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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

Answers: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

Read answers for this question below.
By
07/07/2011

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

By
06/05/2011

I have been having a problem with very tiny white ( somethings) that look like a grain of salt. They bite me and my three children at night mostly. I've also seen the almost clear with a brown tint somethings everywhere in my home. This has been going on for over a mth now. I'm not sleeping!!! Can someone please help!! If anyone has any advice, I'm willing to just about try anything at this point.
Thank you

By
05/25/2011

I had that problem for quite awhile, the little flying no-seeums were life cycling. Didn't see any for weeks, then be inundated with them. Turns out, I had a water seepage problem in the basement, and we sealed that up, bombed the house with a regular roach bomb, never had them again.

By
05/24/2011

As a former property manager, I can say that MCW is right to a point. If you attract things like roaches, ants, or vermin, you will be charged.
That is not to say you are attracting them, but you have to be careful what you let in, too.

The vasiline idea is great. Vinegar with a few drops of dish washing liguid in a cup inside the window sill will also help.

You didn't say where you lived. It is possible you are being invaded by the tiniest of all flying insect called "No Seeum's" Yep, I might have spelled it wrong, but in AK, you can't see them unless they are swarming around a light outside. They are smaller even then Mosquitos. Nasty little things, and they bite, too.

If you can, capture some and look up on line to see what they are. Then, you can best determine how to keep them out of your home. Here is a link to get you started.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&rl ... r.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=92c87bb478bf1374

RE: Tiny Flying Insects in the House

By
05/23/2011

Vaseline works well and is odorless. I buy any cheap Vaseline and squeegee it onto my screens. I do both sides. It doesn't deter them because all bugs are attracted to light, it just stops them in there tracks. As for the ones that do get in. Windex works great.
Good Luck!

By
05/23/2011

I also pay rent and live in an apartment. You should report the problem to management, that's their problem not yours to get rid of the bug infestation.

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