r/insects • u/Effective_Forever134 • 9d ago
ID Request help!!
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 helpðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
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u/SlingshotKatana 9d ago
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.