Fly vs gnat

Bringing a couple in with you holds the potential for a fruit fly problem. Fly vs gnat

Gnats can enter a structure from a potted plant, or they may simply enter when you open a door. They are attracted to light, so they’re eager to get inside the source.

How to prevent fruit flies and gnats Fly vs gnat

Although fruit flies and gnats are a nuisance, you can help prevent these little critters. Fly vs gnat To help keep gnats away, ensure your windows have screens without holes and swap out your white porch light for a yellow light (so they may be less attracted to it).

To help avoid a fruit fly problem, take rotten fruit outside and dispose of it. If you put vegetables or fruit in cans, check that the cans have proper seals. Have you spilled beverages such as fruit juice or wine? Get rid of the mess as soon as possible. If you have seen fruit flies, gnats, or other flies at your home or business, reach out to a pest control professional as soon as possible. If you have an infestation, you’ll want to avoid it becoming worse and an expert can offer the right solution.

Ehrlich understands how to tell fruit flies and gnats apart and we recognize that both pests do not belong inside a structure. We will work with you to eradicate them. Get in touch with us today to begin getting rid of these flying insects!

WHAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GNAT AND A HOUSEFLY Fly vs gnat

Both houseflies and gnats are two-winged insects, unlike most other species of insect that have four wings. One of the most common insect home invaders is the housefly, although some species of gnat also are common.

Houseflies are a single species called Musca domestic. Gnats are a common name for small flies and consist of several species. Two common gnats are fungus gnats and biting midges.

Distinguish by Appearance

Houseflies are approximately one-eighth to one-quarter inch in length. These flies have four dark stripes on top of the middle section of their bodies. Fly vs gnat The appearance of gnats varies by species, but generally, they are much smaller flies with long legs. Adults are commonly encountered in large swarms, especially near moist environments and at dusk. For example, fungus gnats reach one-eighth of an inch in length and their wings are characterized by a Y-shaped pattern.

Disease Carriers

Houseflies are known disease transmitters and may be responsible for transmitting up to 65 diseases to humans. Some of these include anthrax, typhoid fever, leprosy, and tuberculosis. They do not bite humans, but rather transmit disease through feces. Gnats do not transmit disease to humans. One type of gnat, the biting midge, is a bloodsucker and is known to transmit the bluetongue virus to livestock, which can be deadly.

Reproductive Traits

Both houseflies and gnats undergo a complete metamorphosis. Females lay eggs that hatch into larvae. The larvae then pupate and emerge as adult flies and gnats. Houseflies lay eggs in conditions of decay such as horse manure, garbage, or grass clippings. Maggots are houseflies in the larvae stage of life. They feed on the decaying matter in the area where they hatched. Within two days of emerging from the pupa stage, adults begin to mate.

The life cycle of a housefly is normally three weeks long but can be as long as three months in cooler temperatures. these gnats vary by species.

It span of a fungus gnat, for example, is only three to four weeks, with adults living for seven to 10 days. Larvae of the species feed on the fungus and decaying plant matter in the top layers of the soil.

Controlling Infestations Fly vs gnat

To control housefly populations, keep the environment in and around your home clean. Remove and seal any decaying matter, including food and grass clippings. Fly vs gnat Use screens to cover your doors and windows to prevent flies from entering the house and consider using sticky fly traps or a fly swatter to capture or kill flies in your home. Chemical insecticides also may be used but may cause a danger to children and pets in your home. Controlling the population of adult gnats is difficult. It is easier and more effective to target gnats in the egg and larvae stages. Gnats prefer moist environments, so allowing the soil of household plants to dry between watering will help control fungus gnat populations.

Since moisture levels outdoors are more difficult to control, especially around streams and lakes, consider using a DEET or natural bug repellent. Insecticides may be effective but should be used with caution as they are poisonous to humans and may contaminate water sources if used outside. In addition, yellow sticky cards will attract and trap gnats.

If an insect is carrying a virus or other disease, it can transmit it to humans and animals through saliva when it bites or through its feces. Insects that carry diseases are called vectors and are more common in less developed countries. Controlling insect populations around humans and animals helps to reduce the transmission of disease. Use building materials that are pest-proof, eliminate pest food sources, and use physical traps or poison.

Fleas

Fleas may carry Murine typhus and bubonic plague. People living in the western and southwestern United States are at the highest danger of contracting bubonic plague from fleas. In addition, fleas may carry filarial worms or heartworms that infest dogs and tapeworms that attack cats, dogs, and occasionally humans. Fleas are wingless insects that feed on blood and most commonly infest domestic dogs and cats. To control flea infestation, it is important to treat all animals and their indoor and outdoor environments simultaneously.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes have been vectors of malaria and yellow fever for thousands of years. Today, they are known for carrying Lyme disease and West Nile virus to both humans and animals. In addition, humans are at risk of contracting St. Louis encephalitis, and horses may contract eastern equine encephalitis. In the United States, organized pest control has managed the mosquito population and minimized the risk of spreading disease from mosquitoes. Other control measures include regular cleaning of pools, birdbaths, and other water containers, and minimizing stagnant, dirty water. In addition, using bug repellent will help deter existing mosquitoes.

Flies

Some flies, including common houseflies and sandflies, do not bite. However, their presence may be a sign of uncleanliness. Although it does not bite, the housefly is still a disease vector for bacteria such as Shigella spp., which causes dysentary; Salmonella spp., which causes typhoid fever; Vibrio cholera, which causes cholera and traveler’s diarrhea. These bacteria are transmitted when the fly regurgitates into human food while the fly is eating. Good sanitation and disposal of food waste are effective ways to control the fly population around humans. Tsetse flies are vectors of sleeping sickness or African Trypanosomiasis.

Ticks

It feeds on blood and may be a vector of diseases including tularemia, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Ticks do not fly or jump; rather they climb onto grasses or branches and attach themselves to a host that walks by. Check yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks and promptly remove them. In addition, use a tick or insect repellent, and treat your pets with a collar or topical tick-and-flea treatment.

Conenose Bugs

Conenose bugs also referred to as kissing bugs, are vectors for American Trypanosomiasis or Chagas’ disease.  Keep kissing bugs away from you and your pets by sealing gaps around doors, around windows, and between the living area and the attic. Keep pets indoors at night and keep all pet areas clean. If you suspect an infestation, contact a pest control operator to apply a chemical insecticide.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF MAGGOTS

Maggot is a generic term referring to the larvae of dipteran flies, such as common houseflies, bluebottles, and blowflies. For this reason, maggots typically look the same regardless of species.  Fly vs gnat The maggots you might encounter in or around your home will typically be from a handful of calliphorid or common fly species.

Common Invaders

Housefly (Musca domestica) maggots can be an unwelcome yet not uncommon sight around your home. During the summer months, houseflies will look for suitable materials in which to lay their eggs. These materials included rotting food, fruit, and fecal matter. You may encounter housefly maggots in your trash can, in your yard, and sometimes in the house. Eggs take approximately 24 hours to hatch. Once they hatch, larvae resemble small grains of rice approximately 1.2 millimeters long; most are typically a pale yellow or cream color. Bluebottles (Calliphora vomitoria) are common in and around homes, too. Their maggots are almost identical to housefly maggots but are slightly longer in length, typically around 18 millimeters.

Pest Species

The maggots of apple flies (Rhagoletis pomonella), also known as railroad flies, are common pests in rural areas. They destroy apple crops. The adult flies into which the maggots grow resemble common houseflies but are slightly smaller. The flies lay their eggs inside apples, providing an instant source of food for the hatching larvae.

One Weird Maggot

Maggots are typically tubular, with no discernible body parts. One notable exception to the maggot’s physical consistency across species is the rat-tailed maggot. This distinctive maggot is the larvae of the drone fly (Epistasis ten axes), distributed widely and found in the United States and Canada. It has a distinctive tail, which is actually a breathing tube. The tube is typically around 40 millimeters in length, twice as long as the maggot’s body.

Useful Maggots

Although maggots are very good at repulsing those who encounter them, especially when there are lots of them, they can be of use. The most common type of medicinal maggot is the bluebottle larva. Their movement and color attract fish to the hook.

Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats, also known as winter gnats, thrive in an environment where it’s damp and there is the decaying matter — the same environment where you’ll often find mold. For this reason, you will commonly see this type of gnat in a place with high humidity levels.

Eye Gnats

They prefer to live in areas with loose, sandy soil but can thrive in many environments.

Buffalo Gnats

The buffalo gnat, also known as a black fly, prefers similar conditions to eye gnats.

Gnat Prevention and Extermination

Gnats must have a constant source of food, so if you want to prevent gnats from becoming a problem or get rid of a current infestation, keep fruits and vegetables sealed or in the refrigerator. Keep your countertops and floors clean and free of crumbs, food debris, and sticky substances that gnats thrive on. If you have an overwhelming population of gnats or a recurring problem, consult an insect control specialist to help you root out the cause of your infestation.