Gnats are annoying little critters. They can get in your face, nip at your skin, and annoy livestock. They can also damage your household plants. There are many species of gnats, and though they all look similar, they may have very different habits.
Inside the home, gnats can be attracted to unsealed produce, fresh flowers, houseplants, food spillage, and open or overflowing garbage cans. Gnats may also live in sink drains where food residue can collect. Dirty kitchen sink drains can provide food, water, shelter and breeding sites to many fly species.
Pour a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a bowl or jar, then stir in a few drops of dish soap. The bugs will be attracted to the sweet smell, and the sticky soap will prevent them from being able to fly away. Some people also like to mix in a little sugar, as well, to really amp up the sweetness.
What does it signify spiritually when you constantly encounter gnats? Gnats are a spiritual sign of gossip. The spirit warned you in your dreams with the faces of who sent them. Flies and gnats that come in single form can be a sign of negative use of witchcraft. They can be energy harboring or spiritual spies.
Your plants are another trigger for gnats, so maintain their care and try not to overwater them. You can also check your doors and windows for holes or cracks and seal them up immediately. If you have a lot of gnats in your area, look into switching your screens out to the mesh ones for smaller flying insects.
The only way to get rid of gnats without killing them is to repel them with scents they don't like: vinegar, vanilla, pine oil, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender. Even dryer sheets could help. Of course, the first line of duty would be to get rid of the infestation's root cause.
In general, gnats go through the four life stages of egg, larva, pupa and adult, similar to other flies. The fungus gnats lay their eggs in moist organic debris or soil, which hatch into larvae. The larvae feed on organic matter such as leaf mold, mulch, compost, grass clippings, root hairs and fungi.
Gnats often enter your home from outdoors through open doors and windows or small cracks and gaps. They can also originate from breeding sites like potted plants, trash cans, and clogged drains.
They also gravitate towards decaying organic material, such as rotting vegetation or fruit, food spillage, and open or overflowing garbage cans. Lastly, gnats are also attracted to you - your perspiration, body heat, mucus from your nose, tears from your eyes, and the carbon dioxide you breathe—and your pets.
While they don't cause any human health problems, they can be annoying. If the population of fungus gnats becomes large enough, they can affect potted plants by spreading fungal diseases and damaging the roots and stems.
Females lay tiny eggs in moist organic debris or potting soil. Larvae have a shiny black head and an elongated, whitish-to-clear, legless body. They eat organic mulch, leaf mold, grass clippings, compost, root hairs, and fungi.
Usually getting rid of the sources of moisture will solve the issue of gnats in a bedroom. For gnats, specifically, this includes checking drains and under the sink, and other areas that might collect water mixed with other organic matter, including plants.
Many gnat species, including fungus and eye gnats, don't bite humans. Instead, they feed on plant materials, fungi, or other small insects.
Gnats are seasonal; they are a springtime pest. Once we get consistent summer weather, they will go away. Their life cycle is short - usually mid-May to late June is when we see gnats.
Homemade gnat repellent spray: A mixture of dish soap, water, baking soda, and vinegar can be filled into a spray bottle. The mixture should contain a few drops of dish soap, a tablespoon of vinegar, and baking soda per cup of water. A few sprays of this mixture is an effective gnat repellent.
Gnats are primarily attracted to sweet and fruity scents, but many species of gnats are also drawn to water and body heat. Perspiration and even the moisture of your eyes and nose can draw in gnats. Fruits, vegetables and flowers growing in your garden or food residue in your sink can attract these pests.
Breath, Sweat & Tears
A gnat is always searching for moisture and salt, which are found in sweat and tears. Unfortunately, the pests are vectors for pink eye. They are also drawn to the smell of bad breath and to the carbon dioxide people expel when exhaling.
Gnats breed in damp areas, so check for places where water may be collecting, such as around leaky pipes or overwatered outdoor plants. Overwatered houseplants are a common attractant for gnats, so allowing the soil to dry out between watering can help.
Fruit traps - Some homeowners use a jar of rotting fruit covered with perforated plastic wrap to lure and then trap gnats. Red Wine Traps Vinegar - Similar to a fruit trap, this option uses the gnats' attraction to these pungent liquids to trap them inside a jar.
If you don't have vinegar at home, bleach will kill drain gnats, but it's a potent environmental pollutant, so you're better off running to the store for vinegar, which is actually more effective for cleaning your drain pipes.
A diluted solution of Hydrogen Peroxide and water poured directly onto the soil will kill fungus gnat larvae on contact and help stop the gnats' life cycle.
These tiny bugs serve as an important food source for many animals, including birds, bats and large insects, the Washington Post(Opens in a new window) reports. In addition, they help pollinate plants and flowers.
These insects generally like to lay their eggs in damp places with organic matter. This means that gnats are largely drawn to clogged gutters, much like various other types of pests (including drain flies). Fungus gnats like making moist soil, vegetation, compost, and other organic materials their breeding grounds.