Although they are harmless, these little creatures have plagued homeowners for decades now. Getting rid of gnats can be a tough task and time consuming as well. Therefore, you must know how to control gnats. They are known for crashing every summer outdoor event, the common gnat is one of the most unloved pests you will find in the universe.
They are regarded as innocuous for people; the gnat is of no use to anyone. They just buzz around our faces and sometimes they get inside the ear as well. Besides troubling humans, the larvae of these gnats feed on small plants or roots and cause a considerable amount of damage to all these things. Here are some simple steps on how to control gnats.
Steps:
- Gnat manifestations are fairly easy to control. However, the easiest way to control them is keeping them away from your home. This can be done by keeping your home clean and without any standing water or food residue. Cover all the trashcans and refrain from leaving dirty dishes inside your kitchen sink for a long period.
- If you tend to leave the windows open and notice that the gnats are entering your house, purchase some fine window screen. If you already have screen up, then it will work fine to keep the gnats from entering your house. You can find the fine window shades in a hardware store near you.
- You can put some BTI (Bacillius Thuringiensis) inside the water source near your house, from where you think gnats are coming. Like mosquitoes, even gnats lay eggs in water. BTI will come in different variety depending on the kind of gnat it is targeting. BTI is all natural source; it will kill gnat eggs and gnats without harming the other social animals.
- If you like to keep indoor potted plants, then you must opt for bug free plants. Control the number of times you water the plants, because if you water the plants excessively then it invite all the fungus gnats to feed on it. Fungus gnats thrive on decaying plant matter; it will limit the buildup of decomposing of organic materials around the plants.
- You can also keep yellow sticky cards on the houseplants, like stuck on the edges of the pots, to trap all the adult gnats. This will also prevent female gnats from laying their eggs on the plants.
- The next thing for controlling gnats will be against the midges, which may include vinegar, either alone or it can be in a solution with water or dish detergent. Gnats get easily attracted to vinegar and there are various remedies against vinegar. Most of the people will place blue jars with vinegar and several small holes in the lids around their house.
- Another strategy that you can use is using cider vinegar or wine inside small bowls placed near plants. However, other people prefer baking soda and vinegar. Always remember that baking soda and vinegar will react and foam up, so you will have to mix it slowly.
- Sugary drinks attract gnats as well, even more effectively than vinegar, so you will have to mix sugar with dish detergent. Some people believe that fly paper can catch gnats in the same manner as it does with flies, so you can use it as well. For the drains in the kitchen and the disposal units of garbage, pour a cup of ammonia down the sink to keep these annoying pests away.
- Remember that the outside of the home is equally important as the inside of the home. There are many commercial spray repellents and foggers for a limited time remedy. If the flower gardens and lawns are wet for a long time, then it will allow fungus to grow on it. Fungus is the major food source for gnats. For controlling the growth of gnats in this area, you will have to rake the mulch and underlying soil for increasing air circulation and drying it. Take out the 1/4 inch of topsoil and replace it with sand. Fungus gnats are easily attracted to moist soil with lots of organic matter, gnats will avoid plants that are covered with sand.
- Remember that gnats are attracted to light; you will have to replace the incandescent light bulbs with the sodium bulbs around the patio and walkways.
Continue your ongoing war with the gnats with a mix of all these methods and you will surely win. Once you control the growth of gnats you can easily take care of the adult gnats.
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