Summary: If you have ever had pesky little gnats flying around your home you may have wondered where they come from and how you can get rid of them. We have compiled some information that will help you out the next time you suffer a gnat infestation.
Ever wonder what those pesky little flies are that buzz around your head? While you're busy swatting at them, you're probably asking where they came from and how to get rid of them. These irritating bugs can be classified as gnats. Gnats can be found in all sorts of places, the particular species depends upon location and source.
Fungus gnats are usually found near plants in or around your home. Plants are the best places for this species to reproduce exponentially because its eggs are laid in moist soil. Fungus gnats feed on fungi, but it also feeds on the roots of wheat plants and the tubers of potatoes.
The gall gnat actually lays its eggs in plants, as opposed to just the soil. When this occurs, large bumps form in the plant. These bumps, known as galls, often

Swarming gnats
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signal serious health problems with the plant.
Non-biting midges can be found in any source of freshwater or in damp soil. This gnat spicies loves moisture because it feeds off of most types of vegetation that grow in water, such as algae. As irritating as these midges might be, the good news is that they cannot bite you. If they are in or near your home they may be a nuisance, but at least you'll be bite-free.
Biting midges have a different habitat than non-biting ones. They are usually found in mud, sand, or near decomposing plants. Female biting midges look for blood meals, but will also eat nectar. Kind of makes you want to rethink eating peaches.
Tips to Get Rid of Gnats:
• Instead of using peat moss in your plant soil, try using vermiculite. Fungus gnats are highly attracted to peat moss because of the large amount of organic matter it contains.
• Check the dampness of the soil in your plants daily. If you have noticed fungus gnats buzzing around them, they have probably already laid eggs in the soil. The good news, though, is the gnat larvae cannot survive in dry soil. So, allow the soil to dry thoroughly before watering again. Make sure not to wait too long, though, or you may accidentally kill your plants.
• If your gnat infestation is out of control you may want consider using insecticide on your soil. However, do so with great caution, as many plants

Gnat relief
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could get damaged by insecticides. Read the label to be sure you can use it on or around plants.
• If you do use an insecticide, make sure to apply the product to the soil once a week for about a month. This will ensure that if any gnats are not killed by the treatment, their young will most likely not survive. Talk about sticking it to the gnat.
• Try making a gnat trap. Take an empty milk carton and paint it bright yellow. After it dries, apply some sort of adhesive to the carton (like clear glue). Hang the trap near your plants or wherever the gnats seem to be congregating. Because gnats are not the brightest creatures on this plant, they will most likely be attracted to the bright object and get stuck on the carton. Granted, you will only dent their population, but if it makes you feel pro-active, go for it.
• Although this may seem like an obvious tip, make sure to keep your house clean to avoid gnat infestations. This includes taking your garbage out, washing dirty dishes, and storing food in pantries or cupboards on a regular basis. Think of a clean house as a gigantic bug zapper that will keep out a multitude of creatures.
• Some species of gnats may be attracted to vinegar, so setting up vinegar traps may help eliminate the bugs. Set out a jar of vinegar and poke tiny holes in the lid with a needle or other sharp object. Try to make the holes as small as possible so that the gnats cannot escape. You may want to put peanut butter or some other sticky ingredient on the inside of the lid. After configuring your trap, gnats will fly into the jar and will not be able to get out. They will either get stuck in the peanut butter, or will be unable to escape from the tiny holes. Say hasta la vista to the gnats for good.
Comments
Tony Simon
01 Oct 2009, 20:40
The Gnats that seems to be in my home is brown in color. I have hundreds
that are dead on my living room window sill, In the kitchen and bathroom.
I have no plants and wonder what to do to rid them
7lady
12 Oct 2009, 03:54
the home I work in is infested with black gnats. the family keeps a dirty
home, and I believe there is maybe 2 plants in the kitchen. I've never seen
anything like this, there is up to at 500 at a time in this home. This
filth doesn't seem to bother them. My question is what can I do to help and
do gnats carry disease?
Keri
16 Oct 2009, 14:50
I recently moved into my home and I see these gnats in my kitchen and
bathroom sometimes I have seen them in my childrens room. I keep a well
maintained home I have striped down everything and cleaned with pure bleach
and this has not worked. Please tell me how to get rid of them. My children
are starting to think that someone has died in the home before we moved in.
Please Help!!!!
Ask the Exterminator
16 Oct 2009, 15:31
Do not post questions in this box. Post questions as requested by the
notice in bold, red lettering.
alan watson
19 Nov 2009, 16:59
like to know whats going on around me
patrick giles
22 Dec 2009, 05:44
For over a week now I have been completely consumed with small, flying and
bitting insects. They are so small they're almost impossible to see, but I
can hear them flying and definately feel their bites. I Live in an
apartment in Dallas and nothing seems to deter these things. It is
relatively cold outside yet they are not dying. I bombed the entire
apartment yesterday, and I had some minor releif. They are back today and
seem to be even more aggressive. I realize that everytime we open the
doors to go outside they come in, so it seems we need something to deter
them. They also appear to come out at night and go away in the morning.
Please help, I am being bitten even as I type this email.
Patrick
dat man
02 Jan 2010, 04:22
I always thought gnats came from out of nowhere because in the bible it
says tey are made from dirt
kirsty ellithorn
15 Jan 2010, 07:02
I have small black flies in my flat, thing they are midges, i noticed them
on my window sills at first, but now its got to the point were i am
spraying at least ten a day that are flying round,ive found dead ones in my
freshly washed pots and sink, i cant eat at home because i seem to attract
more when im cooking and am worried about them landing on my food, please
help its got to a point were i dread coming home, im on edge all the time,
ive lived here for just over a year but say the problem has been bad for
the last four months, were are they coming from and how can i get rid of
them?????
kris
30 Jan 2010, 17:09
we hav these orange-brown flying bugs no bigger than a pin head that are
multiplying faster than i can get rid of them , i have tried bug killer ,
bleach , amonia , and vacuuming them but they are back in hours in greater
numbers , they are mostly in the kitchen and bathroom , WHAT ARE THYE AN
HOW DO I GET RID OF THEM! HELP!!
Miranda Weller
27 Feb 2010, 17:51
I don't have plants in my house,All the trash goes outside, but there are
three rooms in my house that they seem to always be in. I wend and got a
hand held bug zapper and they keep coming back. And weirdly there is one
window at the top of the stairs that year round flies and gnats sawrm to. I
don't know what to do about them? I can't figure where they are coming
from. They are black and brown, I am guessing the youngerones are brown and
they do not bite. AHHHH. Help
judith
26 May 2010, 14:49
i have plants in my office and starting to have bugs flying around. what
should I do. thanks.
Ask the Exterminator
26 May 2010, 14:52
If the bugs are, in fact, coming from the plant, you may be over-watering.
Allow the soil to dry out and the flies will be gone.
JL Hemond
18 Jul 2010, 00:19
I emptied 10 bottles of insecticidle soap, saucers of wine all over. So I
tossed everything out, cleaned, new soil, gravel, etc. I even covered the
top of the plant with sand! Are they really coming out of the soil just
because it is moist. My plants are close to lights and they are watered
every 3-4 days.
I
Ask the Exterminator
18 Jul 2010, 10:41
If you are still not sure the gnats are coming from the planter I suggest
putting strips of wide packing scotch tape across the planter. Then,
inspect the tape the next day. See if any gnats have become stuck to the
tape and that will tell you for sure if they are in the soil.
Mary
05 Aug 2010, 00:00
I accidentally found a way to catch over a hundred of these little gnats in
just one night. My son left out a glass of Sunny Delight and when I found
it the next day it had so many gnats in it I threw away glass and all. Try
it.
Justin
24 Aug 2010, 11:34
My wife poured a glass of lambrini and fell asleap without drinking it...
in the morning it was full of gnats, same as mary (above) they also seem to
like my cider but not so muchI guess that proves the vinegar trap works a
treat since all vinegar is is spoiled alchohol
RAIN
02 Sep 2010, 20:53
I SEE GNATS IN MY SON'S ROOM AT NIGHT. ISPRAYED THE WALLS WITH AMONIA BUT I
STILL SEE THEM AT NIGHT. WHERE DO THEY GO DURING THE DAY AND HOW DO I GET
RID OF THEM?