Are you annoyed by the presence of grass gnats around you and want to understand how to deal with grass gnats? Understandably, Gnats in grass can be highly annoying pests, and their presence could be a problem for you in the long run. Let us learn how to get rid of grass gnats and how to prevent a future infestation.
What are grass gnats?
Grass Gnats are little insects with long, slender bodies and thin wings that are black or dark brown in color. They appear to be little flies, but they are fully developed adult grass gnats.
They are weak fliers and belong to the Mycetophilidae, Anisopodidae, and Sciaridae families. Gnats come in two types: non-biting and biting; however, the ones you discover in your house and yard are usually non-biting.
How to know if it is a gnat?
Grass gnats are generally smaller and have less robust bodies than other fly species. Grass gnats are delicate-looking insects with long wings and slender legs that range in length from 1 to 15 mm.
They can be identified by their body, which is separated into three distinct segments: head, thorax, and abdomen.
The head has a pair of antennas that are longer than the head itself. The pests are usually dark in color, ranging from black to grey to brown to yellow. The coxae, which link the legs to the thorax, are enlarged in grass gnats.
What are grass gnats attracted to?
Grass gnats are attracted to moisture and organic matter, which is why you’ll notice more of them in the summer than in the winter. They frequently come into the house in search of food and breeding grounds.
They love decaying organic material, such as rotten fruit or leaves, as well as moist interior areas, such as wet potting soil or clogged sinks and drains.
How to prevent grass gnats?
Grass gnat control and prevention can be challenging, but there are several things you can do around your home or property to aid in their control and prevention.
Grass gnats can be avoided by ensuring that plants and gardens are not overwatered and that drains are clear of obstructions and functioning correctly to channel water away from your property.
Inspect door and window screens for damage, and seal any gaps found around windows and doors to prevent grass gnats in yard from entering your home. Refrigerate fruits and veggies, and clean up your home on a regular basis.
How to deal with grass gnats?
Grass gnats can be removed in a variety of ways, including the methods listed here. If you have a serious gnat infestation, you may need to use more than one of these techniques to get rid of the pests.
Make a trap using apple cider vinegar.
Combine five tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, three drops of dish soap, and a spoonful of sugar in a mixing container. Put your bowl in a place that is most gnat-infested, like your kitchen, bathroom, or garden.
Grass gnats are attracted to the sugar and apple cider vinegar mixture, and the dish soap traps them, causing them to drown.
Make a fruit trap.
Perforated plastic wrap is a fantastic method that can be used to cover a jar of rotting fruit. Grass gnats will enter the jar and get trapped inside.
Pour diluted bleach down the drain in the sink or tub.
Pour a cup of diluted bleach down the drains to kill grass gnats if you spot them around your kitchen sink or bathtub.
Construct a candle trap
Fill a candlestick till the midpoint with water and place a candle inside. Switch off the lights in your house and then light the candle. The grass gnat will fly to the flame and either be burned or drowned if they fall into the water.
Grass gnats are a pest that few homes are able to eradicate successfully. When used incorrectly, do-it-yourself pest control solutions are typically unsuccessful. They might expose your family to dangerous chemicals, which is why it is of the utmost importance to be careful.
It is recommended to try to eliminate water sources from your property to prevent these pests from laying eggs; even stagnant water is attractive to a female adult grass gnat.
You can attempt to reduce the amount of water you give your plants. Reducing the quantity of water you give your plants can help dry up the first couple of inches of soil, preventing larvae from maturing into grass gnats. However, if you already have a grass gnat problem, you should get professional assistance.
Do grass gnats bite?
Grass gnats are little, blood-sucking flies that look like mosquitoes. Both male and female grass gnats consume plant nectar. Females in some species require a blood meal in order to lay eggs. They bite us humans and our beloved pets because of this.
When a grass gnat bites, it cuts the skin using scissor-like mouth configurations. It injects saliva into the skin, which includes anticoagulant chemicals. These ingredients thin the blood, making it easier to digest.
What to do in case of a grass gnat bite?
Grass gnat bites resemble mosquito bites in appearance. A slight allergic reaction to the saliva of the grass gnat causes the symptoms.
Grass gnat bites typically result in tiny red, inflamed lumps. There may be bleeding where the grass gnat attacked your skin. The blemishes in some people grow into blisters packed with fluid.
Gnat bites can be treated at home if they cause a minimal reaction. Within a few days, your symptoms should improve.
The following treatments are the most effective for treating gnat bites.
Water and soap
Wash the bites gently with cool water and light soap. This aids in the cleaning of the area while also relieving any inflammation. Carefully pat the afflicted area dry after washing it. It’s possible that rubbing the bites will make your symptoms worse.
Using a cold compress
Application of a cold compress directly to the skin aiming at the affected area may help to reduce inflammation and swelling. You can make use of a:
- A towel soaked in ice-cold water
- Ice pack
- Ice cubes
- a moistened cloth wrapped over a frozen bag of vegetables
Apply the cold compress for at least 15 minutes at a time, multiple times a day, for best results.
Creams to relieve itching
Apply a layer of hydrocortisone cream to the affected region to lessen the itching. Grass gnat bites cause irritation, redness, and itching, and this type of ointment contain corticosteroids, which can help lessen the same.
Calamine lotion, which is effective for minor skin irritations, is also an option. Both treatments do not require a prescription. Before using, always read the instructions.
Summary
Grass gnats can be a nuisance in and around your house. There is a high chance that the one around you would not bite. However, it is always better to be safe than sorry. You can employ the easy technics that I talked about to get rid of grass gnats.