Just like other insects, gnats should have no place in your home. While gnats are beneficial for ecological balance, they are nuisances when found in the house. Adult gnats and their larvae provide food for birds and other creatures. They also help in the decay process of materials. But when they are present in our homes, gnats can drive residents into a frenzy.
What makes gnats very undesirable in homes is that they swarm in large numbers called clouds, which can be very uncomfortable. They fly around freely, unlike other pests such as cockroaches and house rats that hide when they see you. Here are some reasons why you have to get rid of gnats.
They Carry Pathogens
While most gnats are not vectors of some serious diseases, they still can make us sick. Gnats like to live in the garbage where there are rotting objects, dumpy areas where the water is dirty, and in wet soil where fungi abound. This makes gnats possible carriers of pathogens, which can cause health issues to you and your family. The only gnat that is a vector of a disease is the eye gnat, which can cause conjunctivitis.
They Make You Uncomfortable
Gnats can be stinging or non-biting. The biting types feed on your blood. They are like mosquitoes that leave you with itchy feeling when bitten. Some may also follow you around buzzing on your ears and eyes. You can truly be so uncomfortable in your own home with gnats around.
They Leave an Ugly Impression on Guests
Because gnats thrive in an unclean and untidy environment, it may mean the same with your home with the presence of gnats in your house. You will surely have an undesirable impression from guests if they see a swarm of gnats flying freely in your home. It may be much worse if gnats bite them.
They Enhance Rotting of Food
Fruits and vegetables that are placed conveniently on the dining table may rot faster because of gnats. The same is true with other food items such as bread. Once gnats land on them, there may be microorganisms with them that will make rotting faster.
They Can Damage Your Potted Plants
Biting gnats can damage plants contrary to a common belief that they only make plants stunted. They can bite them for food, or they carry rotting microorganisms with them. It is best to dry the soil of potted plants before watering them anew, or you may change the soil if you think that the soil is heavily infested with gnat’s larvae.
Don’t let gnats take that away from you.