How to get rid of midges in an apartment, in the kitchen: types of flies and where they come from, how long they live and what they are afraid of, means for removal.

They forgot to take out the trash on time or didn’t notice how an apple rolled behind the kitchen cabinet and began to rot there, and now small and annoying fruit flies appeared in the house. They multiply quickly, some bite, spoil food and damage vegetation in the apartment. In short, they don’t give me peace. The question arises, how to get rid of midges at home. Fortunately, there are many effective methods; you can fight insects yourself without involving exterminators.

Reasons for the appearance of midges in the house

Until you find out why these small insects appeared in your home, you will not be able to completely remove them.

Important! Start fighting midges as soon as you notice them. When there are a lot of them, it will be much more difficult to get rid of them.

The appearance of midges is associated with the following factors:

With irregular cleaning of the trash can, delay in taking it out. The temperature and especially humidity in a garbage heap with organic waste is slightly higher than in the environment. The remains of vegetables rot, midges begin to multiply. They notice insects when they are already flying everywhere. Often, midge eggs are laid on the walls and bottom of the bucket, and if it is not washed periodically, the insects will also begin to actively reproduce.

In most cases, insects breed in rotting environments.

With unwashed fruits and vegetables from the garden or store. Many people believe (and not without reason) that the harvest from their own garden is the best, without nitrates, etc. They don’t wash the fruits right away, they begin to spoil. As a result, midges appear. The same thing happens due to lack of time or simply laziness with vegetables and fruits purchased at the nearest market or store.

Dirty or spoiled fruit.

With rotting of the roots of indoor plants. This happens when the latter are watered abundantly. Any soil that is not sterilized contains midge eggs. As soon as a nutrient medium appears, small parasites immediately begin to multiply.

Flower plants. Midges appear in pots due to excess moisture.

With improper fertilization of house plants. Tea is often used for the latter. The midges love him very much.

They parasitize house plants, inhibiting their growth.

With placing indoor plants on the balcony. Insects can come from the street. Therefore, if you have already placed pots of flowers there, check them as often as possible.

The presence of unkempt indoor plants.

With irregular cleaning of the tray and the habitat of pets, especially rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs.

There is always organic matter there; if you don’t clean it out regularly, it rots.

With improper care of the aquarium. Algae can also decompose. In addition, fish require moderately warm water.

These are ideal conditions for the appearance of rot, and therefore midges.

With clogged water supply and sewer systems. First of all, with siphons for sinks and toilets. Residues of food settle at the bottom, and if not cleaned in a timely manner, they rot. The result is not difficult to predict.

Malfunction of the sewer system or other communications, leaking pipes.

Important! Don't be too scared of midges. They are, of course, unpleasant, but they do not bite humans, and they do not transmit pathogens of dangerous diseases. In general, unpleasant, but not dangerous.

Methods of disposal

Folk remedies

Today, there are many modern drugs for quickly and effectively eliminating midges from a city apartment, however, folk remedies have not lost their relevance.

Some of the most effective results that give positive results are discussed below:

The easiest way to get rid of the fruit variety of midges is to destroy and dispose of the fruits that attracted the attention of the insects.
Another simple and popular way is to install a regular mosquito net if the windows in the room are opened too often. This will create a natural barrier that insects will not be able to overcome, even if they are attracted to something inside the apartment.
In cases where for some reason it is impossible to eliminate the source that attracts midges, it is necessary to place a switched-on fan opposite it. Even small air currents will not allow them to get closer to their target, so over time they may lose interest in it and leave the apartment, regarding the source as an unattainable object.
Killing insects with a vacuum cleaner. It is worth noting that this technique is not very effective, since it allows you to get rid of only the encountered midges and the next day new individuals usually appear.
Spraying detected insects with plain water from a spray bottle. This will not harm them, but will deprive them of the ability to fly, which makes the process of capture or mechanical destruction easier.
Dispersal of intimidating aromas, such as horseradish, vanillin, laundry soap, mint or cloves. This technique is not always effective, since not all odors are equally unpleasant for different types of midges.

Spreading repellent scents, such as garlic, helps get rid of midges

Traps

An effective way to get rid of midges is to make and install various traps. Some options are discussed below:

Sticky tapes have the simplest design, they are cheap and easy to buy in stores, which is why these traps are so popular. It is necessary to take into account that midges will only get caught in them if the tapes emit the same smell as the objects that lured them into the apartment.
It is necessary to put a banana peel inside the bag, then tie it securely, but pierce a large number of small holes. Insects will rush to the sweet smell of the fruit, but will not be able to get out, since they are not able to navigate the currents of fresh air. The main disadvantage of this trap is that it is only effective against fruit gnats.
At your discretion, you can pour a mixture of honey, wine, beer, wine vinegar, fruit juice, syrup or sweet soda with a pronounced aroma into the container. To enhance the effect, you can also place banana peels or tangerine peels there. The midges will follow the smell and drown in the trap liquid. You can stick a paper cone with a hole in the top inside the container, which is guaranteed to prevent insects from finding a way out if for some reason they do not drown.
Zappers are electric traps that kill midges with electric discharges. They are not dangerous to humans, but pose a deadly threat to insects. Such devices were developed primarily to kill flies and mosquitoes, but manufacturers often recommend using them to get rid of midges. However, it must be taken into account that devices of this type are expensive and have impressive dimensions. For this reason, they are most often in demand not in city apartments, but in large vegetable warehouses, as well as inside large warehouses or logistics centers.
Various store-bought traps are designed on the same principle as most homemade models. There is an aromatic bait inside, and the design is designed in such a way that the insect cannot get out; An alternative option is to use chemicals that are non-toxic to humans inside it, which leads to the death of midges.

Chemicals

The most effective method of control is the use of various chemical agents, since this allows you to destroy the entire population, even if individual individuals have not been noticed, and also provide high-quality protection from reappearance.

Some drug options are discussed below:

“Fly-eater”, “Bazudin” or “Grom-2” are inexpensive and effective means that help if indoor plants are the source of the spread of midges. The population completely dies within 2-3 days after treatment, the reappearance of insects is excluded for 1-2 months.
Chalk "Mashenka", which is known for its effectiveness against cockroaches and other crawling insects, can also be used to kill midges. For these purposes, it is painted into powder, which is then added to the soil of indoor plants.
Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap is a spray that contains poisonous fatty acids of plant origin, which instantly kill midges when they come into contact with them. This drug cannot be used to treat seedlings, young seedlings, as well as a number of ornamental and fruit plants.
Invade Bio Drain is a gel for cleaning sewer pipes; it can also be used to kill midges if they have settled in communications. It is enough to use a small amount of the drug and turn on hot water, which will get rid of mature insects, deposited larvae and food debris that attracted them. More accessible and cheaper products include Domestos , Tiret or “ Mr. Muscle ”.
Under the Gardex , various insect control products are produced, including a specialized sprayer for killing midges.

Types of midges

Midges seem the same, but in fact there are many types of them. The species most commonly encountered by humans are sciarids, fruit flies and butterflies.

Sciarides are soil insects that are found almost everywhere. Once they appear on indoor plants they can easily be destroyed. They mainly affect the root system and young seedlings. Body length 1.5 to 4 mm. The color of the integument is light gray in young animals and black in adults. The female lays up to 300 eggs in a clutch. The larvae are vermiform, 3 to 5 mm long, with a gnawing mouthpart.

Fungus gnat, midge, sciarid are the names of the same insect, some species of which pose a danger to home flowers.

Drosophila (winter gnats) are a type of fruit gnat. They prefer to live on rotting berries and fruits. Size no more than 4 mm. The color can be dark yellow, orange, brown and black. There are up to 80 eggs in a clutch. They begin to mate after development is complete. The larvae are white, about 3-4 mm long. Life expectancy is about a month.

They got their name because they are attracted to the smell of wine that comes from rotting fruit.

Sewer flies (butterflies) feel good not only in the bathroom, but also in the bathroom, especially if cleaning there is rare. The harm to a person is purely aesthetic. There are no confirmed reports of infections or bites. Size no more than 5 mm. Color ranges from light gray to brownish. The clutch consists of several dozen eggs. They are deposited wherever there is decomposing waste. They fly very poorly and over a short distance.

Butterflies are sewer midges that look like moths or small mosquitoes.

Midges are also distinguished by habitat. There are fruit, sewer, onion, indoor, basement, etc.

Important! Insect larvae are noticeable only at an early stage of formation. Then they actually merge with the fruit and are almost invisible. Therefore, even if at first glance there are no larvae, all purchased products should be thoroughly washed and, in addition, scalded with boiling water.

Blood-sucking bugs

Blood-sucking bedbugs are the only insects listed here that literally live in beds, sofas, bedding, and the folds of mattresses and pillows.

The size of bedbugs most often varies between 5–7 millimeters, the bodies of females are rounded, those of males are more elongated, the color is brown, copper, or reddish-brown.
The larvae look like smaller versions of adult bedbugs, but are lighter in color and smaller in size.
Bed bugs leave behind a brown, corrosive dirt that is easy to find in places where insects accumulate.
Bite marks look like swollen red dots, which always appear in several pieces and line up in a chain.
When bugs puncture the skin, they inject an anesthetic into it, so the moment of the bite may not be felt; in larvae, this body system is underdeveloped, so their bites, on the contrary, can be painful.

How to get rid of midges in the kitchen and other rooms

We will describe the most effective and affordable methods, first we will give general rules. In order to quickly get rid of flies you should:

Identify the cause of midges. There may be several of them. Pay special attention to this stage, otherwise nasty insects will appear again and again.
Get rid of all spoiled food, wherever it is (in the room, basement, kitchen, etc.).
Empty the trash can, then scald it with boiling water and rinse well.
If you have pets, replace their food and bedding. You should also change the water in the aquarium and clean it of rotten algae and other organic residues.
If you find midges on indoor flowers, remove the plants from the pot, remove all rotting parts of the root system and replant them in new soil.
Clean drain pipes and sewers, and do this not only with chemicals, but also with a cable. Empty the contents and thoroughly rinse the siphons in the toilet and sink.
Get rid of other sources of midges, if any are found.

Do not store garbage bags and buckets for a long time, because any garbage tends to deteriorate, and this increases the likelihood of midges appearing.

Hives

The harmless urticaria butterfly has nothing to do with it; we are talking about one of the types of dermatitis, whose manifestations are easily confused with insect bites. Urticaria is characterized by red, itchy blisters that resemble nettle burns, which is where it gets its name. Most often, the disease is of an allergic nature, but blisters can appear without an obvious reason one at a time, several at a time, or en masse at once.

The main difference that allows us to distinguish this form of dermatosis from insect bites is that urticaria leaves blisters with a uniform surface; there is no visible point where the bite was made. It may be difficult to see with the naked eye, but a magnifying glass and phone camera can help you enlarge the blisters to the required size and thus more accurately determine their origin.

Carefully!

DIY fly traps in the kitchen

There are a lot of types. Based on those described, you can even come up with several of your own designs.

Disposable cup trap

You can do it like this:

Take a glass that contains sour cream, yogurt, etc. The main thing is that you don’t mind throwing it away later.
Place midge bait on the bottom. This could be jelly, fruit juice, apple cider vinegar, or a piece of berry.
Cover the glass with cling film and make a small hole in the top through which midges can get inside.
Place the trap near a cluster of insects.
Get rid of it when it becomes full of small insects.

At night, the glass should be placed in the kitchen.

Important! It is better to throw filled traps immediately outside. Don't leave them in the trash can.

Glass jar insect trap

It's quite easy to make:

Take a regular glass jar.
Roll a funnel out of paper to half the height of the glass vessel. There should be a small hole at the very end.
Place bait on the bottom.
Insert the funnel into the jar and secure it with tape.

The midges will fly inside, but they will not be able to crawl out.
If it’s a shame to throw away the jar after use, rinse the vessel thoroughly.

Trap from a solution with detergent

Pour sugar syrup, jelly or other liquid treat for midges into a small container.
Add a little (a few drops) of detergent.
Place in places where insects gather. If they sit on the solution, they will drown in it.

Juice or nectar is poured into any container, which acts as a bait for insects.

Made with milk and black pepper

Mix a quarter liter of milk with three tablespoons of black pepper.
Add one and a half tablespoons of granulated sugar.
Soak sheets of paper in the solution and hang them up. When sitting on it, the midges will die.

This effective method does cause some inconvenience.

From formaldehyde, water and milk

Mix together 3 tablespoons of milk, 5 tablespoons of sweet water, one tablespoon of formaldehyde.
Divide the resulting mixture into several containers.
Place where there are the most insects.

Insects die from contact with such a solution.

What to do after a bite

You can minimize the impact of the poison by wiping the area where the biting midge has bitten with alcohol or an alcohol-containing product. If the wound is severely scratched and the process of rotting has begun, it is best to consult a doctor who can provide the necessary assistance.

If you apply a compress immediately after a bite, you can relieve pain and itching. To do this you will need:

A tablespoon of vegetable oil;
1-2 drops of mint essential oil;
5-6 drops of lemon essential oil.

After thoroughly mixing all the ingredients, soak a piece of gauze in the solution and apply it to the affected area. Place polyethylene over the compress and bandage it tightly. After two hours, the compress can be removed and the skin treated with alcohol or boric acid. Sometimes the product is left overnight.

Remedy for midge bites

How to get rid of midges in the house using folk remedies

Most often used:

Vacuum cleaner. They use it to pull out all the flying midges and clean the container outside.

Everywhere where insects sit needs to be vacuumed. They will end up in the bag and will not be able to fly back out.

Tobacco. 40 g should be poured with a liter of water and left at room temperature for a day, then filter the infusion and add another 2 liters of water.

Spray plants and soil 5 times at weekly intervals.

Soda and vinegar. You need to pour soda powder into the neck of the sink and extinguish it with vinegar. The reaction will be accompanied by intense hissing.

When finished, rinse everything with plenty of running water.

Ground camphor. Camphor should be heated in a frying pan until the first smell appears. After you smell it, walk through all the rooms with the frying pan, trying to spread the aroma as much as possible.

The midges are afraid of her and cannot stand her.

Natural repellents. You need to place citrus peels, cloves of garlic in places where midges accumulate, sprinkle finely chopped dill, or grease the pots of indoor plants with anise oil.

To be effective, these tools need to be constantly updated.

Important! You should be very careful with all kinds of solutions and other potent insect repellents. If used incorrectly, they can cause much more harm than the parasites themselves.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are a whole family of insects that feed on blood. They can enter your home through open windows and vents, through ventilation or drainage systems and are one of the most common pests in the warm season.

Mosquitoes have dark gray bodies, up to 1 centimeter in length, and transparent wings located parallel to the body.
Insects emit a characteristic monotonous squeak during flight, which is easy to hear if the parasite is hovering around your head.
Mosquito bites are sometimes felt, sometimes not, it all depends on the individual sensitivity of the skin and where your attention is directed - most often, if people are passionate or busy with something, the moment of the bite goes unnoticed.
The bite itself looks like redness that is dense to the touch, itches, and sometimes there is a small swelling around it, but in most cases it goes away after 1–4 hours.

Mosquitoes breed in water and places with high humidity, so they cannot literally live in your bed, however, it is more convenient for them to feed on your blood precisely while you are sleeping, so bites are often discovered in the morning.

Do dichlorvos and fumigator help?

Dichlorvos is a very effective remedy for midges, but the owners don’t like it either. The leaves of plants can be burned with dichlorvos, so it is better to spray them into the ground. As a last resort to kill the larvae, this drug is suitable.

If possible, it would be better to poison insects in other ways.

As for fumigators, their effectiveness depends on the composition that serves as a source of an aroma unpleasant to insects. It is necessary to connect the device to an electrical network, otherwise the smell will not be released because the special plate soaked in the odorous solution or the liquid in the bottle screwed to the fumigator does not heat up.

The product is highly effective in combating not only midges, but also mosquitoes, flies and other insects.

Fleas

A person can be bitten by several types of fleas

and all of them are carriers of parasites and various diseases, from helminthiases to plague, borreliosis and various types of typhus.

The size of fleas living in the Central region of Russia usually varies between 0.5–3 millimeters, so the insects look mostly like dark moving dots.
A flea bite always feels like a sharp, burning pain at the site of the skin puncture.
A small, hard, dried drop of blood may remain at the site of the bite.
Insects are not particularly scrupulous in choosing a place on the body to feed on, so they can bite in any open areas of the skin.
The flea bite begins to itch instantly and itch severely for several days.

Fleas do not tend to gather en masse to nest in a specific place, so they can live scatteredly anywhere in the house, not necessarily in or near the bed. If you suspect that it is fleas that are biting you, they live throughout the room.

Helpful advice

Lice

provoke the development of pediculosis and can be carriers of typhus and relapsing fever.

Depending on the type of lice, the length of their light, oblong or round bodies can range from 1 to 4 millimeters.
Most lice live directly on a person and constantly feed on his blood; body lice can live in things or a room, but not very far from the food source - a person.
Lice bites are not felt, but after some time, which depends on the individual characteristics of the body, they begin to itch.
If there are a large number of pests, their bites may merge into single red spots on the skin and become covered with a white flaky crust.

If you suspect that there are lice at home, you should start looking for them not from the bed or room, but from your own body. Insects can live on the head, eyebrows, mustache, armpits, groin, any place where hair is longer than 2-3 millimeters. Body lice can also be found on fleecy fabrics, which are similar in structure to hair.

Prevention of occurrence

Check stored food regularly for signs of rotting. As soon as they appear, throw away the spoiled ones.
Clean up and take out trash in a timely manner, and wash the trash can.
Clean sewer pipes and siphons periodically.
Don't forget to take care of the animals and the aquarium on time.
Do not leave dirty dishes for a long time.
Make sure that the water in the trays with plants does not stagnate. Avoid overwatering plants.
Keep your apartment or house clean. Do general cleaning once a week.

What not to do after a bite

If you are bitten by black or green midges, it is important to remember what not to do:

Treating the wound with household chemicals will increase the allergic reaction;
Scratch the skin;
Use a hormone-based ointment on the wound itself, as it causes a burning sensation, increasing healing time. Such drugs can only be applied around the affected area;
If a midge has bitten you in the eye, you should not use alcohol-based compresses;
Do not follow your doctor’s advice or recommendations for taking antibiotics;
Use medications without the consent of a doctor.

Circumstances of occurrence of insects

It’s just that midges will never appear in the house. They are usually attracted to dirty fruits and vegetables. There are usually larvae on the fruits, and when the food begins to rot, they become active. Insects have a short life, but if suitable conditions are created, their number quickly increases.

Midges manage to lay a huge number of eggs per day

Causes of unwanted midges:

If the garbage in the house is not taken out for a long time, this may be the reason why midges appear in the apartment. They feed on food scraps in the garbage container. Small midges in an apartment are often located on the trash can itself, so it is necessary to constantly clean it.
If you have pets at home and their cage or tray is not cleaned regularly, this will also cause midges to appear in the room.
Insects appear due to stagnant water in an aquarium or terrarium.
Midges are often bred in indoor plants. Their favorite place is flower pots, the soil in which has been fertilized with tea leaves. If the soil of the flowers is too wet, then unwanted insects will quickly appear there.
If the kitchen is kept clean, but insects still appear, then you need to check the sewer system. Perhaps there is household waste there that has begun to rot and thus attracted midges.

This is interesting: how to get rid of midges in indoor flowers

Unwanted guests usually appear on decomposing products. And if you remove the potential cause of insects, you can get rid of midges.

Types of midges

Often the food type of midges predominates in the kitchen. They are attracted to waste or food. Typically the insects are black or burgundy in color. It is very easy to deal with them: you need to clean frequently and make sure that there are no spoiled foods in the house.

Another type of midge is the body midge. They start on stale things and are more difficult to get rid of. To remove small midges, you need to use special plates that will repel the midges. The most effective scent is lavender. To kill insects in your home, you can use dried hazel leaves. If there are places in the room where high humidity is noticed, for example in the bathroom, kitchen or bathhouse, then there is a high probability of water flies appearing here. Constantly ventilating the room will help remove unwanted guests.

How to prevent insolent guests from returning?

Following simple hygiene rules will help avoid the return of annoying guests:

take out the trash once a day or more often;
do not leave open food on the table - it is better to transfer it to a closed container or simply cover it with a microwave hood;
do not leave dirty dishes in the sink;
Conduct a thorough wet cleaning of the kitchen weekly;
Water the plants in moderation and remove fallen leaves immediately. The soil can be covered with sand or pebbles to prevent the appearance of midges;
Clean your pet's bowl and cage regularly;
check vegetables and fruits in the refrigerator daily for freshness, remove rotten ones;
Wipe any drops or puddles that have formed immediately.

Hygiene is the main prevention of the appearance of midges in the apartment.