Drats It's the Season for Gnats!

Tis’ the season for creepy, crawly pests that cause us to swat so often we resemble a crossing guard directing traffic. Gnats are usually the cause of this strange behavior. Gnats are one of the most bothersome insects and are also one of the most difficult to efficiently control.  Here in the Columbia, S.C. area, gnats are especially bothersome. The South side of Lexington County has sand based soil which makes the perfect conditions for gnats. Fortunately, there are ways to dramatically cut down on the nuisance of gnats.

The first rule of thumb in controlling the population of gnats in your yard is to learn what conditions they prefer and alter your settings to create a less favorable one for the gnats. Educating our residents about gnats, along with our gnat control service can greatly reduce the  swatting, slapping and irritation gnats brings about.

What is a gnat, exactly?

A gnat is a species of tiny flying insects of the Dipterid suborder of the Nemotocera. Gnats come in biting and non-biting species. Gnat larva can thrive in many places, and some are even aquatic. Gnats feed on plants, fungi such as mushrooms, and some are carnivorous.

Why are gnats attracted to my yard?

Gnats like similar conditions to those of mosquitoes – damp, warm, moist areas with lush vegetation and standing water. The more humidity and moisture, paired with the abundance of foliage and flowers, make the perfect home for gnats.

Tips to reduce the gnats in your neck of the woods

To get the best results you will want to take additional measures to de-gnat your outdoor areas. Remove rotting vegetation from the yard, including the spent undersides of any potted plants or flowers on or around your deck or patio. Remove and tip over devices that may hold standing water. Remove old leaves, logs, and dead fall around your home and rake out the area and let it dry out this will discourage the gnat from returning to those areas. When watering your lawn or plants, don’t over water. You want the areas to sufficiently dry out before watering again. We recommend watering 3 days per week, and water in the early morning hours so the sun, paired with evaporation throughout the day will dry off any excess moisture present. Mosquito Squad of Columbia advises you to stay on our mosquito control program throughout the season to get the best gnat control. We cannot guarantee the gnat control applications but 75% of our customers who are on both the mosquito and gnat control saw a significant decrease in the gnats in their yards.

Here is our solution.With every barrier treatment, we always mist the ground with the product we use to control mosquitoes. If this is not sufficient then we add an additional product used to treat the gnats and fleas specifically. In extreme cases we can enroll you in our platinum  program where we mist your yard on a 2 week schedule.  We have had a great deal of success in protecting residents in the area from gnats. The degree of treatment you will need depends on your individual circumstances and property.

Contact Mosquito Squad of Columbia to learn more about controlling the bugs that are bothering you, including gnats, mosquitoes, fire ants, fleas, ticks, spiders and flies. We can help keep you and your family happy and healthy this season with bug-free days, and bug-free nights.