How to kill sewer flies: 6 best remedies

Author: Michael Potter Updated: May 14, 2020

There are many different types of flies and flies that can be found in your home, including sewer flies and fruit flies. But it is quite difficult to distinguish them correctly. To do this, you need to know the characteristics of the habitat of each type of fly. Fruit flies fly near food, juices, sweets and fermented, spoiled fruit. At the same time, sewer (drain) flies love garbage, pipes and damp places. They live near kitchen sinks, in bathrooms, sewer pipes, and in damp soil. These flies can accidentally enter the human body along with inhaled air and cause harm. You definitely need to get rid of them!

And we are ready to arm you! Believe me, if you learn more about the behavior of these insects and choose the right methods of prevention and destruction of flies, they will leave your home very soon!

What do sewer flies look like?

They are small (<2mm) black flies with short, hairy bodies and wings, giving them a “fluffy” moth-like appearance. Adults have long antennae and leaf-shaped wings. You can recognize drain flies not so much by their color and size as by their behavior. These flies are active in the evening, but during the day they are not active and sit somewhere on the walls.

These flies are poor flies, so they mostly stay indoors, crawling and only occasionally flying. And they don’t live long – about 2 weeks. The life cycle of drain flies contains several stages. The larvae and pupal stages of these flies live in thin films in drainpipes and septic tanks. The larvae feed on microscopic plants and decaying organic matter. The duration of the larval stage is about 9 to 15 days, and the pupal stage lasts for 20-40 hours. Adult flies that emerge from the pupae are considered fully mature and begin to reproduce rapidly, laying 30 to 100 eggs at a time.

Why are sewer flies dangerous?

1. They infect you through your food. Drain flies love to sit on your sandwiches and jam, especially if the kitchen counter is next to the sink. At this time, there is a lot of infection on their paws, picked up in the decomposition zone. From pieces of dirt to very dangerous bacteria.
2. Sewer flies in the bathroom are dangerous for children. You should not bathe your baby near a breeding ground for drain flies. They can fly into his eye, mouth... and in general, this is a dangerous neighborhood.
3. They bring their friends to you. Sewer flies and their babies are also a breeding ground. But for larger insects. Following them, spiders, larger flies and other creatures may appear in your house.
4. Allergy. These are, of course, not bees or wasps, but medicine knows cases of acute allergic reaction to sewer flies.

How to protect your home from fly infestation?

To understand where sewer flies come from, you need to know what attracts them. This list includes: trash cans, clogged, dirty drains in sinks and bathrooms, stagnant water in any place, as well as potted flowers indoors - flies love wet soil.

In general, the prevention method is very simple: you need to regularly clean all the sinks and drains in your home. Inspect all drains in the home and any areas inside or outside the home where there is standing water. The optimal regime for preventive cleaning of sewer pipes is once a month, especially if your home and the sewer system in it have been in service for many years.

Why and how do midges appear in an apartment?

Midges usually appear in unsanitary places. This does not mean that the room should be very dirty: for the spread of flying insects, a slight accumulation of garbage in the corner or lingering puddles on the floor is enough.

Midges can fly into the bathroom through open windows or doors, since it is quite common to encounter a cluster of miniature insects on the street. There are especially many of them near flowering trees and other plants, as well as near a garbage dump. If there is a flower garden or garden under the bathroom windows, or perhaps the windows overlook garbage cans, it is recommended to protect the apartment in the form of mosquito nets.

Another reason for the appearance of midges in the bathroom can be clogged drain pipes or holes in the sink. The smell of rotting especially attracts such uninvited guests, so it is not recommended to wash fruits and other products in the bathroom, because a small piece of food will deteriorate and rot, arousing the interest of insects.

It happens that the cause of midges in the bathroom is plants. In this case, it is necessary to carry out chemical or biological treatment of the flowers, as well as to radically clean the soil. Avoid overwatering plants in the bathroom, as high humidity levels and too much water in the soil will cause the roots to rot.

It doesn’t matter how the insects got into your apartment, in any case you should get rid of them as soon as possible, because in addition to the basic inconvenience of residents, the appearance of midges in the apartment is fraught with the spread of a viral infection.

Reasons for appearance

Why do tiny black insects appear in the bathroom? Abundance of moisture, dampness, warmth - that’s what attracts them. Midges actively reproduce and love unsanitary conditions. This does not necessarily require an abundance of dirt or unwashed dishes. Enough of poorly cleaned corners, spilled water or odors from the toilet.

Midges often fly into windows and doors if trees and flowers are blooming near the house, there are trash cans, or garbage dumps.

Their appearance may be due to old, clogged drain pipes. The smell of rotting is their favorite “amber.”

Midges can appear in other ways:

· from neighbors;

· through ventilation ducts;

· from the entrance, basement;

· from the garbage chute.

Note: The average lifespan of insects is 2 weeks. During this time, they are able to lay tens, hundreds of thousands of eggs, replenishing their “army”.

How to quickly kill midges in the bathroom?

If you notice flying insects in the bathroom, immediately start cleaning the room. Most often, insects appear in places where dirt or moisture accumulates, so tidy up all corners and hidden places, for example, the area under the sink, toilet, etc. Review the drawers and shelves with creams, ointments and aromatic additives; the cause of midges may be expired or damaged cosmetics.

The trash can in the bathroom deserves special attention; do not allow excessive accumulation of paper and other waste, empty the trash can at least twice a week. This will relieve you of the unpleasant smell in the room, and will also help prevent the spread of insects.

If you have pets, keep their bowls and litter box clean, as these areas are also attractive to some insects.

Having discovered the location of insects, you should thoroughly treat this area using chlorine products. Midges cannot stand this smell, so they will soon disappear without a trace. To treat surfaces, you can use gels or bulk cleaning products, and then use insect repellent sprays in the room. But thorough cleaning of the area is required, since until you remove debris and dirt from the bathroom, you will not be able to completely eliminate insects.

Folk remedies for fighting midges in the bathroom

To eliminate pests from the bathroom, you can use folk recipes; such remedies help to effectively and quickly get rid of annoying insects, without causing harm to human health.

• Apple cider vinegar diluted with water attracts midges with its specific smell. To combat insects, add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and a spoonful of vegetable oil to ½ cup of boiled water to create a film on the surface. Midges fly to the smell, sink to the surface of the water, but cannot fly back. After a day or two, the glass should be changed, gradually you will get rid of all the individuals.
• An air attack on insects in the bathroom will also be effective. Since the room is small, you can use caustic dichlorvos: spray all corners and the floor with poison, leave the room closed for several hours, then thoroughly ventilate the bathroom.
• The smell of rotting is also very attractive to insects; to catch them, you can use this method - put a piece of fruit or vegetable in a jar, make a funnel out of paper and glue it to the neck of the vessel. Place the jar in the bathroom, midges will follow the smell and fly into the jar. The next day, just fill the vessel with water to get rid of the caught insects.
• Preventing the appearance of insects, of course, does not provide a 100% guarantee of their absence, but it will help to promptly notice and prevent the spread of any types of pests in the bathroom. Try to follow basic rules of room hygiene - ventilate the room, wash the floor and walls with chemicals, avoid dirtying buckets and bowls, and keep the corners of the room clean.

These simple tips help get rid of not only midges, but also other insects in the bathroom. Prevent the appearance of pests as often as possible, and you will not have problems with uninvited guests.

The home, especially kitchens and corners with green plants, is an ideal habitat for several species of small dipteran insects. A folk or chemical remedy will help get rid of midges in your apartment. It is imperative to combat high humidity and other indoor conditions that attract harmful insects.

Where do sewer flies live?

Butterflies that appear in human homes are synanthropic insect species. This means that the most favorable conditions for their life are created next to people. Basically, two conditions are important for sewer moths - humidity and organic debris on which they feed. Reduced illumination up to complete darkness (as in basements) and cool air are welcome. That is why the massive and active appearance of these insects can be observed, as a rule, in the off-season .

Butterflies in apartments breed most often in drains or in clogged places with constant humidity . Therefore, their appearance often indicates a violation of sanitary and hygienic standards in the home. This is what you need to pay attention to first in case of their invasion.

Types of house midges, their differences and habitats

The food supply for small annoying insects that live in houses and apartments may be different, although they themselves are similar in appearance. Midges in an apartment look like a smaller copy of a fly or a very small mosquito with wings; they also belong to the class of insects (insecta), the order Diptera. The body length is 2–10 mm, there are three pairs of legs and one pair of wings.

Fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) is a species of the fruit fly family. Other names are fruit or wine midge , fruit fly . The body length is 2–4 mm. The color is red-yellowish, brown.

Butterflies are small flies whose body length reaches 1–4 mm. Externally they look like very small night moths. The body is covered with light brown fluff, and a pair of wings are covered with gray fibers. Other names for these insects are sewer flies or drain midges .

Sciarids or detritnits are small insects that belong to the family Sciaridae, the genera Sciara, Licoriella and Bradisia. Other names are leaf gnats , soil gnats or fungus gnats . The length of the graceful dark-colored body of Sciara ranges from 2 to 7 mm.

Drosophila feed on plant debris and fruit juice, so they are more often found in the kitchen, where they swarm over food waste. Sewer midges fly near the sink and drain hole in the bathroom. Sciarides usually climb around indoor plants, sit on flower pots, window sills, and window frames.

On balcony and indoor flowers you can find leafhoppers - representatives of the order Coleoptera, family Cicadellidae. These are larger insects than fruit flies and fungus gnats. The body length in the shape of the Latin letter V reaches 1 cm. The color is light gray, yellow, greenish. Adult leafhoppers can fly around the room, and at one stage of development they do not have wings and jump high near food plants.

The described species of house midges do not include true mosquitoes and flies; they are much larger. Screens on windows usually trap these insects, but are often useless against the smallest representatives of dipterans.

How to get rid of sewer flies: a review of the best traps and chemicals

Where is the best place to install fly traps?

Most often they need to be placed at the site of infection. Near a garbage dump, a low-lying drain, somewhere next to the sink. It is clear that there is no need to place it in the sink itself - the flies will fly into the trap for food anyway.

BEAPCO 6-Pack Drop-Ins Fruit Fly Traps

This trap is designed for fruit flies, but, judging by user reviews, it is also perfect for their sewer “sisters”. A set of 6 traps costs only $14.99 - a very reasonable price. Manufacturers assure that one such set will protect your home for 180 days - i.e. one trap should be enough for exactly a month.

Inside small plastic containers there is a mixture that is non-toxic to humans - something like apple cider vinegar. The device is designed in such a way that the bait will not leak out of it even if it falls or breaks. The description says that BEAPCO catches 2 times more flies than competitors.

Users note the ease of installation, the high efficiency of the trap and the fact that it even catches beetles and mosquitoes. One man even swore in the comments that his BEAPCO caught a couple of hundred midges overnight! True, some buyers complain about the quality of the plastic: they say it breaks if you step on it or drop it on the floor, which, however, is logical: this is not a mixture of titanium and platinum...

TERRO Fruit Fly Trap T2500

In second place in the user rating of traps is TERRO Fruit Fly Trap T2500. This device looks very cool: in shape and color, the product imitates a ripe apple. This is understandable: the developers of TERRO created it, first of all, to catch fruit flies. But we remember that sewer flies also love sweet nectar and juice. Therefore, they also “buy” the appearance of the bait.

The Trojan apple is more expensive – $6.97 per piece. Apparently, the premium is just for the unique patented design. In all other respects, this trap is similar to the previous sample. One package is valid for a month, it contains a non-toxic mixture, and Terro can catch hundreds of flies.

As for the advice of experienced buyers, they recommend placing the trap under the sink and closer to the trash can. True, parents of small children need to explain to the child what an “apple” is and should never be touched or bitten. It looks really delicious.

Invade Bio Drain Gel

The most popular option among all analogues is Invade Bio Drain Gel. Depending on the volume, it will cost from $8 for 1 quart to $155 for 4 gallons. We recommend purchasing a gallon of product at once for $45.25: this volume is enough for a protracted war with sewer flies.

This product should be used in one method: pour into the drain (4-5 ounces will be enough for one time, although it is better to read the official instructions). It does not contain aggressive or dangerous chemicals, but we still recommend avoiding unnecessary contact with the human skin and body, so it is better to use protective gloves. The basis of the liquid is citrus oil (yes, the smell from the product is very pleasant) and some “natural microbes” that destroy everything in their path: organic matter, scale, excess odors...

The result is that the flies are left without a nutrient mixture for their larvae. Most users notice a “killer” effect after the first use of Invade Bio Drain Gel. True, re-filling the sink is still mandatory: they are recommended by the manufacturer himself. One way or another, on average, after the complete destruction of insects, most commentators were left with an almost full bottle of the product. Economical after all.

Among hundreds of positive reviews, we also found a couple of entries about the complete ineffectiveness of the product. It seems that their authors simply confused sewer flies with fruit flies. And looking for a den of fruit flies in the sink is very short-sighted...

Drain Gel

Probably the main competitor of the previous Bio-gel is Drain Gel. A gallon of this product costs $35.65, a quart – $15.49. In general, the prices are almost comparable.

It also breaks down organic matter inside sewer systems, providing a healthy environment inside pipes and drains, penetrating even the smallest cracks and bends. The product affects both flies and insects. It does not have such a wonderful orange aroma, but it effectively destroys bad odors.

Users note the economical consumption of the gel. It kills flies in just two uses, despite the fact that the recommended “fill” dose is 1-2 ounces. Many of the buyers are hooked on Drain Gel as a preventive measure. People write that cleaning the sink monthly with its help prevents the possibility of a “fly relapse.”

Overall, this product is very similar to the previous gel and saves $10 per gallon compared to the cost of a gallon of InVade Bio Drain.

What harm do midges cause?

Numerous midges in an apartment can appear suddenly, multiply quickly and greatly annoy people with their presence. The food supply of fruit flies is plant debris, including rotting parts of indoor plants. Sewer flies and fruit flies can infect food and various surfaces in the apartment.

On their legs and abdomen, insects carry pathogenic viruses, fungi and bacteria from trash cans and pipes.

Adult sciarids hardly feed. Females lay eggs on indoor plants and on the surface of the ground. Fungus gnat larvae are voracious and omnivorous. They live in earthen substrates, feed on soil fungi and plant debris, and if there is a lack of this food, they switch to eating roots and seedlings.

It is necessary to use all means and methods to get rid of midges at home and in the office. Adults and larvae suck out plant juices and inject their poisonous saliva. Midges carry infections (viral, bacterial, fungal), mites, and nematodes.

One adult female sciarid lays up to 300 eggs. If midges find an abundance of food in the apartment and do not meet resistance from the owners, they multiply very quickly. Fighting these insects is not an easy task, because they hide well and increase their numbers many times over in a short period of time.

What kind of fly is the sewer butterfly?

Butterflies are the closest relatives of mosquitoes - small dipterous blood-sucking insects. However, unlike them, butterflies do not feed on blood. They are herbivores . They prefer rotting plant remains, accumulations of bacteria and microscopic fungi. From this point of view, they are much less harmful than their carnivorous relatives, who are capable of transmitting pathogens of serious diseases. Therefore, as a rule, they are not classified as dangerous insect species .

Butterfly photo from the side

However, they are still annoying. What do these winged arthropods look like? Outwardly they are very attractive. Miniature, up to 4 mm in size, tiny “butterflies” . They have characteristic oval wings that are large for their size. Body color is dark, grayish-brown. Sometimes graphite black.

The entire body of butterflies is heavily hairy , which increases their resemblance to moths. The legs are thick and short. On the head there are long, clearly visible, feathery antennae. In general, unlike many other insects, they do not look repulsive. Quite cute midges.

Where do house flies come from?

Drosophila are attracted to living quarters by fresh, ripening and already rotting fruits, fruit peels, various cores, and leftovers containing sugar. Wine midges quickly master open bags and bottles after drinking juices and other sweet drinks.

Almost 90% of small insects in an apartment live in the kitchen, where they find food and the opportunity to reproduce.

Female fruit flies lay eggs on top or inside fruits. Within 1 day, the larvae hatch, for which the sweet fruit is both a table and a home. They feed for 9–10 days and begin to reproduce.

It is not always clear where midges appear in the bathroom. Butterflies find an abundance of decaying organic matter, moisture and warmth in drain holes. Sewer fly larvae feed on the mucous deposits covering the inside of pipes.

The number of fungus gnats directly depends on the dampness in flower pots and the entire apartment. Sciarides find favorable conditions for themselves in old pots in which soil algae and rotting parts of roots accumulate, as well as in containers with waterlogged substrate.

Midges enter an apartment, house or office from the environment - through open windows and doors, ventilation grilles. Small insects are easily carried by even weak gusts of wind. A florist can infect all indoor plants with sciarids if he brings uninvited guests with a bouquet, a new potted plant, or soil. Purchased food products and substrate from the supermarket can be contaminated with eggs and larvae of midges.

Is sewer midge dangerous?

It is worth understanding that these insects are inhabitants of a completely non-sterile clean environment. They can sit on sewer pipes, waste, and then fly to the dinner table and climb on food.

Therefore, the risk of infection by dangerous bacteria will always be present. In addition, due to their small size, they can be swallowed or eaten along with food, and they can fly into the nose and eyes.

These small insects also serve as food for larger insects. Therefore, such a nutrient medium will attract large flies, spiders and other pests into the house.

There are cases where sewer flies have caused allergic reactions in people. Of course, you need to get rid of them and take the most effective methods of struggle.

Remedies for midges

The obvious solution to getting rid of insects in an apartment is to deprive the pests of food. However, in practice this method is not very feasible. There are many other methods and means to combat house midges.

Insecticides

These are drugs that kill midges, reducing their numbers by inhibiting reproduction. If such products are used in everyday life, they often say “poison insects.” The downside of outdated insecticides is the presence of organophosphorus compounds that can poison humans and domestic animals.

Modern preparations contain relatively safe pyrethroids - analogues of natural insecticides isolated from the pyrethrum plant.

Can be used in apartments:

Spray the sink in the bathroom and kitchen, the trash can and its storage area against fruit flies and sewer flies. Flower pots, trays, window sills and any surfaces on which containers with indoor plants are installed are treated against fungus gnats.

Application of insecticide for spraying:

1. Close windows and doors.
2. There should be no children or animals in the premises during processing.
3. In the kitchen, pre-clean the refrigerator, cabinets, or package all open food products.
4. Spray liquid from an aerosol can or spray bottle on the areas where the most adult midges are seen.
5. Spray a spray or aerosol in the bathroom, toilet, kitchen, and living rooms (if necessary).
6. After 1.5–2 hours, the treated areas are ventilated and thoroughly wet cleaned.

Rating of the most effective drugs against flies

The simplest means of repelling flies in an apartment (sticky tapes, dry baits, sprays) have low effectiveness and help to destroy only flying individuals. The problem can be solved once and for all only with the help of professional preparations that are toxic to adult insects, as well as their numerous offspring - eggs, larvae, pupae. Water-soluble concentrated insecticides are most effective due to their ability to penetrate hard-to-reach places in an apartment or house. The TOP 10 drugs, compiled on the basis of consumer reviews and recommendations of SES specialists, will help you choose a high-quality poison that will protect your home from colonization by irritating dipterans.

Professional do-it-yourself fly control kit

The best way to get rid of insects is a comprehensive approach to exterminating insects. We suggest you purchase such a set with professional chemicals used by qualified specialists. The set consists of the following components:

• Professional chemistry;
• spray;
• barrier protection;
• protective gloves;
• protective mask;
• instructions;

Set price: 1190 rub.

You can separately purchase professional chemicals for killing insects. The insecticidal product is an emulsion concentrate in the form of a transparent liquid from light yellow to red-brown color with a specific odor. Used to combat all types of crawling and flying insects. Buy the drug Price: 600 rub.

Agita 10 VG

The new generation insecticide Agita 10 WG was developed by the Austrian pharmaceutical corporation KWIZDA GmbH specifically to combat flies. The sex pheromone present in the composition attracts adult insects, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the treatment. The drug is contact-intestinal. Main characteristics:

• release form – water-soluble granules;
• active ingredients – Thiomethoxam 10%, Z-9 tricosene (sex hormone) 0.05%;
• hazard category – class 4;
• scope of application – residential and non-residential premises, including social facilities;
• preparation – dissolve 100 grams of granules in 80 mg of water at room temperature;
• consumption of the finished solution is 100 ml per 40 m².

Agita 10 VG is applied with strokes or sprayed. The product is completely safe for animals, plants, people, including those with chronic pathologies. The treatment leaves no marks on surfaces. The result is instant.

Executioner "Super"

A universal insecticide produced in Russia is used to destroy most synanthropic insects, including flies. The contact action drug instantly enters the hemolymph of pests, causing paralysis and death. Effective both against adults and against larvae and eggs. Characteristics:

• Available in the form of a concentrated emulsion;
• contains one active ingredient - Fenthion 27.5%, reinforced with surface active components;
• danger to the environment and humans – class 3;
• area of ​​use - houses, apartments, public buildings, children's and medical organizations;
• method of application – 10 ml of emulsion is diluted in 1 liter of water at room temperature;
• Consumption rate – 1 liter of ready-made solution per 20 m².

Executioner “Super” has a moderate specific odor, which disappears within 1-2 hours after treatment. The drug can be used in homes where allergy sufferers, small children, and elderly people live. The solution does not leave stains. Visible results within 10-15 minutes.

GET Express

The improved Get Express formula allows you to destroy the entire population of flies in the house in 2 hours. The insecticide is produced by the Russian brand GET and has gained well-deserved popularity due to its versatility, high efficiency and prolonged action.

Characteristics:

• Available in the form of a microencapsulated suspension;
• contains two active components – Lambda-cyhalothrin 1% and Synergist dicarboximide MGK 264;
• insecticide of moderate danger (class 3);
• Get Express can be used in buildings of any category and for treating courtyard space;
• preparation of the working solution - dissolve 25 mg of suspension in 1 liter of clean water;
• Consumption rate – 1 liter of ready-made solution per 40-50 m².

Get Express is safe for allergy sufferers, small children, elderly people, animals and plants. It has a weak aroma, does not leave marks on surfaces, and does not cause resistance in insects. The main advantage is reliable protection of the house from flies for the entire warm season.

Doctor MKE

A powerful insectoacaricide, Doctor MKE, is produced by the Russian brand Alina Nova Prof. The drug is universal, designed to destroy most types of synanthropic insects. The product is effective against adults, eggs and larvae. It only takes one treatment to completely get rid of flies in your home.

Main properties of the drug:

• Available in the form of a microencapsulated suspension, available for home use in 50 mg bottles;
• active ingredient – ​​Lambda-cyhalothrin 5.5%;
• the product has been assigned hazard class 3;
• The MKE healer can be used at all public utility facilities, residential buildings, children's, educational and medical institutions;
• preparation of suspension – dissolve 1 mg of the product in 1 liter of water;
• consumption – 1 liter of aqueous solution per 20 m².

In the recommended concentration against flies, Medicine MKE is odorless and absolutely safe for people and household property. The product is sprayed in places where insects accumulate, along baseboards, door frames and window openings. The average price is 150 rubles per 50 ml.

Regent-800

The Brazilian insecticide Regent is in high demand among gardeners. It is used to treat fruit crops against the Colorado potato beetle, silkworm, moth and many other garden pests. But few people know that this is also the best remedy for flies indoors. Regent 800 is effective even if dipterans have developed immunity to poisons.

Characteristics of the drug:

• Available in the form of water-dispersible granules;
• active ingredient – ​​Fipronil 10% (phenylpyrazoles group);
• high danger – class 2 (requires increased safety measures);
• can be used in houses and apartments, subject to strict processing rules;
• preparation of solution – dilute 5 mg of Regent 800 in 250 ml of water at room temperature;
• consumption – 250 ml per 20-30 m².

Regent 800 is odorless, safe for people and animals, provided that it is disinfected in the absence of all residents. Treatment of premises is carried out by spraying window and door openings, baseboards, floors, and walls. 6 hours after spraying, wet cleaning is done. Regent is sold in specialized gardening supply stores. Cost – 100 rubles per 2 gram bag.

Sources

• https://fishcam-store.ru/prikormka/oparyshi-foto.html
• https://WikiParazit.ru/babochki-i-moshki/kanalizatsionnaya-moshka.html
• https://santatrade.ru/pochemu-moshki-u-rakoviny/
• https://zelenplaneta.ru/muhi/kanalizatsionnye-muhi-sposoby-borby.html
• https://FilterSeparator.ru/muha/muhi-v-torfyanom-tualete-kak-izbavitsya.html
• https://sandizain.ru/na-dache/dacha-sanuzel/kak-izbavitsya-ot-mux-i-oparyshej-v-vygrebnom-tualete.html
• https://PokemonGoy.ru/muhi/kak-izbavitsya-ot-oparyshej-v-tualete.html
• https://ecology-of.ru/moshki/borba-s-moshkami-v-sanuzle/
• https://dezecomos.ru/stati/top-10-luchshih-sredstv-ot-muh/

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Why don’t midges disappear from the apartment in winter?

From spring to autumn, insects are active: they feed, mate, and lay eggs. However, in the apartment it seems that the time of year has no power over the house flies. Even in winter, fruit flies appear, although much less frequently.

Sewer flies and fungus gnats are active all the time and do not reduce their numbers when it gets cold outside. Midges are active at home because adult insects have enough warmth in the indoor environment to mate and lay eggs. The hatched larvae are kept warm and do not suffer from lack of food in the fruit pantry or in the kitchen trash can.

To protect your house or apartment from midges, you need to store fresh fruit in the refrigerator, constantly inspect and throw away rotten ones. You should also empty your trash can and household waste container regularly. Do not leave dishes with food residues, open cans and bottles with juices and sweet drinks in the sink for a long time.

House flies are a nuisance, harm indoor plants, and carry infections. Maintaining cleanliness and order in the apartment helps to avoid the rapid proliferation of fruit flies, fungus gnats and sewer flies. To get rid of annoying midges, adhesive tapes, traps, insecticides, mechanical and folk methods of control are used.

Midges on the bathroom drain

Small midges are considered one of the most annoying insects. They do not cause any particular harm, but their numbers can cause panic - in just a few days their family can grow to monstrous proportions.

What is maggot

The bait is a blowfly larva with a dense, leathery covering, which allows it to move unhindered and exist in a fairly aggressive environment.
If this cover is broken, the maggot as bait loses its value; it simply “flows out” and turns into something like a translucent “stocking”. It is important not to damage this dense shell. A correctly installed larva remains mobile longer and maintains its integrity even after repeated use. The head of the bait has a pointed shape, its tip is dark in color. Its back part, on the contrary, is blunt, and at the end there are two small black dots. The length of the larvae does not exceed 4-12 mm. They appear from eggs laid by bluish-green flies on pieces of meat or fish.

When in comfortable living conditions, blowfly larvae can remain at this stage of development for 10-14 days, then the pupation period begins. If you keep the bait in the refrigerator, its shelf life is extended to six months.

How to fight correctly

If you find even a small number of midges, you should immediately begin a thorough cleaning of the bathroom - they appeared for a reason. You should start with a shelf or cabinet - go through all the hygiene products, get rid of expired and spoiled ones. Their smell can attract insects.

If there is a toilet in the bathroom for pets - dogs or cats, you need to look after it especially carefully. Timely cleaning, frequent filling of the tray, washing with special products will remove the unpleasant odor.

Order and cleanliness

The trash can also needs to be cleaned more often. If this happens less than twice a week, midges will definitely become an addition to toilet paper. After throwing out garbage, be sure to rinse the bucket with clean water. Don’t forget about cleaning the sewer pipes - pour chlorine into the opening of the washbasin and toilet.

Midges do not like chlorine products. Treat all hard-to-reach areas with this preparation (loose or in gel form). You can speed up the process by carrying out additional treatment in the bathroom with an aerosol against domestic insects. After a few hours, ventilate the room and thoroughly wipe all surfaces.

Traditional methods

Home remedies for cockroaches

Folk remedies allow you to get rid of midges in the bathroom quickly, effectively and completely safe for the human body. One of the most popular remedies is apple cider vinegar.

Add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a little vegetable oil to half a glass of plain water. Place small containers with this drug in the bathroom or toilet. The midges land on the fragrant liquid, but can no longer take off - their wings stick to the surface.

Another great remedy is camphor. Grind it, in an old unusable frying pan, bring it to a state where steam begins to emit. Place the container in the bathroom and close the door tightly. After a few hours, ventilate and clean the room.

If there are only a few insects, a vacuum cleaner will help get rid of them. Apply it to all hard-to-reach places, immediately pour the contents of the trash container into a bag and throw it into the garbage chute, remembering to tie it tightly.

Making a trap

If there is no possibility or desire to use chemicals or simple mixtures, you can make a trap that will help you quickly get rid of insects. It's very easy to do.

Take a small glass container (glass or jar), put a piece of banana or apple in it. Roll up a thick sheet of paper and place it in the jar, with the wide opening facing out. Attach the funnel to the container using tape.

Options for midge traps

That's it, the trap is ready. Midges will be able to fly in to the smell of rotting fruit, but they will not be able to get out of the trap. All you have to do is wait until there are a lot of representatives of the annoying family in the jar, take out the paper funnel and fill the container with boiling water.

Then you need to pour the dead midges into the toilet, put in a new bait and install the paper funnel again. You can install several such traps, this guarantees that the insects will completely disappear after a while. The main thing is not to forget to check the banks periodically.

Prevention

The appearance of midges can be avoided by following simple rules for cleaning the room.

Cleanliness is the key to health

• wash all surfaces with special cleaning products once a week;
• change the trash bags in the bin more often;
• pour bleach or disinfectants into the sink and toilet several times a month;
• carefully inspect indoor plants;
• pay special attention to hard-to-reach places.

Do not forget that some drugs or bleach can cause an allergic reaction in household members. If someone experiences discomfort after treating the bathroom, they should immediately ventilate the room and use another product.

Useful tips

Many housewives use the bathroom to wash fruits and vegetables. It’s better not to do this, because even the slightest piece of fruit remaining after washing will inevitably rot, thereby attracting midges.

You can hang adhesive tape in the bathroom. For a large concentration of midges, it is not a hindrance, but if they have appeared recently and the number of individuals is small, this tool will help catch the insects before they reproduce.

Dichlorvos odorless Neo 600 ml

If you don’t want to spend a lot of time killing insects, you can use regular dichlorvos. It is advisable to do this on a day off, when the whole family has the opportunity to go for a long walk. Treat and close the bathroom tightly, after returning, ventilate and thoroughly wash the surfaces with a cleaning product.

This is how, using simple tips, choosing the right product and following standard rules for cleaning premises, you can prevent the appearance of unpleasant domestic insects. Knowing how to deal with them, you can quickly get rid of such a neighborhood if they have already appeared, without putting in much effort. The main thing is to begin a merciless fight as soon as at least one midge is discovered. This ensures that the bathroom is always clean, free of flying or crawling insects.