Fruit flies/gnat things in my HOUSE *granny rage*

[GrannyHeeney]

I cannot convey to you how bad it is, 2nd yr in a row. Taking all precautions, such as no leftovers other than bones in the garbage can, cleaning all drains with boiling water, liberal use of Comet, chicken areas cleaned DAILY and sparkling clean so they're not the cause... Meanwhile, things try to get in my food and my MOUTH while I'm eating, plastic wrap is on top of any beverage, things try to fly up my nose in the middle of the night... Granny's about to lose her mind here, kids. *rage* I finally caved to the fly strips--they're hanging everywhere like a sick Bug Christmas party--there's 5 just in my living room. The strips are repeatedly covered and it's gross. Nothing else has worked, though. The little round red things from General Dollar filled with soap and vinegar only barely work. NOBODY is allowed in my house because it's humiliating. Does ANYONE have suggestions? Please... *sigh*

 

[lazy gardener]

Do you have house plants? I'm thinking you are over-run with fungus gnats. If so, a good sprinkling of sevin or permethrin on top of the soil in every pot should bring the infestation under control. First, you need to identify the pest. Only when you've identified it, and understand it's life style and life cycle can you control it. How big are these insects? You might want to take some samples to your county Ag. extension office and have their staff entymologist identify them for you.

 

[21hens-incharge]

WOW that would make me batty too!

Short of bug bombing the house I just don't know.

LG may be onto something with the houseplants.

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Do you have house plants? I'm thinking you are over-run with fungus gnats. If so, a good sprinkling of sevin or permethrin on top of the soil in every pot should bring the infestation under control. First, you need to identify the pest. Only when you've identified it, and understand it's life style and life cycle can you control it. How big are these insects? You might want to take some samples to your county Ag. extension office and have their staff entymologist identify them for you.

One blinking house plant LOL Okay, I'm going to take a good look into that thing when there's some light. These look like fruit flies but my neighbor just calls them gnats. Got some Sevin, I'm on it! Thank you tons, I bet this is adding to the issue.

 

[Beer can]

We only get fruit flies when we buy fruit from our local farmers market, and then they are bad...
Gnats are outside, never had gnats inside, they bite, and bite like they have teeth, we also have what we call no-see-umms kinda like gnats but smaller, and bite like they also have shark teeth.
If your flies are fruit flies best way I've found to remove them is with traps. Take a glass, drinking glass, mason jar, put a inch or two of beer, or wine, or ever red wine vinegar in the bottom, cover it with a plastic bag making a cone down into the jar with a small hole in it. You can also use paper or a plastic funnel. The fruit flies are attracted to the smell and go down the chute into the hole and can't get out and mostly drown. It's a trap that will kill many.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

I’ve actually daily been at the edge of my seat waiting for my infestation to begin although I have seen a few fruit flies usually my house is covered by now. The only thing I have ever found to help is taking a bowl,putting a small amount of apple cider vinegar on the bottom, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and poke one hole with a thumbtack in the middle of the plastic wrap. I place them the traps in multiple places around the house and change them as needed

 

[GrannyHeeney]

Years ago in Portland, someone brought some home in a bunch of bananas; I did the wine/soap thing, which worked like a charm. Had them wiped out in 2 days. Lazy Gardener must be right--these can't be proper fruit flies, as the wine thing doesn't work. Sure I got a few. This single plant I have is central in my trailer and, when I think about it, the infestation came last year after my neighbor gave it to me. She's had a roof leak for years that our slum lord won't fix, and Hubby's gone over to look at her mushy floor--he thinks it's a rotted floor joice. All these places leak (we have tin over our problem area), and if these gnats are attracted to fungus, they're likely feasting. =(

 

[lazy gardener]

They may be confined to the plant. The larvae feed on the plant roots. So, if you put some Sevin on the soil, it will kill the larvae as it leaches down through the soil. If they are taking up residence in your "leaky areas" you will most likely have to address those issues.

As for fruit flies, I am convinced that they breed in sink and bath tub traps as well as the usual fruit issues. They can also pop in through the window screens in my house. So, fruit season can be a problem, even if I don't have any fruit in the house! If I get them in my home, I put a couple inches of soapy/bleach water in every sink and close the trap. I do this 24/7 for about a week, and that usually takes care of the problem. I also put out a cup of ACV with a bit of sugar with plastic over the top. Use a pencil to punch some holes in the plastic. They go in through the holes, but can't figure out how to get back out.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

As for fruit flies, I am convinced that they breed in sink and bath tub traps as well as the usual fruit issues.

They absolutely do. One of the first years I had infestations there was a shower that we hadnt used in awhile. I had pulled back the curtain and there were fruit flies all over the bathtub. I cleaned it and poured bleach in the drain and that stopped that problem for the most part. I did have to put my traps in the bathroom as well (mentioned in earlier post).

 

[GrannyHeeney]

I treated Jaw's soil and immediately saw a difference. I will be sleeping bug-free for the first time in months. Y'all are geniuses. Thank you SO much, I never would have thought this all boiled down to the one dang plant in my house. :-o