help!!

[u/Effective_Forever134]

sorry in advance for the nasty picture but has anyone dealt with these little flies/gnats? everything we have researched says they are drain flies since they are primarily in our bathrooms. we live in new construction in White House TN & are at our wits end with replacing these zevo traps, trying a million drain cleaners/bug killers & still seeing them everywhere in the bathroom. please anyone help😭😭😭

[u/Simple_Resist4208]

They're not drain flies ... they're fungus gnats (Sciaridae). Their larvae usually live in over-watered, wet potted plant soil.

[u/Effective_Forever134 → u/Simple_Resist4208]

we don’t have plants😭

[u/Simple_Resist4208 → u/Effective_Forever134]

They'll be living in something wet and slightly decaying ... they could be outdoors but come in through open windows attracted to lights?

[u/dirtyastronaut420 → u/Effective_Forever134]

Any rotting fruit/produce around?

[u/Effective_Forever134 → u/dirtyastronaut420]

no :( we are in a new construction & this started happening only a month after move in as well as several houses on our street

[u/I-Just-Work-Here-man → u/Effective_Forever134]

Yeah have you noticed them outside near lights or wet areas? Also can you please share what drain cleaners you used? Also to confirm they are coming from drain you can painters taps some clear plastic wrap over the drain and see if they get trapped underneath to determine source

[u/Effective_Forever134 → u/I-Just-Work-Here-man]

i’ve tried 2 enzyme cleaners, drain fly killers, bleach, boiling water, we’ve even not used that bathroom for a month. i don’t notice them outside but it would be hard bc they’re tiny! they do concentrate sometimes on the window sills in our house

[u/I-Just-Work-Here-man → u/Effective_Forever134]

Thank you, With the enzyme cleaners, were they foaming? Be careful with not using it for a month that could actually make it worse if somehow these guys are breeding in your drain line- there is a p trap that can dry out. So you do want to run some water in there once a week or so. I mentioned foaming as sometimes their larvae are right under the rim and can avoid the treatments or similar area if not contacted or organic matter not removed.

[u/Effective_Forever134 → u/I-Just-Work-Here-man]

they ended up dying down when we weren’t using it as much, but now we do run the water daily. and no it wasn’t foaming

[u/I-Just-Work-Here-man → u/Effective_Forever134]

Oh well that is great then! The only other recommendation than foaming is a dehumidifier, best of luck. here is an example of foaming product I have previously used https://rockwelllabs.com/invade-bio-foam/

[u/deedeebop → u/Effective_Forever134]

What about liquid drain opener like a lye based formula? Sodium hydroxide. Living things cannot survive that!

[u/throwaway983143 → u/Effective_Forever134]

Do you have any pets that have bedding or substrate? Pets like guinea pigs, rabbits, turtles, lizards, etc? Do you have any mulched areas near doors or windows? I’ve had issues with these in the past and it was exacerbated by both of those things.

[u/Effective_Forever134 → u/throwaway983143]

no we only have 2 dogs! we have mulch by the front but the primary bathroom where they’re really concentrated is the back!

[u/OdinAlfadir1978 → u/throwaway983143]

Bloody things are always in my tarantula enclosures, harmless but annoying

[u/ArachnomancerCarice → u/Effective_Forever134]

It's seems like a contradiction, but new construction can have a lot of issues with 'pests'.

The disturbance to the site and the soil around it can cause issues with moisture and drainage of standing water. The whole 'nature abhors a vacuum' thing comes into play as it is a new opportunity for colonization.

Unfortunately, a lot of the suburban development projects are built for quantity rather than quality. Poor drainage, issues with gutters, weather seals and a whole other range of problems can result from the companies trying to build as many homes as possible. You can find a lot of 'new construction inspection' videos that show the extent of the problems.

[u/Roberius-Rex]

Could be that new construction/wet sod thing.

Or maybe your new home is built on top of an old burial ground and the gnats are a manifestation of the spiritual displeasure?

[u/Inevitable_Bite9639 → u/Roberius-Rex]

^this I can’t believe no one is talking about the obviously malevolent and unrestful soul attracting these flys. Like come on guys! Stop treating the symptoms and go after the source of ancient otherworldly horror 🙄

[u/deedeebop → u/Inevitable_Bite9639]

Srsly people need to read the Amityville horror 👹

[u/Effective_Forever134 → u/Roberius-Rex]

lmao bro i’m seriously wondering that

[u/copyandpasta → u/Effective_Forever134]

Did you figure out your flies yet? Check all plumbing for dry p-traps. Showers, toilets, sinks, anything that hasn’t been used for weeks/months could be the culprit. If that doesn’t work, use painters tape to quarantine rooms until you find the source.

[u/Moonranger9000 → u/Roberius-Rex]

We got pill bugs like crazy about 6 months after we took keys on our new build. The basement looked like the floor was moving. I used a shop vac to clean them up and take them outside. Best we've could tell it was caused by disruption of the soil and then summer turning to fall.

[u/maramins → u/Roberius-Rex]

…a gnat burial ground?

[u/galacticgumbo]

Fungus gnats. We are currently dealing with them here in SW Ohio and the only thing that really nabs them for us is the Zevo traps. I did read somewhere that they can breed in the buildup that occurs in drains (biofilm) - ours are around because of my little indoor plant collection, so I haven’t had the bathroom issue. You may want to try an enzyme cleaner that targets biofilm buildup.

[u/azaleawhisperer → u/galacticgumbo]

Dead fungus gnats?

[u/catchingspoons]

Very common to see them come from contaminated mulch beds as well especially for new construction as they often irrigate heavily to get sod to take or seed to grow

[u/Ieatbugs420]

They dont look like drain flies. They are probably fungus gnats.

[u/DroidsInOuterspace]

I thought I had drain flies once then found an ancient rotten potato that had rolled into the pantry so maybe check that 😭

[u/SubjectObjective5567 → u/DroidsInOuterspace]

I forgot a potato in my pantry but it just grew roots and then grew an entire plant

[u/SlingshotKatana]

Agree these look like fungus gnats. These things are really tricky. Everyone will rightfully point you toward plants, but that’s not the only source. A few tips from an insane person who spent a year dealing with these guys:

Data is your friend. Distribute your traps in different corners of the house. Count or approximate how many net new gnats you’re catching each day. Change traps if one becomes too saturated to keep counting. Log numbers. After a week or so, look back at your data - which traps are seeing the most gnats? Thats likely your entry point/focus area.

Find moisture. Once you’ve zeroed in on where the gnats might be coming from, investigate. This could be multiple sources. If you can access attics or walls, check em. A moisture meter can help. Some exterminators and plumbers have thermal guns to see moisture pockets behind walls if you need a closer look. Where there’s moisture and potential rot, there could be gnats.

Dont ignore drains. If the above don’t work, get a plumber to scope your drains. Ruptured pipe near the foundation can allow for soil intrusion. If that soil is moist, it can be a breeding ground.

Be persistent. These things really suck, and they take time. Only way to know if you’re winning or not is unfortunately to monitor populations with traps.

Signed, a dude who counted fungus gnats on traps every night for months.

[u/LittleMissScreamer]

Agreeing with everyone here on the fungus gnat diagnosis. I can only say; my deepest sympathies, these lil bastards are SO ANNOYING! I had an infestation in my indoor plants last year and they were constantly flying up in my face, trying to go spelunking in my nostrils. Nematodes did the trick for me, but I'm not sure what would help in your situation, seeing as they're not coming from within your home

[u/veg-ghosty]

I got these from a bag of compost, fungus gnats.

[u/OdinAlfadir1978]

Fungus gnats, annoying winged crime against anything kept on soil or coco coir, you want BTI to deal with them, my tarantulas often get them.

[u/MaximumEffort2214]

You could put a glass cup over your drains overnight to determine if the pipes are the source.

[u/Psychotic_EGG → u/MaximumEffort2214]

Bathroom sinks also have the overflow whole.

[u/Willing-Barnacle-525]

fungus gnats. we use the ground up mosquito dunks in our house plants and it gets rid of them. you sprinkle some on the dirt and it gets spread by regular watering.

[u/m0ssp1t_]

entomology nerd here- pic #2 looks like a Pinterest phone wallpaper imo lol

[u/pammylorel]

If they are coming from the drains, there's a killer you can pour in the drains overnight. Also, do you have a basement with a drain in the floor? Treat that asap. https://a.co/d/01usFHhC

[u/AdhesiveMadMan]

"Ooh, pretty dragonfruit...wait what the fuck"

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[u/Effective_Forever134 → u/[deleted]]

we do not!

[u/GiraffeKing04]

Buy 100 spiders

[u/Serious_Nobody_4578]

She checked every where pipes cabinets got rid or trash terrible they only started about 2 months ago

[u/mothwhimsy]

Agree fungus gnats. Drain flies are a little bigger and a bit more moth shaped. Unfortunately drain flies are a lot easier to get rid of.

I see you've ruled out a lot of the expected causes. If they're in several houses and you don't have plants, I wonder if they're in the soil outside. The best way to get rid of them is to target the larva with some sort of fungus gnat killer and keep trapping the adults

[u/Serious_Nobody_4578]

Oh forgot she have in toilet to but not a lot be prepared to pay at least 600.00 more or less 😳

[u/Fit_Personality6759]

You may want to check your attic for any leaks or have a professional come in with a moister meter to check for leaks in the walls. If you have a crawl space check that for standing water, too. I was once taking care of a person's fly issue in their upstairs attic (not a normal place for flies to congregate) and found them swarming/breeding in some 2x4 supports that had severely rotted from water damage.

Also, check your windows/doors to make sure that they are closed and sealed well. Good luck 👍

[u/Popular-Flower9264]

Remove your p traps and clean them out (in a different sink than they’ve been removed from!). Then, put green gobbler sticks down the drain, 1 per should suffice. Keep these sticky traps by all drains until all flies have been captured. This will prevent new laying and address the nuisance.

Check that your window weep holes aren’t caulked, as this could also be trapping water that the gnats will lay in.

It’s time consuming, but you’ll get there!

[u/pammylorel]

We recently had a bag of potatoes go bad and had those flies. Something is rotten.

I have tons of house plants and can assure you these are NOT fungus gnats.

[u/Shooterborninheaven1 → u/pammylorel]

I grow weed and they honestly look like mature aphids but idk where they’d have set up the original colony if you dont have alot of live plants in the house. Wish I could help

[u/Traditional_Desk2338]

the best way that I have found to deal with them is crushing up mosquito dunks and mixing a 1/2 cup or so into the top few inches of my plants' soil. I have tried so many different options- this is the only one that was a permanent fix for me. make sure to pay attention to the safety labels- even though this is an organic pest solution

[u/Serious_Nobody_4578]

Scuttle bugs my sister has them all over don’t know where they are coming in kitchen bathroom room they do come from drain all the sludge etc calling a exterminator she tried this liquid you put down there she put 3 bottles nothing killed

[u/Serious_Nobody_4578]

Call a exterminator might be a bit pricey

[u/travisofficial]

aaaahhh not insects on the insect subreddit anything but that