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MARCH 16 2022 / PEST AND TERMITE
Now that the weather is cooling down for the fall and winter months, you may begin to notice an abundance of tiny, dark bugs gathering in your home. Many homeowners initially mistake these bugs for fruit flies, but often times they are actually fungus gnats.
Fungus gnats are small, mosquito-like insects that are usually no larger than 1/8th of an inch in length and have long legs and antennae, with a distinct “Y-shaped” pattern on their forewings. These insects get their name “fungal gnats” because as larvae they feed on fungus, algae, and plant roots to help them grow.
The larvae are small, worm-like, and translucent with black heads. Adult fungus gnats do not feed on anything nor do they bite. While these little guys have a very short life cycle of only 7-10 days, a female gnat can lay up to 200 eggs during this lifespan. It’s no wonder they can infest a home so quickly!
Your home is more likely to be at risk for a fungus gnat infestation if you have a lot of plants in your home. Fungus gnats flourish in rich, moisturized soil. While these pests are active year-round, they are much more noticeable during colder months as outside plants are moved indoors and as inside plants retain more moisture due to the cooler air.
One sure sign that you have fungus gnats is if your plants begin to wilt inexplicably and you notice root rot. This is due to the larvae feeding on leaves and borrowing into stems.
Getting rid of fungus gnats is something that proves to be difficult for homeowners to do on their own. One tip that may help prevent a large infestation is to avoid overwatering your houseplants. Additionally, if you leave the top 1-2 inches of the surface to dry between watering, it decreases the survival rate of larvae and reduces the appeal to female flies that may want to lay eggs there.
Unfortunately, if you have a surplus amount of plants in your home, the chance that you can control a fungus fly population on your own decreases. It is best to contact a pest control company like the professionals at American Pest if your house or office is infested.
American Pest will help eliminate your fungus gnat infestation using safe and effective treatments, with all the products used by our pest control professionals being EPA registered and harmless to humans, pets, and plants in your home. We take pride in our fast action—responding to pest concerns as quickly as possible, often within the next two days.
Once you call us, you won’t have to wait long to get rid of those nuisance pests.Year-round pest control plans that meet the needs of each homeowner are available, these plans include regular visits to eliminate any pests that have become a problem and as always we offer our pest-free pledge.
That means if a pest issue develops between regularly scheduled visits, we will return at no cost to you, that's our guarantee. We will keep returning until those fungus gnats are gone and we can keep them away!
