Effective ways to help get rid of midges

Small annoying midges not only interfere with proper rest, but also bite quite painfully. These insects wait for a person not only in the forest or while relaxing by the river, but also at home.

The ubiquitous midges appear very quickly, but you can’t get rid of them easily. In this article we will look at the reasons for the appearance of these insects and the actions that should be taken to protect ourselves and get rid of them.

What kind of "beast"

The maximum size of an insect is 2 mm. Sciarid can be found in the garden and indoors. In apartments and houses she is content with indoor plants, but in the garden and vegetable garden she has room to “roam around”. Flying fungus gnats do not harm plants. They lay eggs in the soil, from which transparent larvae hatch, eating the roots and posing a serious threat to plants.

The most harmful types:

greenhouse mosquito (feeds on the rhizome of greenhouse cucumbers);
potato mosquito (damages the root system and potato tubers in open ground);
cucumber or mushroom mosquito (feeds on the roots of cucumbers planted in open ground, as well as oyster mushrooms and champignons).

Sciarid larvae living in the ground feed mainly on rotting plant debris. They begin to “absorb” living plant roots only in the event of mass reproduction. Just 50 larvae can destroy a cucumber bush or houseplant.

How to get rid of midges in a summer cottage: the best means

Owners of gardens and household plots know firsthand what midges are and how harmful they can be . Annoying insects constantly annoy, spoil garden and vegetable crops, and are also carriers of various diseases .

Before getting rid of pests, you should identify the reasons why they appeared on the site. Quite often, insects live in areas where tall grass grows . In order to eliminate the source of their appearance, it is recommended to clean the area using a hand scythe or an electric trimmer.

Manufacturers offer a large selection of products designed to get rid of flying insects. We invite you to familiarize yourself with popular products that provide effective and long-term protection against midges.

Where do they come from

If plants at your summer cottage begin to die en masse, the reason for this may be an invasion of sciarids. They actively live and reproduce in moist soil. This is due to the fact that with increased humidity in the soil, the process of rotting and decomposition occurs. Rotten organic matter is the first necessary food product for sciarid larvae.

Sciarid larva

Midges appear on indoor plants for the same reason. To plant home flowers, you need to use a special soil mixture purchased in the store. Firstly, it contains the necessary mineral fertilizers. Secondly, the soil is disinfected and does not contain pest larvae and eggs. If you used soil from the garden, there is a chance that it contains not only sciarid larvae, but also other parasites or fungi.

Recipes, cooking methods

If you don't know how to make mosquito repellent from vanilla, then you've come to the right place. Here are the best tips for using this aromatic substance.

Vanilla cream is considered the most reliable remedy for bloodsuckers. When mixing the powder with baby cream, you get an excellent repellent that lasts about two hours. Thanks to it, you can calmly work in your summer cottage or walk with your child. The recipe is quite simple: squeeze a portion of baby cream onto the back of your palm, pour a quarter teaspoon of powder from the bag on top and stir well. Apply the resulting cream with vanillin to protect against mosquitoes with your own hands on open areas of the body and on partings in the hair.

Vanillin diluted in water and applied to the skin also gives good results. But for this you need to know how to dilute vanillin against midges and mosquitoes so that it works. Vanillin crystals do not dissolve well in cold water and float on surfaces for a long time. Therefore, you need to warm up the water slightly, fill a small bottle (about 0.3 liters) halfway with it and add one packet of vanillin there. After shaking properly, you can use the product, which can be stored well for 2-3 days.

To protect infants during a walk, it is recommended to soak ordinary gauze with the resulting solution and hang the strollers with such a canopy. For adults, it is better to use spray bottles for ease of application. The product works for about 25-30 minutes. At night, for a restful sleep without insects, you can stir vanillin in a cup of water and place it near the bed.

To obtain an effective mosquito repellent, vanillin is mixed with water in a 1:1 ratio. It is enough to take 1 tablespoon of powder and water. Add 1 teaspoon of any shampoo to the resulting mixture, mix well and spread on exposed parts of the body.

The second option is without water. A pack of vanillin should be combined with 2 tablespoons of shampoo and applied to hands and feet. The product is easily washed off. Therefore, you can work in the garden and then take a shower.

The smell of vanilla essential oil repels insects even better than plain vanillin. When diluted, it can be safely applied to the skin. For 10 g of base (cream, cosmetic milk), take 4-5 drops of oil. When rubbed into the skin, it causes a slight chill within 1-2 minutes, which is a natural reaction.

If you don’t have essential oil on hand and don’t have time to work magic with solutions, but have a couple of bags of vanillin, then you can just sprinkle it on it or pour it into your pockets. After rubbing into the skin, the powder is invisible, leaving traces on clothes like flour.

Ways to get rid of sciarids

Sciarid larvae do not live long in the garden. This is due to frequent changes in weather conditions. High air temperatures and scorching sun do not allow the soil to remain moist for a long time. Indoor plants and seedlings are at risk. To get rid of the risk of seedling infection, buy specially treated soil. If you do not have this opportunity, bake the earth in the oven. This procedure will destroy larvae and eggs, fungal spores and old weed seeds.

If midges still hover over seedlings or indoor flowers, use special insecticides or traditional methods. The most popular insecticides:

"Intavir";
"Fitoverm";
"Karbofos";
"Lightning";
"Bazudin";
"Decis Profi".

Instructions with precise instructions on dosage and method of use are located on the back of the packaging of each drug. After applying the herbicide, do not water indoor plants or garden beds for 5 days to allow the drug to take effect. When working with any herbicide, you must take care of your own health. Be sure to wear gloves and a respirator to protect your respiratory tract.

Adults flying indoors must be controlled using aerosols (Dichlorvos) or fumigants. To control fungus gnats, you can use mosquito plates or fumigators. Close the windows and doors in the room with seedlings or indoor flowers and leave the fumigator on for 12 hours. Adults will have no chance to survive, and you will only have to destroy the larvae in the ground.

How to kill biting and non-biting midges?

The most important thing in dealing with these pests is patience. And special forces will help in the fight. products are the best options from Amazon, tested by dozens of users. The top presents means for combating both biting and non-biting midges, which are available and allow you to quickly begin an effective fight.

Electronic mosquito killers

Flowtron BK-15D Electronic Insect Killer

The Flowtron BK-15D is designed like an antique lantern with a 15-watt UV lamp surrounded by an electrical grid. The power of this device for ~$34 is enough to destroy various flying insects, including biting and non-biting midges, on an area of 20 acres. It has been experimentally verified that during the night one such “killer lantern” can attract and electrocute up to 10,000 different insects!

Using Flowtron is very simple: in the evening, when it starts to get dark, just hang the electric trap near your house, turn it on and leave it running until the morning. Judging by the reviews of American Amazon customers, a “big harvest” awaits you in the morning: “In the morning, it seemed that someone took a sheet of black polyurethane foam and wrapped it around the lamp - their little dead bodies lay pressed together so closely. We needed to use air pressure to clear the lantern of midge corpses."

Please also be aware of safety precautions: use the Flowtron outside only and keep 8 meters away from it while it is running. But you don’t have to worry about birds and your pets: the device has a protective housing that will prevent animals from touching the electrical grid inside.

Aspectek Powerful 20W Electronic Indoor Insect Killer, Bug Zapper, Fly Zapper, Mosquito Killer

This $30.99 convector-like electric trap works on the same principle as any other outdoor trap: Insects are attracted to the light from a UV lamp and are instantly killed by a discharge of current from the grille. Plug in the Aspectek Indoor Insect Killer and it will destroy midges, sand flies, flies, midges and other insects that have flown into the room, and you will only have to timely clean the tray from the corpses of dead insects.

Where can such a device be used? In any room: at home, in the garage, at work, in a hospital, a cafe, etc. and even in large production areas: the manufacturer promises that Aspectek is able to cover an area of up to 555 sq.m. It can even work safely in your kitchen - since there is a tray where insects will fall. Of course, it is best to turn it on at night - but during the day it can also be useful, killing annoying midges. And don't be afraid to leave it running overnight: the electric trap has a safety grill to keep your pets from getting to the electric grid.

Dynatrap Ultralight Insect and Mosquito Trap

Dynatrap for $34.00 attracts midges with light, heat, CO2 and covers an area of up to 30 square meters. It works against midges, flies, sand gnats, midges, mosquitoes, and other flying insects, including wasps and beetles. Just like other traps, it lures insects with the warm light of a UV lamp, but the trap has an additional feature: it imitates human breathing! The latter is the result of the interaction of UV light, CO2 (simulating human respiration) and a special titanium dioxide covering the surface of the device.

What happens after? Attracted by light and “breathing,” the insect encounters a powerful but quiet fan, which, like a vacuum cleaner, sucks it into the cage forever and irrevocably. And there, inside a special compartment, all the midges die from dehydration. By the way, you don’t have to worry that the insects will get free: the compartment with them is tightly closed, even when the trap is turned off. Due to its small size, Dynatrap Trap is convenient not only to install in a patio, storage room, garage or gazebo, but also to take with you on trips - the main thing is that you have access to the power supply!

Folk methods of struggle

You can get rid of fungus gnat larvae using folk “grandmother’s” methods. Sometimes they turn out to be more effective.

We recommend reading:

Prevention measures

Sciarides appear in waterlogged soil. When growing indoor plants, it is easy to regulate the humidity level. All plants should be watered only when necessary. The frequency of watering depends on the characteristics of the plant. A pot with an indoor flower or seedling must have a drainage layer. The thickness of the drainage is at least 3 cm. In some cases, the drainage material is placed on a third of the pot. The most suitable materials: expanded clay, fragments of pottery, sea or river pebbles, gravel.

If your garden is located in a low area, there is a high probability that after rain, water will accumulate in the beds. This can lead to plant rotting, the appearance of fungi and the development of parasitic insects. The first thing that will happen in the garden is sciarid larvae. A water drainage system must be installed on the site. There are 2 types of country drainage: surface and deep.

Other insects

Sciarides can only harm plants. Another danger awaits people while relaxing at their summer cottage. From early spring until the end of autumn, small black midges fly on the street. People call them “gnus”. They hover before your eyes during dacha work, get into tea and food, and get into your eyes and mouth. Annoyance is not the only trouble. The midge belongs to the order of blood-sucking insects. A bite can cause severe swelling, itching, inflammation in the form of hematoma or redness.

To protect yourself from midges during field work or outdoor recreation, you can use individual or group protective equipment. Individual products include insect repellent aerosols, creams, pencils and bracelets. They create a protective field around a person that is insurmountable by midges. They should be used while working in the garden or vegetable garden, when you are constantly moving. Group products include spirals, plates, fumigators and natural aromatic oils. They are effective in calm, windless weather and operate within a radius of 3 m.

Midges or fruit flies

Many people mistakenly believe that midges and fruit flies are different names for the same insect. There are still differences.

Drosophila (fruit fly)

This is a gray or yellow insect that feeds exclusively on the juice of fruits, vegetables and trees. Fermentable foods (fermented fruit juice, rotten fruits, overripe grapes, etc.) are especially attractive to insects. The question of how to get rid of midges becomes especially relevant in the summer, when there is a lot of fresh fruit in the house. May cause damage to food supplies. Drosophila waste that gets on fresh food accelerates the fermentation process, causing rapid spoilage. Fruit flies do not bite humans, but there are still health risks. If ingested, fruit fly larvae can cause diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain.

Midge

This insect is gray or black. The feeding of insects is dual: males prefer flower nectar or plant juice, females feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, birds and people. Mosquitoes feed in a similar way. Insects live outdoors (in forests, near water bodies). In urban environments, midges live in parks, hiding in tall grass, or in people's houses and apartments. In the latter case, you need to immediately remove the midges, as they pose a health threat.

Personal protection

When going to the garden, you need to take care of your own safety and take all measures to become inaccessible to flying bloodsuckers. How to choose the right product?

Bracelet. At the moment, mosquito and midge bracelets are the safest method of protection. It is non-toxic and can be used by children. The bracelet is soaked in natural essential oils that repel insects (pine, lavender or citronella).
Cream or milk. The milk is better absorbed, does not give the body a sticky feeling and does not leave marks on clothes. The cream has a thicker consistency. The composition contains a chemical substance that repels insects and is harmful to human health. After application, the cream must be washed off with soap.
Aerosol. The advantages of the aerosol are cost-effectiveness, ease of application and the ability to treat clothes. The drug can be applied to the body no more than 2 times a day, avoid contact with the skin of the face and eyes.

Preparations to get rid of midges on the site

The drug “Tsifoks”

This professional product is designed to combat midges and other flying insects in natural conditions. It is produced in the form of a liquid, which contains the substance cypermethrin. The drug has an immediate effect, its residual effect is up to 6 weeks .

Mode of application. The solution must be diluted with water and stirred thoroughly for about 5 minutes. The drug is applied to areas where insects accumulate using a large-droplet sprayer. The finished composition should be used within 8 hours .
Manufacturer: Russia
Volume: 50; 500 ml.
Depending on the volume of the product, its average cost can range from 300 to 1200 rubles .
Shelf life: 5 years
Contraindications: The use of the drug is prohibited for people with hypersensitivity to the substances included in its composition; pregnant women and persons under 18 years of age . It is recommended to carry out the treatment in protective clothing. While working, you should not eat , drink or smoke. After completing the procedure, all exposed skin should be thoroughly rinsed with water. The product is flammable, it is recommended to store it in tightly closed containers , away from fire, food and medicine.

Group remedies

The most popular preparations for protection against blood-sucking insects are plates and fumigator liquid. The liquid contains esbiotrin, pralletrin, DEET and other substances harmful to human health. The use of plates and fumigator is justified only indoors. To protect against insects in the fresh air, you need to use spirals.

The spirals are made from wood flour. They contain substances that are harmful to insects. They not only repel mosquitoes and midges, but destroy them. Scientists have found that during the smoldering process, spirals release carcinogens that cause enormous harm to health. The spiral must be placed at a distance of at least 1 m. In windy weather, this device will not save you from insects. Even while staying in one place, you will have to apply an aerosol, cream or other individual preparations to your skin.

All the proposed methods of combating sciarids and midges will help you do quality work at your dacha and enjoy relaxing in the fresh air. Insects won't bother you if you know how to deal with them. You can read about methods of controlling midges in an apartment here.

Chemicals for insect control

Ready-made toxic solutions are used in cases where gentle methods are insufficiently effective. They act more intensively than traditional methods, but require careful handling.

Aerosols

The use of sprays with insecticides such as dichlorvos is allowed only in well-ventilated areas with strict adherence to safety instructions. It is not difficult to remove insects, but in the kitchen and in children's rooms the use of aerosols is undesirable due to the fact that their active substance is poisonous.

Fumigators

The action of these compact devices is based on connecting to the network and heating a plate or container with liquid that releases insecticides. The duration of operation of the device with the plate is 10 hours, until the color of the insert changes. The liquid in the tank is enough for a month to kill insects. The fumigator is designed to process a certain area.

Light traps

Zappers appeared quite recently, but have already gained popularity among consumers. The operating principle of the device is based on the attraction of midges to the light source. They fly to the lamp and come across a small metal network through which a current, insidious for them, but harmless to people, is passed. The advantage of traps is the absence of chemicals, but the disadvantage is that they cannot be used in daylight.

Repellents

Repellers are devices consisting of a reservoir and a plate impregnated with a chemical composition placed inside it. To poison insects, they are convenient to use in places where midges accumulate: basements, garages, attics, balconies. Midges usually die or leave the room. After the midges have been destroyed at home, the home must be ventilated.

How to distinguish fruit midge from others

Drosophila is recognized by its appearance: red eyes and a yellowish-brown oval body up to 4 mm in size, ringed with transverse stripes. They have two wings and 3-4 pairs of legs. Females are much larger than males and their coloring is darker. The favorite diet of midges is berries and fruits.

Interesting. The insect has served science well through its use in genetic experiments. The fruit fly genome has helped model several human diseases.

Midges breeding in the apartment cause concern to the inhabitants. Confronting them is quite a troublesome and unpleasant job. The best way to deal with them is prevention: maintaining cleanliness and order in the kitchen and utility rooms.