Midges, no-seeums

[NotGolfer]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

[NotGolfer]

Anybody?? Are y'all having the same issues?? Looking for a solution please!

[Michael G.]

I think I read somewhere that it's because of all the rain that drives them above ground and into our homes.

[JSR22]

Anybody?? Are y'all having the same issues?? Looking for a solution please!
Call an exterminator.

[Carla B]

For a couple years the midges seem to come from a pond that is part of our view. They covered our front door and entrance. A neighbor of us kept pleading with TV to do something about it. It was only when she found out Mark Morse was suffering from them also, that TV treated the pond. This is the first year they've been such an annoyance since that time. As for no-seeums, they seem to inhabit mangrove-type vegetation or swamps. I don't know how to get rid of them. They used to torment me with vicious bites when we lived on a sailboat, especially in areas like the Florida Keys. The only solution then was to move the boat.

[Fredster]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

Do they bite or are they just annoying?
If you have a lot of potted plants indoors, they might be fungus gnats!

[Tustin714]

I can only speak for my experience (in other words, "your mileage may vary ") but earlier this year -- in anticipation of no-seeums arriving -- I bought a Black+Decker Bug Zapper (link below) based on reviews, and so far we haven't had any problems, as we normally would. However, we're not in Florida (again, "your mileage...").

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-Electric-Waterproof-Mosquitoes/dp/B0BKPQXS4J

It's not particularly expensive so try it during the return period and see if it works for you.

[NotGolfer]

We don't live near water nor do we have any house-plants. They're annoying and I'm not sure they bite. I guess the exterminator is on the "to-do" list now.
Thank you for the responses! The raining makes sense I guess!!!

[Rainger99]

I guess the exterminator is on the "to-do" list now.

I called my pest control company (Massey) and they said they don’t do anything for midges!!

I also called for frogs and love bugs and get the same answer!!

Let us know if you got a better response.

[Taltarzac725]

How to get Rid of Midges | 5 Top Tips | Cleanipedia (https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/in-the-home/how-to-get-rid-of-midges-in-the-house.html)

Apple cider vinegar and soap may help.

Create a midge trap
This is super easy to do and a great way to get rid of midges that are already in your home. Put apple cider vinegar into a bowl with a few drops of washing up liquid. Midges are attracted to the smell of the mix but get stuck when they land! Don’t forget to empty and clean out the bowl, and replace the mixture every few days.

[MandoMan]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

Move to north of 466A.

[MandoMan]

I can only speak for my experience (in other words, "your mileage may vary ") but earlier this year -- in anticipation of no-seeums arriving -- I bought a Black+Decker Bug Zapper (link below) based on reviews, and so far we haven't had any problems, as we normally would. However, we're not in Florida (again, "your mileage...").

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-Electric-Waterproof-Mosquitoes/dp/B0BKPQXS4J

It's not particularly expensive so try it during the return period and see if it works for you.

I installed one of those in my forest home in Pennsylvania and soon decided that the light was drawing mosquitoes from several hundred yards away. Piles of them! The light was also drawing and killing large, gorgeous Luna moths and other beautiful moths.I didn’t even realize they lived in the area. In addition, the zap sound when a mosquito fried was not pleasant.

[edtherock]

Keep lights off in the house at night. Spray all indoor plants( outside) with bug spray)- same with outdoor potted plants if inside birdcage . I did those 3 things and 1 month later no problems. I live on GC with pond view south of 466!! The boogers go for light and live in the soil. I tried many things- zappers. Sticky things with LEDs etc and they catch the boogers but does not stop them from coming back. Light attract thems.

[robertsonsusan]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

Make sure all of your drain traps have liquid in them. An unused shower drain trap is notorious for allowing small flies to enter your home.

[Mike&Silvia]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??
I asked the same question of a Publix produce manager, and here is what he suggested: Try a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and dish soap in a small bowel. Put plastic wrap over the top and cut a 1” to 2” hole. This helps to trap the insects inside. I place the bowl on my countertop, near my bananas, and it is very effective. Good luck!

[Kelevision]

I asked the same question of a Publix produce manager, and here is what he suggested: Try a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and dish soap in a small bowel. Put plastic wrap over the top and cut a 1” to 2” hole. This helps to trap the insects inside. I place the bowl on my countertop, near my bananas, and it is very effective. Good luck!

It sounds like you have fruit flies. Maybe the OP isn’t talking about those? But what you’re doing for fruit flies does work. They also make cute little fruit fly traps ( same thing inside) to sit on your counter.

[Ski Bum]

Love the vinegar and soap trap idea. The light and sticky board works too. Control is always better usually cultural methods, meaning control the environment. Lights off at night. No house plants. No food on counters.

[Sully2023]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

I purchased a small electric bug zapper - turned it on above the kitchen cabinets. Flying pest problem resolved.it works.
Best wishes

[Maker]

I can only speak for my experience (in other words, "your mileage may vary ") but earlier this year -- in anticipation of no-seeums arriving -- I bought a Black+Decker Bug Zapper ...

The gaps in the electrified metal screen are way too far apart to zap your tiny insects. They will fly right through unharmed.
Those things are designed for much larger insects.

[Reeds]

Bought these from Amazon. We've seen some commercials that Raid now makes them as well. Yes they work!

Safer Home SH502 Indoor Plug-In Fly Trap for Flies, Fruit Flies, Moths, Gnats, and Other Flying Insects – 400 Sq Ft of Protection

[msilagy]

Google or Duck Duck Go are my friends!

[JGibson]

I bought a long fly swatter but that is messy when you squash it on your wall. I like the cider and soap idea.

They only seem to come on the scene once a year in May.

[Maker]

I asked the same question of a Publix produce manager, and here is what he suggested: Try a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and dish soap in a small bowel. Put plastic wrap over the top and cut a 1” to 2” hole. This helps to trap the insects inside. I place the bowl on my countertop, near my bananas, and it is very effective. Good luck!

That's the right concept, but wrong proportions. You are looking to make something that attracts them, leads them into a place where escape is impossible, and then drowns them.

Attracts = apple cider vinegar. This is 99.9% of the liquid in the cup. Only needs to be an inch deep. If that amount fills up, you would want to change it, not have more liquid. It also smothers the smell of dead insects.

Leads them into a place where escape is nearly impossible = Plastic wrap over the top of the cup. There needs to be tiny holes. Slightly larger than the insect. Once they fall downward, it needs to be really hard for them to fly upward and exit those same holes. Make holes with a toothpick or fork. Less then 1/16" (Not huge like 1")

Drowns them = Liquid dish soap. Without the soap, they can feast on the apple cider, float on the surface, and fly off at will. The soap breaks the surface tension. Causes them to have to swim to stay afloat. Also prevents them from easily hanging onto the cup sidewalls. They get tired quickly and sink. Need just a tiny mini squirt of soap.

These are so easy to make, you can make several. Use plastic or foam cups (not glass) and toss.

[EileenRo]

We had them at our villa and it turned out that there was a lift station in front of the villa wall on Hillsborough that was leaking. We had two drains on either side of the yard where these bugs were coming from. We tried everything to get rid of then including inside and outside bug zappers to no avail. When they fixed the lift station to include pouring a concrete mixture as in fixing a sink hole, the problem was resolved.Good Luck!

[Marmaduke]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??
We have them.
We live above 466.
They are a nuisance.
They do NOT bite.
We are now experts on midges and have learned how to fight them.

We have had Home Defense Pest Control AND Massey come out and meet with us about midges.

They both stated that there is absolutely NOTHING they can do.

We have found the solution ad stated in other posts do indeed work.

on our outdoor lanai's, we learned through the Marion County Co-operative Extention office to spray them with a solution of Dawn and water on days that you may want to have a party or a cookout ...or daily if you have the motivation.
Instant death to midges, but you'll have to clean them up. We screened our front porch and back lanai to keep them out of the house.

It's man against bug in Florida's Bounty. We take the good with the bad.

MHowever, mdges are so aggravating, we agree!

[Rainger99]

Apple cider vinegar and soap may help.

I tried this. I caught 4 in two days!

[Deden]

I have something a like cool whip bowl and put 1/2 vinegar 1/2 water and a few squirts of dish soap around my house.

[Diver Man]

We had the same issues, we ordered the Katchy from Amazon. Works great, look at the picture of all the small bugs caught, this is just after 2 nights. Our neighbor recommended it and now my cousins and sister and a lot of our neighbors use the Katchy. I was a little skeptical at first, but the results have been great. Good luck.

[Villages Kahuna]

Call Massey Services

[Rainger99]

Call Massey Services

See posts 9 and 25. Massey says that they can't do a thing.

[Michael G.]

Call Massey Services

There's many things people would like to call Massey Services on this forum
That can't be put in print.

[Laurel Maryland]

I asked the same question of a Publix produce manager, and here is what he suggested: Try a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and dish soap in a small bowel. Put plastic wrap over the top and cut a 1” to 2” hole. This helps to trap the insects inside. I place the bowl on my countertop, near my bananas, and it is very effective. Good luck!

I do the same thing as "MIKE&SYLVIA". Make certain that you use apple cider vinegar. White vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or wine vinegar will NOT work. I usually add about a teaspoonful of dish soap to a quarter or half cup apple cider vinegar. The gnats are attracted to the smell of the apple cider vinegar and when they go to vinegar, the soap gets on their wings and they won't be able to fly anymore and will drop to the bottom of the bowl dead. When you cover the bowl with plastic wrap and poke a hole or two in the top, pull the plastic wrap tight and secure it with a rubberband so they can't get out. Since gnats are attracted to apple cider vinegar, I usually put a vinegar/soap trap on the OUTSIDE of my house to try to kill them before they get in. Good luck.

[Tustin714]

The gaps in the electrified metal screen are way too far apart to zap your tiny insects. They will fly right through unharmed.
Those things are designed for much larger insects.

Except it's actually removing the tiny ones. No bites at all so far this season, nor are we occasionally seeing even slightly larger ones flying between us and the television. As I said when writing the quoted party, one's mileage may vary but it could well be worth a try.

[HJBeck]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

Not sure what you have a picture would help. If they look like very small flies, they may be sewer knats. If they are then the easy solution is to pure 1/4 cup bleach in to each drain (shower, sinks, washer, etc.) Then try to eliminate those already in your house or else they will start laying their eggs in the drains again. If they are no-see-ems, good luck. You must have a hole in your screens or leaving screen doors open too long.

[hmaynard129]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??
As far as the no-seeums are concerned get yourself a ZEVO plug-in. I put mine in my kitchen near the fruit bowl. We have not had a single issue since no poison no noises nothing they are attracted to the blue light, and when they go into the blue light, they get stuck so it works fabulous I will post a link.
Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/mask-helper-Starter-Bundled-Cartidges/dp/B0BK376W61/ref=asc_df_B0BK376W61/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=598365509249&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3494332627210636536&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9051659&hvtargid=pla-1877637719450&psc=1)

[hmaynard129]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??
As far as the no-seeums are concerned get yourself a ZEVO plug-in. I put mine in my kitchen near the fruit bowl. We have not had a single issue since no poison no noises nothing they are attracted to the blue light, and when they go into the blue light, they get stuck so it works fabulous I will post a link.
https://www.amazon.com/mask-helper-Starter-Bundled-Cartidges/dp/B0BK376W61/ref=asc_df_B0BK376W61/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=598365509249&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3494332627210636536&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9051659&hvtargid=pla-1877637719450&psc=1

[Rainger99]

You must have a hole in your screens or leaving screen doors open too long.

I don’t have any holes in my screens so how do they get in the house? Are they small enough to get through the screens on the windows or the screen in the lanai? Can they come in between the screen and the frame?

[Taltarzac725]

I don’t have any holes in my screens so how do they get in the house? Are they small enough to get through the screens on the windows or the screen in the lanai? Can they come in between the screen and the frame?

https://www.phifer.com/blog/how-to-protect-from-no-see-ums/#:~:text=No%20See%20Ums%20are%20so,prevent%20them% 20from%20passing%20through.

You would need specialized screens.

[Andyhope]

Call deans

[Lea N]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

Is this the same thing as a fruit fly? If you have an exterminator you could call and ask them to help. I've read that spraying bleach down your kitchen sink can help with fruit flies. They lay eggs in the drain, the bleach kills them. Also if midges are fruit flies be careful where you buy your produce.

[jimmy o]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

They might be sewer flies. Pour bleach down your drains. If they’re in the kitchen be sure to pour bleach down the disposal too. Let the bleach sit for a bit (1/2 hour or so) before running water down those drains. I would let the bleach sit overnight.

[TCRSO]

no-see-ums can pass through normal screens. Step 1 is to stop leaving your doors and windows open. Step 2 is lower you AC temperature. No-see-ums will land on any vertical surface when the temperature is lowered sufficiently. At that point, you can use a hand held vacuum to take them off the walls. Sprays or chemicals have little effect. No-see-ums track humans and animals by CO2 emissions so bug zappers are not the best option. When we lived in the Florida Keys, we used a mosquito magnet which was very effective but that is not for indoor use.

[Carla B]

Is this the same thing as a fruit fly? If you have an exterminator you could call and ask them to help. I've read that spraying bleach down your kitchen sink can help with fruit flies. They lay eggs in the drain, the bleach kills them. Also if midges are fruit flies be careful where you buy your produce.

Not the same thing, the midge I'm thinking of is more the color of a mosquito and very lightweight, almost "feathery." The fruit fly is darker in color. Most of the midges in the house wind up dead in the window sills or bathtub.

[DonnaNi4os]

I purchased a purple light made by Zevo. It is about 3 times the size of a nightlight and i plug it into the area near the doggie door. I believe that is where they get in. The light attracts those that do get in and they stick to the replaceable sticky panel that fits on the back. I have found it to be extremely helpful and it is reasonably priced. It has solved the problem for me. Good luck

[skippy05]

If you live where the midges are a problem, there is only one solution. Move to an area that doesn't have them. No amount of spraying, turning off your lights at night, or painting your home exterior to a darker color will work. Sell is the only option. Why do I know this? Been there done that.

[jimschlaefer]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

Contract with Mig-jet. They'll come and chase them out for you

[Rainger99]

no-see-ums can pass through normal screens.

If you were building houses and they were in an area where there are no-see-ums, would you put in normal screens (which apparently don't keep bugs out) or would you put in specialized screens that would keep them out?

[Remembergoldenrule]

These might be better than money on exterminator. I had them in work place once. They are bad. Make sure no rotting fruit or veggies in your bins or trash can or standing water puddles near house that is where they lay eggs.

How to get Rid of Midges | 5 Top Tips | Cleanipedia (https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/in-the-home/how-to-get-rid-of-midges-in-the-house.html)

Create a midge trap
This is super easy to do and a great way to get rid of midges that are already in your home. Put apple cider vinegar into a bowl with a few drops of washing up liquid. Midges are attracted to the smell of the mix but get stuck when they land! Don’t forget to empty and clean out the bowl, and replace the mixture every few days.

Also, saw these articles.

Midge Control: How to Get Rid of Midges | Solutions Pest & Lawn (https://www.solutionsstores.com/how-to-get-rid-of-midges)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5H84ref7eE

[Goinghiway]

In my house, they were coming up thru the drain in bathrooms...as soon as we kept the drains closed they disappeared...

Also, to get rid of them quickly, put vinegar in dishes around where you see them...this will get rid of them

[Retiring]

Our house seems infested with midges (teeny flies) and they're annoying! How do y'all get rid of them??

I had a serious problem with midge outdoors (entry area and front of house) but now it’s a moderately bad problem. Thank God, none seen in the home. Called a phone number given to me by an exterminator. It was for a help line used by the trade. The insecticide rep returned my call, only to tell me there is really nothing we can do. The only “real” way to get rid of them is spraying the ponds. The other is light, they are attracted to light. My outside lights were on a timer, now they are always off – which brought the problem from serious to moderately serious. I called TV about spraying, they said call the county. I called the county, they said due to budget issues spraying has been cutback greatly. I did call Massey (my exterminator) and they had no solution, said call TV about pond spraying. S of 44.