in the house and congregate on the windows as if they are trying to get outside.
We have killed hundreds and hundreds. Unlike the small gnats, they are easy to kill with your finger. The problem is that as quick as we kill them, more take their place, in just minutes.
I don't have a clue what to do.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
Cecil County Maryland
Expert Response
Are you able to send some photos of (unsquished) gnats, please? We can't really attempt an ID without images showing their shape and size. Common indoor gnats include fungus gnats, and other types of non-gnat flies can also occur indoors if there is a site for them to breed. Flies of all types tend to require damp organic matter in which to breed, be that in a drain, under a water leak, in over-watered houseplant pots or stored soil, and similar locations.
Miri
Miri
Ok, here's a picture.
I estimate their length to be 2mm.
Thank you for the photo. It's difficult to ID the fly given the low lighting and unclear detail (we realize it's hard to get good images of something so small), but our best guess is a Dark-Eyed Fruit Fly. Any insect trapped indoors will gravitate towards sources of light (windows, lamps) because they associate light with sky and the ability to fly away from the dark area they find themselves in, which is why they will often wind-up on or near windows.
Even if this species of fly isn't an exact match, the same general approach to management applies: check for sources of damp organic material (drain residues, water leaks, clogged roof gutters, a wet compost pile, etc.) since that is the kind of habitat fly larvae breed in. You can also check for window insect screening that needs repair/replacement and door weather-stripping that might have worn-out sections since that can help block future flies from re-infesting the home once the current population dies off.
Miri
Even if this species of fly isn't an exact match, the same general approach to management applies: check for sources of damp organic material (drain residues, water leaks, clogged roof gutters, a wet compost pile, etc.) since that is the kind of habitat fly larvae breed in. You can also check for window insect screening that needs repair/replacement and door weather-stripping that might have worn-out sections since that can help block future flies from re-infesting the home once the current population dies off.
Miri
You're welcome!
