I burn a back porch light all night, every night. During the summer months, the light attracts hoards of flying insects. Even after shooing, waving and scattering the swarm, it's difficult to get into the house without at least a few getting in with me.
I read that concocting a bug juice by blending or grinding bugs with water added, produced a smelly liquid that would deter other insects. Supposedly, they don't like the scent. Well, I wasn't about to load my Seven Speed plus Purée Hamilton Beach with a cup or two of insect carcasses, even if I could catch that many.
In June, I had been working in the yard all day and evening. I was too tired to cook. I made a quick trip to Wendy's for a burger and chocolate Frosty. It was dark when I returned. Wouldn't you know, there was a plague of flying insects buzzing all around the back porch light.
I decided to try something that was so simple, I was doubtful of it actually working. It did work, and it worked very well. I took the 10 or 12 ounce plastic 'Frosty' cup, and without even bothering to rinse it, fastened it to the siding with a tiny nail near the rim. It was positioned under and as close to the light as I could get it. I filled the cup to almost full with water, leaving about 1/2 inch space at the top, then went to bed.
Insects must have remarkable brains to make any sense of what they see with compound eyes, especially when they flit around so erratically. They seem to manage quite well, though. Well, most of the time. I was surprised the next morning to see just how many bugs had mistakenly taken a lethal skinny dip in the cup of water.
On the second morning, there was a thick layer of dead insects atop the water with many more at all levels in the water, and they all started to decompose. Funny, as many times as I go in and out that door, I never noticed a scent from the cup. But apparently, there was a scent and it was noticed.
I'm thinking "Somebody's got it wrong". The flying insects weren't deterred by the decaying likes if their own kind. Quite the contrary. They were attracted to it, ridiculously so. From the summer night I nailed the cup to the house, til the onset of frost, not once did I see a swarm of insects around that light. There were never more than two or three flying around at any given time. But, there were always plenty in the cup.
I regret not having taken a picture of that cup filled with bugs. Just as well, though. It's not a pretty sight. If you have doubts about my method, I invite you to try it and post your findings here. You can bet, I will be putting up another cup of water, soon. Imagine that, something as simple as a cup of water. Just a cup of water.
Won't wonders ever cease?
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
This tiny "clear" gold gnat sized insect flies around my ceiling lights at night. They fall down on me and I think it is pieces of dust floating, but it is little strange flying insects. I spray flying insect spray, but it doesn't keep them totally away.
Any idea what these are? They are all gold in color, but almost transparent, tiny, and annoying. I hope you can help me and give me advice how to get rid of them. Thank you.To help identify your bugs, need to know your location-city, state, season the bugs occur, number of wings, approximate size-rice grain, 1/2 inch, etc.
i live in knoxville, tn.. bugs mainly see spring, all summer for sure and fall, and few in winter. maybe some are large as grain of rice, but some are just specs ....that i think it is dust falling, but it is a flying insect.
The flying bugs may be grain moths or wool moths-both attracted to the grain in your kitchen and primarily wool clothing and fabric. At night they normally fly around moon beams but in your house, they fly toward the lights.
Please tell me how to remove them... I think these little bugs come in from out side some how..
Does anyone know what these little critters are and more importantly, how do I get rid of them? They've invaded my apartment.
I have no plants or pets and I don't leave my windows or doors open. Help!
Rid house of little brown bugs.
It looks like a drain fly. Their breeding sites are drains especially clogged or greasy drains. They deposit eggs inside walls of sewer drain pipes.
You need to have your pipes cleaned. Keep toilets clean, sinks and any clogged drains. Clean drains with baking soda vinegar and run the water for about five minutes. Put a boiling kettle of water down the drain first.
It looks like it good be a drain or fruit fly. Here's how to deal with them:
Step 1
Check your drains for larvae. Put tape over the top of drain and poke some holes in it. If the flies get stuck on the tape, then you know you have drain flies.
Step 2
Shower pans leak often and are a breeding ground for them. Check there and clean with bleach.
Step 3
If they're coming from your window area, you may have to look for cracks to re-grout.
Step 4
Since you're not certain what it is, try a multi pest killer. This one is available at most stores: www.target.com/
I have small brown bugs. They appear every spring. I don't know how to get rid of them. They keep appearing and they fly, but in short bursts not continuous.
Can anyone identify them?
The pattern is a carpet beetle. Vacuum well, dispose of the debris outside and get an exterminator
Looks like a classic carpet beetle. Not harmful but pesky.
They love flowers and plants and eat other stuff found in carpet...which is where I always guessed they got their name....or it could be they look like berber carpet...but I doubt that one.
If you keep getting them, you may want to go around your house and check windows and doors for spaces and patch them up since they will come in for warmth.
Typically they are outside amongst the plants...so if you have a lot of flowering plants up against your foundation, you may want to move them or just be sure to patch up any cracks in the brick/block.
If you only see them in the spring, then you will have to do like we do with ants and about a month before our problem time, do the outside checks, inside checks and do a good cleaning to remove their food supplies.
If you have a true infestation, you may want to call in an exterminator, but most folks can deal with them with good cleaning and patching up their doors and windows so they don't get in.
Happy spring!! Too bad it brings bugs, right :(
People cant afford exterminators!!! Thats why theyre asking for a DIY advice!
I have small brown flying insects that stay posted in my kitchen. When I turn the light on at night they all come flying out to hide. The more I kill, the more I seem to have.
They are also on my patio flying over my plants and they come in when I open my front door. What are they and how do I get rid of them?I would catch a few of these insets and take them to an exterminator or bug man. They can tell you what type of bugs they are and if you can spray on yourself or if you'll need a professional to spray for them.
It definitely depends on what it is to make sure you get rid of them for good. Trap some and take them to a plant and garden center. You should call ahead and make sure someone knowledgable will be present at the hours you go.
I have these little black bugs in my house, they look like really tiny ants and they can fly. I think they are coming through my screen doors. They do not bite, but they are everywhere and it is driving me nuts! I have no idea what to do about it. Please help if you know what I can do.
Consider having a pest control company check the bugs and provide a solution to your problem.
Ant commonly do not fly, but I have seen fly like/ant like insects outside at times. I spray them with Raid. However, they are large. If those insects are so tiny that they could come through a screen, I wonder if you don't have fruit flies. Do you know what fruit flies are? If they are fruit flies, the best way to get rid of them is to get rid of all sources of breeding spaces for them -- empty juice boxes and pop cans, garbage, any sort of fruit sitting about, sticky spills in the bottom of a garbage can. They are pesky things, and keep reproducing, but are totally harmless, really.
I recently just removed about six fruit trees from my back yard, so i would have more lawn and now i have a millions of these little flying insects, maybe gnats. How would i get rid of them? Please respond if you have a solution for this nasty little problem
Fernando,
Do you have any standing water on or near your property? We have these little pesky gnats in Missouri, too. They reproduce the same way that mosquitos do. If you can't remove the stagnant water source, try adding a few drops of bleach to the water. Also, contact your locally owned garden center (not the big box type) because they will be familiar with the types of critters that are "bugging" you. Of course they will want to sell you their product, but because they are local and experienced, you will most likely have good results. Good Luck! Joni
Fernando,
I had the same problem. After trying bleach, dishwashing liquid, and a number of other things, I decided to use Diazinon, a recommendation from my neighbor who had lived in Florida, growing oranges. One spray and a few day later, not a single one was around. Give it a try and good luck.
Fernando,
I have the same problem and decided to search online. I seen your comment. Have you found anything out on how to get rid of them?
Roberta
Glendora, CA
I have these tiny little brown flying bugs all over my home. And I don't have a clue what they are. But they are driving me insane!
Can anyone help identify them and possibly a solution to get rid of them?
These look like flies. Set up flypaper, and put all fruit in the refrigerator.
If they have wings that fold into one when they are resting, the are most likely fruit flies. Look for bananas or potato or some other fruit or vegetable that may have gone bad or is starting to go bad and you will probably find the source.
I had a bag of potato that I had not idea had started to rot and these horrible flying pests came into my house from the grocery store.
Once the bag was tossed and I cleaned the kitchen, the problem went away.
If they have double wings, they may be drain flies. Check bathrooms and kitchen sinks and you may find the source. Usually boiling water poured carefully down the drain kills them off.
Post back with an update.
I would like to get rid of the mosquitoes, gnats, and other flying things away from where I sit on the porch in my backyard. But I don't want anything that will hurt the lizards, snakes, insects or other helpful animals that eat the "bad" bugs. Does anyone have a recipe for this problem? Thank you!
By metroplex from Houston
You might try setting burning mosquito coils near you. The smoke will keep away the flying insects. I'm now 70 and in good health so 20 years of burning the coils on Maui (40 years ago) apparently did not affect me. There are also some other commercial products that you can light up to have the same effect. Try looking in your local Lowe's or Home Depot in the insect control section.
Hi DeBushe,
Thank you for your suggestion; I would love and do this, but my husband is sensitive to them. Also citronella, mesquite, and the kind of mosquito things you talked about.
If it were me, I'd do it in a second because they do work. Unfortunately, when I've used them, my husband tells me I need to go bathe! because these kinds of smells give him a headache!
He's the same way with baby powder!
Thanks again and anything else you might suggest would be very welcome. You are the Queen of the mosquito killers!
Best regards,
Metroplex
I have noticed these small brown flying bugs all around me at home and even in the office. I don't know where they originated from. But it's like they follow me every where. It's an infestation, when I'm at home, I see them either crawling on the reading table, on the arm of the chair and even on the bed.
And I also see them flying around. They have become a nuisance. I'm typing this at the office and in the past 1 hour, I have killed like 4. My neighbour in the office notices them too.
You can try an electronic buzz zapper.
I don't know what to call these guys, but there are three types. One looks a bit like a slightly larger gnat, all black. The other is similar. It is gnat sized, but looks lighter than black. The biggest is like a small fly, but eerily no flying "drone" nose. Like some kind of stealth fly, so I can't even try to kill them unless they fly by me.
All prefer to go for me, and mainly for my head, or they'll land on me or a surface and just crawl around like ants would at a picnic. I have seen them crawl on other things too, like a table surface, keyboard, and monitor. Usually it's on some surface that has nothing I would think would be an attraction for them.
Insect sprays do nothing to them. Also, the first one takes a serious amount of pressure from a hand or object to kill it, almost like a beetle, but it's not.
Just to make it clear, I am a clean person, with short hair and keep things tidy and clean. I can't work out why they go for me, why they prefer to land and crawl around and how to repel or kill them. They could have the whole room, but would rather fly over me if I'm on the couch or around me if i'm sitting at my table, Kamikaze style, straight at my head at times.
I have lived in the country and thought I knew how flying insects acted, but these things are weird, like some kind of hybrids. I'm at a loss as to what to try next. I have only tried basic bug sprays and one home remedy with vinegar. I have heard about using hair spray and dishwasher liquid to repel them. I would like to know how to repel or kill, or both would be good.
Help please! :)
Try to catch the bugs and put in a sealed plastic bags. Don't crush them. You can take them to the nearest home center or any place that sells pesticides and they can help you.
What is the best thing you can use for the flying insects that come in your pop up camper?
What kind of insects are you talking about? If they are mosquitoes, there are wonderful things produced by Off -- lanterns and repellents and the gadgets you wear on your belt. Some of these also are effective for flies. If you are talking of large flies, perhaps a swatter is all that is needed. The coils covered with sticky stuff are quite unsightly, but work quite well for flies if you have a terrible influx of them. You hang them from the roof of an enclosed area. They are an oldfashioned remedy, but they work. The coils that you burn are good, but do not use them in an enclosed space. Burn them outside to keep insects away from the entrance, so the bugs don't follow you inside. Another thing that is very useful is a Thermocell. It is very portable. I use that outside when I am sitting by a campfire or doing en plein air painting in the bush. I do not think those should be used in an enclosed space either. Most home remedies are very ineffective if the bugs are bad. If stuff like listerine sprayed around actually worked, the Off company wouldn't keep developing other products to sell to us.
