Those tiny flying insect pests inside and outside your home can be a nuisance. Many times, we are quick to call them gnats. Small flies vary by the way they come into existence, their habitats, and feeding preferences. Gnat is a generic term for a small flying insect that hasn’t yet been properly identified.
We all know what house flies are and what “yuck” they transfer. Moth or drain flies live in sewage and are common with a broken or damaged plumbing line. Fixing the plumbing structures and using a bio sanitation cleaner will usually be enough to get rid of them.
Fungus gnats are found when houseplants are overwatered.
Excess water in pots without drainage holes will create a fungus for these little bodies to feed on. While they aren’t harmful to the plant, their erratic flying patterns will make your green thumb want to squish them. Letting your house plants dry out between waterings will control most of the populations. A small amount of granular insecticide will also work in controlling infestations.
Fruit flies are common with rotting fruits or vegetables. They are attracted to sugars in food like potatoes, watermelon, tomatoes, bananas, or onions.
Fruit flies really like sugary drinks such as soda, juices, and beer. They can lay eggs in the bruised or damaged parts of fruits and vegetables. One of their favorite breeding habitats is your garbage disposal.
Phorid flies are another small fly that are attracted to rotting foods. These are sometimes called coffin flies due to them being found in crypts, coffins, and near dead animals. These look similar to fruit flies, but they are hump-backed and don’t have red eyes.
Phorid Fly -Photo credit: Purdue University
