Common Gnats and Flies around and in Your Mississippi Home

Gnats are pesky creatures that somehow find a way around or in your home. There are many different types of flies and gnats, which makes coming up with an effective treatment plan challenging. However, knowing the most common types of flies and gnats can be incredibly useful for those who find these pesky creatures flying around and in their Mississippi homes. 

Here are the common gnats and flies that are typically found around and in a Mississippi home: 

Fruit Fly 

As you can imagine, fruit flies are commonly found nearby fruit. Fruit flies are known to infest homes that have ripe, decaying, or rotting fruit and other produce. In addition to this, these insects also like fermented items, such as wine, liquor, and beer. Not to mention, a fruit fly can breed and grow in garbage disposals, drains, mop buckets, and trash cans. One of the best risks of fruit flies is that these insects can transfer germs from a dirty surface onto a cleaner one. Some of these germs include listeria, E. coli, and salmonella. 

Fungus Gnats 

Fungus gnats are a common insect that can be found around or in potted plants that are frequently over-watered. These fungus gnats are known as being tiny pests that grow to only half an inch in length and are mainly black in color. These fungus gnats have long, thin wings and legs and thrive in higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit but lower than 80. Not to mention, these fungus gnats also reproduce in decaying organic matter that’s shaded and moist. 

Mosquitoes 

Mosquitoes are commonly found all across the world. There are over 3,500 different types of mosquitoes that can be found worldwide. In addition to this, these mosquitoes have the reputation of being incredibly annoying pests that bite animals and people. However, not all mosquitoes bite. Nonetheless, the mosquitoes that do bite leave itching and swelling around the sight that these pests have bitten, and some types of mosquitoes can cause germs. 

Midges 

Midges are classified as flying insects that are similar to mosquitoes. However, the primary difference between midges and mosquitoes is that midges have a shorter snout. In addition to this, female midges have feathered wings, and male midges have bushy wings. 

These midges are soft-bodied and have a wide range in length from 1/32 of an inch or the way to a size of 1 inch. Not to mention, these midges also tend to congregate in massive swarms that are commonly located near slow-moving streams, lakes, and ponds. Midges are also attracted to light and can be seen around streetlights and porch lights. Something known about midges is these swarms can become so large that it’s seen as being a traffic hazard. 

House Fly 

A housefly is seen as one of the most common insects you can find on the planet. These pests can breed and feed in the dirt, including feces, garbage, and spoiled or rotting food. Having any ripped screens or unsealed cracks along with poor sanitation in doors and windows can cause house fly infestations in your Mississippi home. When it comes to laying eggs, house flies generally lay eggs in areas with moisture and signs of decay. These eggs are long, pale, and look like rice grains. Not to mention, these eggs also hatch quickly, which is similar to maggots.  

Horse Fly 

Horseflies are known for being overly aggressive. In addition to this, these horse flies are also known for being dangerous to animals and humans. The female horsefly can bite. These bites are painful because the insect’s mouthparts tear the victim’s skin instead of merely piercing the skin. These bites made by horse flies can develop into swollen, red, and itchy bumps within a matter of minutes. Nonetheless, these bites are entirely harmless in most cases. 

Drain Fly 

Drain flies can also be called moth flies and are widely known for being small in size. A drain fly’s size varies, but these pests don’t grow more than one-fourth of an inch in length. 

The drain fly’s external appearance includes a hairy body with hairy wings, which provides this pest with a ‘furry’ appearance. In addition to this, an adult drain fly has long antennae and broad wings that look like a leaf. 

The most common places where you can find a drain fly are in kitchens, bathrooms, and other damp environments around or in your home. The name is this pest is entirely appropriate considering that these flies lay eggs inside drains. 

Phorid Fly 

A phorid fly is yellowish-brown or black in its appearance and is commonly attracted to light. Thu, deck, and patio lights during the summertime are where you can find these types of flies. Due to this attraction to light, you can also find phorid flies in doorways and windows. After being inside, these phorid flies are likely going to breed in places where there are organic matter and moisture available. There are a variety of diseases that phorid flies can carry. Some of these diseases include cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, and many more. 

Black Flies

Black flies are also known as buffalo gnats or turkey gnats and are tiny and strong flies. These black flies have the reputation of being annoying pests that bite livestock, wildlife, humans, and poultry. It’s known that a large population of a large black fly population indicates a healthy and clean environment. These black flies can enter the mouth, nose, and ears, which causes further discomfort and can kill domestic animals. However, these pests aren’t known to transmit any disease to humans. 

What is Black Gnat? 

A common misconception is that black gnats are seen as the name of an actual insect. Instead, this name is actually used as a term to describe a variety of flying pests. Black flies, phorid flies, and fungus gnats are only some of the dark-colored or black flying pests that can be misidentified in this way.