Especially if the mold has found a way to propagate inside your walls or other hard to see spaces. One possible sign of an undetected mold problem in your home or office could be the presence of Phorid flies, sewer flies or some other gnats or bugs.
Fungus gnats (Orfelia and Bradysia species), also called darkwinged fungus gnats (Sciaridae), are dark, delicate-looking flies similar in appearance to mosquitoes. Adult fungus gnats have slender legs with segmented antennae that are longer than their head.
Flies are known to be attracted to mould and, because of these, can often be found flying around damp homes. If your home is attracting flies but you cannot see any obvious signs of mould it might be worth checking the basement for any sign of damp as this could be the root cause.
What Causes a Fruit Fly or Gnat Infestation? Fruit flies and gnats are tiny enough to slip into your house, attracted to the smells of ripening fruit, organic matter in your drains, open garbage cans, and even houseplants. Once there, they can quickly mate and create hundreds of new ones, creating that infestation.
Gnats are tiny flying insects that are often found in swarms and are known for their ability to hover in place. Three of the most common types of gnats present in homes are fungus gnats, fruit flies and drain flies.
Fungus Gnats: If the flies are small, black, and flying around windows or potted plants; then they are probably fungus gnats. These flies are the most common small fly in houses. They are small, delicate black flies that are weak flyers and often collect at windows.
Bowl and Soap Trap
Fill a microwave-safe bowl with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. Microwave the bowl so the mixture becomes even more aromatic. Leave the bowl out uncovered as fruit fly bait. The soap will reduce the surface tension, causing any fruit fly that lands on the surface to drown.
Vinegar and dish soap trap
If you find your fruit flies impervious to your plastic wrap or paper cone traps, try adding three drops of dish soap to a bowl of vinegar and leave it uncovered. The soap cuts the surface tension of the vinegar so the flies will sink and drown.
Mold mites don't have wings, but they do have long hairs that may illicit an allergic reaction to those who are susceptible. Some people may think their skin irritation is caused by mold mite bites since the red bumps may sting or itch.
Mold Itself Attracts Bugs
Booklice, for example, often inhabit moldy books. Fungus gnats and mold mites are two other pests closely associated with mold. Cockroaches, camel crickets , slugs, and millipedes are attracted to mold, too, though not because they feed on it.
Unlike other small flies which are able to live on most organic matter, fungus flies live on the fungus which is growing in moist and fertile soil, drain line sewage, crawl space algae or some other dark, well shaded moist medium around or inside a structure. These flies are about 1/16″ long and usually black in color.
What do fungus gnats look like? Adult fungus gnats are very small; adults only grow to be 1/8th of an inch in length; they have a black or dark gray slender body, long legs, and long antennae. They also have a distinctive y-shaped pattern on their smokey colored wings.
Mold mites are hairy insects that live on mold and use it as their primary source of food. Mold mites have soft bodies with long “hair” that's used as sensory receptors. They do not have wings and typically are white or tan.
Nearly any type of mold may become home to small insects called mold mites, which are near-microscopic and can range in color from white to tan. Mold mites are wingless and so small that they can barely be seen by the naked eye.
Therefore, if you find that you suddenly have a lot of flies in your house, chances are there's decaying matter somewhere. No matter how clean you keep your house, you probably have something rotting somewhere. For example, garbage cans and garbage disposals. These spots are prime breeding sites for flies.
Cayenne pepper is an excellent natural fly repellent and also deters many other insects. Mix one cup of water and one teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a misting bottle and spray it near entryways and wherever you see flies. Other natural fly repellents include lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus, camphor, and cinnamon.
Vinegar (or acetic acid) is the ultimate product of the fermentation process in fruit, which is why fruit flies are attracted to vinegar odor. However, both low and high concentrations of vinegar odor leave flies indifferent (left).
Contrary to their name, fruit flies will infest any rotting material (not just fruit). They'll find any source of moisture or decaying material, including sponges, mops, or even puddles of water. This type of material is where adult fruit flies lay eggs. Kitchen sink drains commonly foster fruit fly infestations.
A fruit fly infestation won't just go away on its own—it'll likely only get worse. Even if the adult fruit flies die, you'll continue to get new fruit flies every day unless you cut off the source. If you do nothing, they'll just breed on unnoticed crumbs, spills, and food particles.
A foul rotting piece of organic matter (from food, to feces, and everything in between) is probably the reason why the house flies are growing at an alarming rate in your home. It is the perfect breeding ground for houseflies and they will show up near and far to take advantage of the filth that is available to them.
Drain flies, also known as sewer flies, filter flies, moth flies or sink flies, look similar to the average house fly as they are very small – about an eighth of an inch – and black/brown. They also have a unique vein pattern in their wings, which are covered in tiny hairs. They leave a powdery smudge when crushed.
These tiny insects are attracted to moist places, so they are often found near sinks, showers, and drains. Female fruit flies lay their eggs in these damp areas, and the larvae feed on organic matter like hair and soap scum. As a result, fruit fly infestations can be hard to get rid of without professional help.