Tiny Flying Insects in the House

I have very tiny (maybe a mm big), round moth like bugs crawling on my walls and carpet. I just saw one fly the other day. They are black and white stripped with six legs and antennas. When squished they have a powdery dust on their wings. Any idea what they are? They don't bite; they're just a nuisance.

By Jess from Canton, OH

Answers: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

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By 10/03/2011

Have you tried the bleach and then plugging or covering the drains so they can't come out?

By 03/18/2011

I am guessing they are moth flies, google them and see a pic. We had them last year for the first time ever.

By 03/16/2011

I'm not sure what kind of bugs those are but I found the apple cider vinegar trick worked when we had a gnat infestation. Maybe that would work for you. Place a cup of apple cider vinegar near where the bugs are (a few drops of soap in the vinegar helps). Dump out the collections of dead bugs daily. I was shocked at how many we collected. We also moved the bananas into the refrigerator until the infestation stopped.

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Questions

Here are questions related to Tiny Flying Insects in the House.

Tiny Black Flying Insects

By the light of my cell phone, in the dark of my bedroom, I have become aware of tiny flying (flea looking) insects. What might they be ? They are attracted to the light and I've only seen one at a time. I don't notice any bites, but after seeing them I feel they must be living off my dead skin! Help me, please, I'm creeped out!

By JC

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By ibgone08/15/2012

They are called duloflectasty. And your right they do eat your dead skin and hair. They are harmless and are actually inhaled while you sleep. They attache themselves to your mucus membrane and crawl out through your nostrils, unless you breath through your nose at that point they find another exit. I have heard they will exit through the ear canal. Have no fear.

Getting Rid of Tiny Flying Black Bugs

I have tiny black bugs flying around in my kitchen and living room. What are they and more importantly, how do I get rid of them?

By Jacque B.

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By linn.200907/01/2012

Sounds like fruit flies. Do you have fruit in a bowl on the counter? Bananas? Is the weather warm? Clean off surfaces with soapy water and remove over-ripened fruit. I take vinegar and water solution and wipe off my countertops, etc.

Getting Rid of Black Flying Biting Insects in Drains

I have black flying insects that bite in my house and they are driving me crazy. We were told by personnel at the hardware store to pour bleach down all of the drains, starting at the top of the house. I first saw them in my shower, coming from the drain. They are in my laundry room, probably from the floor drain. I have seen them upstairs now in the main bathroom and the kitchen sink. The bleach has not done anything.

I have red welts and a rash all over my arms, hands, and shoulders. I don't know about my back, but it is always itchy. So is my head. I am going crazy and can't sleep. I hate to go into the bathroom at night, because I have to start picking up the bodies after spraying with Raid Max. Nothing works. They just keep coming back, they never go away. Help.

By Bev G.

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By Jron766710/03/2011

Have you tried the bleach and then plugging or covering the drains so they can't come out?

Tiny Flying Insects in the House

I recently moved into my apartment. The air conditioning system is not the greatest, so I have to keep my bedroom window opened a majority of the time. I recently discovered that tiny flying bugs get in through the screen and gather typically on the ceiling where my lamps are. Does anyone know of any ways to prevent this? Now that they are here, how can I get rid of them?

By Anne

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By ImageryGuy07/07/2011

What I believe you encountered is a Thrips. A Thrips (yes, it is spelled plural) of the order Thysanoptera is small enough (less than 1/20 inch long) to crawl through the mesh of a window screen or some camping-tent mesh.

The bite of this insect feels similar to a mosquito, but since this little guy can bring hundreds of friends and reach places mosquitoes can not... you can know Thrips have arrived almost the instant the attack has begun. I first witnessed thrips as part of my insect collection for Biology in High School (captured from our family's garden roses).

But their invasion through the camping tent-mesh, stopped my camp-out on a warm sandy beach in Florida. I had no idea this little thing could be such a menace to living in or enjoying the outdoors. Summer heat after recent wet weather will bring them out en-force... thrips seek out warm, dark places to feed.

Hot sandy beaches and abandoned railroad cars are two places where I was practically eaten alive, though they are commonly found on garden flowers such as roses, fruit trees, ornamentals, vegetables, and citrus.
See Management here http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7429.html for how to control this pest or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrips for more.

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

Tiny Flying Insects in the House

I recently, 2 months ago, moved into a furnished apartment. My first nights there, I felt like bugs were landing on me.

Tiny Flying Insects in the House

I have tiny flying insects in my home. They are smaller than mosquitoes. What can I use to get rid of them?

By Yao from Seattle, WA

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

Do you have house plants? If you do, they could be coming from them. If water sits in the drip tray, they breed there. They are called fungus gnats. I have read that you can use apple cider vinegar and set it out near your plants in small dishes. Someone said it did not work for them and they just sprayed a small amount of raid in the bowl and then it worked. Good luck, I know how much of a pest they can be. (02/20/2010)

By Laniegirl

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

How about a can of aerosol hair spray? They can fly with glued wings. After a couple falls maybe you can take them to your local "Orkin" man for identification and info on how to get rid of them. Maybe one of those fly tapes would work too. Or how about a roll of double sided tape, the kind for wrapping packages on the wall around the head of your bed? (02/20/2010)

By darli1115

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

Thank you all for the help. (02/20/2010)

By yyao

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

Sounds like fruit flies. I had the same problem and a friend recommended I go to Kroger's grocery and buy a product called Hot Shots. It costs about $6.00. It is in a long box and has a white plastic box inside with something to kill the bugs. You hang it on a cabinet handle above the sink and it lasts for about 4 months. It cured my problem completely. Hope this helps. Connie. (02/25/2010)

By packlestax

Tiny Flying Insects in the House

Just wondering if anyone might have suggestions for controlling small, flying insects indoors? Early last year we had the same problem, and it helped to hang a couple of sticky traps on curtain rods. We do not have any small children, grandchildren, or pets.

We traced this problem to a very "buggy" bag of potting soil, so after getting rid of that, we were okay. However, now we seem to have a new "batch" since the weather is warming.

Why are they in the house? There aren't lots of them, but they're still around. Anyone know where they come from? They look like baby flies. They must hatch in the house somewhere, but I sure can't figure out where! Any other ideas to get rid of them is appreciated. Thanks.

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

If they are fruit flies, put away all your fruit. This will work for fruit flies and maybe other flies as well: Mix equal parts of water, cider vinegar and sugar. Mix this well and add one drop of dish soap (to break the surface tension). Put about an inch or 2 of this into small bottles (like recycled plastic water bottles) and place this around the house where the flies are. They will fly into this liquid and drown. Replace with new, weekly. (04/02/2010)

By Cyinda

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

My tiny flying brown insects turned out to be red flour beetles and were found in a Tupperware container of cereal and a box of dog biscuits. Check your pantry and cupboards, all of them! They chew minuscule holes in boxes and bags. Put everything in glass or hard plastic containers. Eggs live in curtains and rugs for up to one month before hatching. You won't see them for a month, and then there they are. I eventually had to have an exterminator come. Good luck! They went from one cupboard to all of them. But the plastic, glass containers did the job. (04/02/2010)

By elyag

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

I had something like that last year. I had bought a bag of potting soil with a lot of compost in it, or manure, I forget which. Potted some little flowers, left town and gave my son instructions how to water. Came back and all the plants were dead, and we had those mini flies everywhere. It wasn't fruit flies. Finally realized it was the soil, I had bought it in a hurry, and it was 1) way too strong for my little plants, hence, their demise, and 2) and attractant for those bugs. I threw out the potting mix away from apartment and washed the pot and that was the end of that. Find the source. Maybe you used some of that buggy soil and it's still active. (04/02/2010)

By PIKKA

Tiny Flying Insects in the House

I have beetle looking bug that flies, it's about the size of a small ant, infesting my kitchen. Any idea what this is or how to get rid of it?

By Jamie from Sidney, OH

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

Sounds like fruit flies, they come into your house in bags of potatoes or fruit and if you are unlucky, they manage to grow and reproduce. Regular fly spray will kill them. You can also put water in a glass and stick it under a light (go to bed and leave light on) and they will usually manage to drown themselves, if you don't wish to kill them so directly. (06/18/2010)

By thriftyvicki

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

Do you have plants in the room? Try putting some diatomaceous earth in the soil. Just be careful not to breathe the dust. I had fruit flies in my office, no food anywhere, and that was the only way to get rid of them. In the absence of fruit, I guess they'll go to anything else growing they can find. (06/23/2010)

By Beth