Pest Control To Get Rid Of Gnats (Greenville Sc Exterminators)

Greenville is also on its way to giving its residents an environment free of pests. After all, happy life is a pest-free life. 

 Pests can really ruin any normal human being’s day. They can be animals or pests, and even humans too, but humans are altogether a different story.  If an animal or insect negatively affects the daily activities of humans, then it is considered as a pest. Pests have long been a problem for Greenville households, whether these pests are a mere nuisance of disease vectors that transmit several deadly diseases.

It is a good thing then that Greenville City only allows businesses that are wholeheartedly dedicated to giving high-quality goods and services. Among these businesses are the Greenville, South Carolina exterminators who are dedicated to raising the quality of life of every member of all Greenville households.

 Among the pests that have given problems to Greenville, homeowners are disease-carrying pests such as mosquitoes, cockroaches, rats, mice, and flies. They also continue to fall victims to nuisance pests such as moths, weevils, silverfish, wasps, ants, and of course, gnats. 

Indeed, one of the most common pests that are giving us trouble here in Greenville is the gnats.  If you are reading this, you are most probably a Greenville resident with gnat infestation problems.  Well, leave your worries behind! In this article, we will talk about gnats and how to get rid of them through effective pest control.  Go-Forth Pest Control, the leading pest control techs near me, will tell you how. 

First, let us learn how to identify gnats, those pesky little insects we have grown to hate. 

What Are Gnats?

Gnats are annoying little insects that are common household pests. They are not a single species of an insect but instead, the term gnats is a general name for many types of flying insects.  Even though they are weak fliers, it is very hard to catch them, they seem to know how to detect our every movement.  

Gnats are flies that are small in size. Their size ranges from ⅛  inch to 1/10 inch. They look more like mosquitoes than flies, actually.  They are equipped with a couple of wings but are not very good fliers. They fly in large numbers in what is called “clouds”.  

Gnats can be both biting and non-biting insects. Biting gnats are blood-sucking flies, which include the black flies and biting midges.  

Similar to mosquitoes and horseflies, gnats are attracted to the carbon dioxide expelled by humans. This is the reason why they usually fly around our noses and mouths.  

Are Gnats More Than Just a Mere Nuisance?  Do They Bite?

Yes, some gnats are more than a mere nuisance because they bite humans. These gnats are known as the biting gnats. Fortunately, only the females bite, much like the mosquitoes.  They are the only ones with the taste for blood and the mouthparts to bite.T he males feed only on nectar from flowers as well as juices from other plants.  

Female gnats bite in order for them to produce eggs.They can only reproduce after a blood meal because of the proteins they can get from the blood.  After feeding on a blood meal they would be ready to produce 150 to 400 eggs after a few days  Aside from being attracted to carbon dioxide, gnats are also attracted to black moving objects because they easily detect black colors.  

Female adult gnats have mouthparts that are capable of biting. The females have jagged saw-like mouthparts or maybe even scissor-like which allows them to cut through the skin and feed on the blood of their host. They do not have a proboscis, which the mosquitoes have. Instead, gnats have mandibles that bite and cut through the skin. But similar to mosquitoes, gnats inject an enzyme that prevents blood clotting. This way they can feed on the blood faster. 

Gnat bites can be very painful and ugly to look at.  It may also result in itching and swelling of the skin.  They look like red patches on the skin.

Do They Transmit Diseases?

 Some types of gnats do not transmit diseases but unfortunately, some do.  Below are some of the diseases that gnats transmit.

1. Leishmaniasis - A parasitic disease that is spread by the bites of gnats.  For some people, there are no signs and symptoms. For those who do exhibit   symptoms, they have one or more sores on the skin.  Some people have swollen glands near the sores.  

2. Onchocerciasis - Also known as  River Blindness. It is a parasitic disease transmitted by blackflies.  It is called River Blindness disease because the blackfly  that transmits the disease lives and breeds near rivers and streams and the disease can cause blindness.  Aside from the blindness, River Blindness can also cause skin disease. Some people do not experience symptoms. Some who do have symptoms have skin rashes that are itchy,  changes in vision, and nodules under the skin. There can also be swelling of the lymph glands which are not painful, but this is not very common. Most of these signs are the body’s reaction to larvae that are either dying or already dead.  

3. Punta Toro virus - Also known as sandfly fever.  This disease is known to be transmitted by sandflies.  

Stages Of Gnat Bites

How do they do it? Gnats bite in 4 stages.  The first stage is the penetration of the skin through their mandibles.  Next, the gnat would place its mouthparts over the wound. The feeding tube in its mouth, called syntrophic, would then be anchored on the wound.  After they do this, they can start to feed. They pump blood through three different muscle groups. The last stage is the removal of the mouthparts from the wound.  Then they happily fly away.  

Treatment Of Gnat Bites

If a gnat bites you, disinfect the area of the bite.  Wash it with soap and water. Use an anti-itch or anti-pain relief.  A doctor may prescribe one that best suits you. If you have any of the following symptoms, visit a doctor.

1. If you have a swollen area around the bite. 

2. If you are having breathing difficulties. 

3. Throat, chest, or mouth swelling.  

4. Draining of yellowish or greenish fluid coming from the wound.  

How To Get Rid of Gnats

Now we know that while some types of gnats are not harmful to humans, there are some that are.  But no matter, harmless gnats are still very annoying and are unwelcome visitors to any home. It is a good thing that there are some things we can all do to get them out of our houses and out of our lives too. Here are some quick tips to eliminate gnats in your home.

1. Gnats are inside our houses because they are looking for food.  If you find them swarming over fruits in your kitchen, you can make some homemade gnat trap solution to catch them.  An apple cider gnat trap can be very useful. Put ¾ cup of apple cider vinegar in a jar with a lid. Add 8 drops of liquid dishwashing soap and voila!  You have a gnat trap. Make small holes on the lid. Gnats like the smell of apple cider vinegar and will be drawn to it. You may also use white vinegar if you do not have apple cider vinegar. 

2. Disposable gnat traps are also available in stores.  You may also use a UV light bug zapper. 

3. If you find them in the bathroom, use bleach diluted with water.  Mix a half cup of bleach and 1 gallon of water and pour it down the drain.  Use protective gloves and mask while doing this.  

4. You may also use ammonia to kill gnats by pouring a cup of it down the drain.  

5. Remove any items that can hold standing water.

6. Get a spray bottle, vinegar, and dishwashing soap.  Mix one tablespoon of vinegar, one cup of water, and a few drops of dishwashing liquid.  Simply spray it on gnats that are flying around you.  

Follow these simple tips for a gnat-free life. 

If you do not have time though, there is another way to beat them. 

Just call the best pest control company in Greenville, Go-Forth Pest Control.

Go-Forth is the leading pest control company in South Carolina. 

We have a team of expert professionals with excellent experience in exterminating pests like gnats, mosquitoes, roaches, flies, termites, ants, rats, mice, and many others.  We use state of the art equipment and family-friendly and pet-friendly methods.

You are assured of your family’s safety with Go-Forth Pest Control around.

For more inquiries, or to request a free quote, just call us. 

Our friendly operators are standing by.