Often confused with mosquitoes or fruit flies because of their similar size and appearance, adult fungus gnats are fragile insects that are dark gray to black. Another reason they are confused with mosquitoes is the fact that they both return with the warmth of summer. However, there are ways you can identify fungus gnats. For instance, fungus gnats have one pair of pale transparent wings, slim bodies, and are only about ⅛ of an inch long. And fungus gnat larvae resemble tiny translucent “worms” and are often found in the soil around the roots of plants and fungi.
Problems Fungus Gnats Cause
While adult fungus gnats are certainly a nuisance to find in or around your property, they pose no real threat to you, your home, or your family. Adult fungus gnats are not known to bite, sting, or spread diseases to humans. The most harm these pesky insects are capable of doing is causing minor annoyance. Fungus gnat larvae, however, are capable of doing quite a bit of damage to the vegetation and healthy plants around your home as they feed on the roots of plants. Because most of the fungus gnat life cycle is spent in the larva and pupa stage, they are known to feed on the roots of plants until those plants begin to rot, wilt, and die.
Fungus Gnat Prevention Tips
Many homeowners are not familiar with the conditions fungus gnats seek out, which is why these unwanted pests are often drawn to properties where pest preparations have not been made. To make your home and property less appealing to fungus gnats, you need to be aware of what attracts them in the first place. Once you identify the things that draw fungus gnats to your home, you can take steps to remove these attractants from the equation:
- Turn lights off at night to avoid attracting fungus gnats and other insects to your property.
- Reduce moisture by removing sources of standing water, repairing leaks, replacing water-damaged wood, and avoiding overwatering your plants.
- Try to clear debris from your property and check to make sure your gutters are draining water properly.
- Avoid over-fertilizing your plants.
Fungus gnats are a common nuisance that many South Carolina residents deal with each year, but when you have a team of pest professionals by your side, that doesn’t need to be the case. Aiken Pest Control has been providing homeowners with quality residential pest control plans for over 50 years, and we don’t plan to end that streak anytime soon. Let our pest technicians take care of the pests inside and outside of your home this season.