Sometimes even the smallest creature can cause a lot of trouble. In the modern world, there are more than 4,000 species and 78 genera of small midges. About 200 species are common in Russia, and only four of them feed on the blood of mammals.
flower midge
What do these little insects do, what harm do they cause, and what is their life expectancy? How much trouble the midge brings to humans and animals. Of the wide variety of complaints about midges, the following can be distinguished:
- their bites are very painful;
- spoil home and garden plants;
- can serve as a carrier of infection;
- in large quantities they get into the nose, ears, eyes.
Appearance of the larva
The fly has three stages of development: egg, larva, adult insect
In their natural habitat, midges usually settle near open bodies of fresh water. This is where they lay their larvae. To complete this process, some descend under water, while others lay larvae near the water, on the shore. And there are also very extravagant individuals. They drop their eggs into the water as they fly.
Laying eggs is a group process. In this case, entire colonies of larvae are formed in the riverbed (up to 200 per square centimeter). Their food consists of organic compounds dissolved in water and/or small aquatic microorganisms. Food entering the body goes through a filtration process. Therefore, the faster the river flows, the more and faster the digestion process occurs.
Are fruit flies dangerous?
The flies themselves are not dangerous to humans: they do not bite, since their jaws are simply unable to bite through even the thinnest skin.
Flies are annoying with their flickering, they constantly come to hand.
However, this is not the most unpleasant consequence that an insect invasion leads to; the danger of fruit flies lies elsewhere. Pests feed on organic matter, including waste from landfills and animal feces, and their sweat. They can contain dangerous bacteria, which flies carry on their legs or proboscis and then leave on food.
Thus, a pathogenic bacterium can enter the human body, which, if the immune system is weakened, will lead to intestinal infections. In addition, eating food with fruit fly eggs on the surface causes diarrhea and nausea, accompanied by a rise in temperature.
Habitat
The larva that emerges from the eggs lives only in running water.
Midge larvae are very sensitive to the amount of oxygen in the water. Therefore, in places with little content, they quickly die. Such places include standing water or an aquatic environment with a large number of rotting microorganisms.
If the environment in which midge larvae live changes, they are able to release cobwebs. How long is it? The length of this web reaches two meters. On it they stay for some time in the fast flow of the river. If the natural balance is restored, the larva returns through the web to its previous place of residence.
The adult emerges from the larva after 10-14 days (process duration: larva-pupa-adult - up to two weeks). Leaving its cocoon, the midge surrounds itself with an air bubble. It is in it that it rises to the surface from the water completely dry.
Live midge under a microscope
Nutrition
The feeding process occurs exclusively during the warm daytime. In the evening, at night or in cloudy weather, midges are not active. Blood is food only for females. Males feed on flowers.
External structure of a housefly
In different regions, the same species of midges behave differently. For example: broad-legged, decorated or creeping - in the tundra zone they are a real natural disaster for the entire population of animals and humans. There is “no life” from her. And a little further south, in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of the country, they are not active as blood-sucking insects.
When do midges appear?
Midges occur most often when summer begins or at the end of spring. Everything depends on weather conditions. After the air warms up, the eggs hatch into larvae, which later become midges.
Midges can also appear as a result of purchasing fruit in supermarkets. Often the pest eggs are hidden under the skin, and treatment with water does not give the desired results.
Bite process
Midge bite
When bitten, a substance that acts as a painkiller gets into the wound with the saliva of the midge. Therefore, the very moment of biting and absorbing blood remains invisible to humans. The pain occurs only after some time, when it has already flown away.
Redness and swelling occurs at the site of the bite. The wound is very itchy. These phenomena are caused by the fact that midge saliva is poisonous.
If there are a large number of bites, swelling may occur not only on the surface of the wound, but also on the internal organs. In some cases, hemorrhage occurs and symptoms of severe poisoning appear. This situation requires immediate medical attention and emergency assistance.
On the territory of Russia, the largest number of midges is represented in the taiga zone. How many species and who pose a threat to life? The following species pose the greatest danger to humans:
Consequences of a midge bite
- tundra midge;
- Kholodkovsky midge;
- decorated midge.
The air temperature (comfortable for midge life) at which an attack on a person occurs ranges from +6 to +23˚С.
How many diseases can this small insect carry? Particularly dangerous are midges that carry diseases such as:
- plague;
- leprosy;
- tularemia;
- glanders;
- anthrax.
Appearance
It is worth saying that the structure of a midge is practically no different from an ordinary large fly. The head on which the eyes, mandibles and antennae are located. The head and abdomen are connected by a prothorax. There is an abdomen, genitals, a haltere, 2 wings and 3 pairs of legs. But each type has its own characteristics.
Sciarids grow to a size of no more than 4 mm. They have a dark brown or black body color, and the 2nd lid is completely transparent. Outwardly, they are very similar to small mosquitoes.
The butterfly has a hairy body measuring 1-4 mm and can be gray or dark brown in color. It is also distinguished by jagged antennae and rounded, spaced wings. Drosophila midges have a red striped body and red eyes, the abdomen of males is 2.5 mm long, in females it is smaller and also much darker. Transparent wings have a beige tint.
Whiteflies look a lot like moths that have been dusted with flour, but they are actually waxy pollen. It has a yellow body and very long antennae. Some representatives have barely noticeable brown spots on the abdomen.
There are 2 pairs of wings, opaque, white, they fold one above the other. The size of an adult dace is 2-3 mm. They often accumulate on the underside of leaf blades. If you move the plant, you can see a flock of midges rising up. These individuals can not only fly, but also jump.
Life at home
A wide variety of midges can be grouped into four groups, according to their location in the apartment. Highlight:
Sweet fruit left in the fresh air attracts fruit flies
- food, or fruit fly (often lives on rotten vegetables and fruits);
- clothes (lives on old or unwashed items put away in the closet for a long time);
- floral (settles on indoor plants that are not properly cared for);
- water (really loves warmth and humid air, therefore, in the apartment it will live mainly in the bathroom).
From the above it is clear that for comfortable living in the house, as in the natural environment, dampness and moisture are very important for midges.
White midges on indoor flowers
To get rid of the hated midge, the first thing you need to do is conduct a “home investigation” about the ways it entered the apartment. Places of settlement may be:
- vegetables, berries and fruits, cereals that have been lying around for a long time and have begun to deteriorate;
- an overfilled (especially in the summer) trash can;
- poorly cleaned aquarium;
- excessively wet soil in flower pots (especially if it was fertilized with spent tea leaves);
- water supply drains and ventilation shafts.
Chemicals
The fruit fly is the most common insect in our climate zone. Its size is a maximum of three and a half millimeters in length and 0.5 millimeters in width. Creatures live around fruits and vegetables that have spoiled or are simply in uncovered containers. The midge's body is brown in color and has small black wings on its back. A female insect lays 200 to 500 eggs throughout her life. How long do midges live? On average fifteen to twenty-five days. This indicator depends on climatic conditions and nutrition. In apartment conditions, the larvae turn into young individuals after 27 hours. On average, they take four to six days to mature.
The small larvae of these midges also feed on rotting fruits. They are attracted by the smell of wine and grapes. Each of us constantly sees these insects in the summer; they are everywhere: on the streets, in our apartments, shops. That is why the problem of getting rid of them becomes urgent. This is quite difficult to do, but in the article we will still look at several ways.
Their attack on our products continues as long as mosquitoes and midges live. Throughout their short lives, they feed on rot and other waste so that they can lay eggs and give birth to offspring.
Onion fly can be combated in a more radical way - using chemicals. They are more harmful than traditional ones, but more effective. There are a large number of preparations that can be used to spray onions.
Fighting and preventing midges on the street
Chemical preparations for midges
It is difficult to fight harmful midges living in nature, but it is possible. To do this, you must follow a number of rules:
- do not walk near the river in the hot daytime (especially where there is a lot of vegetation);
- use repellents;
- midges do not like windy weather, so use this factor to your advantage;
- Wear light-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs.
Lifespan
When the midge disappears depends on the lifespan of the blood-sucking insect. This indicator is influenced by many factors - the method and frequency of feeding, living conditions. Male midges “prefer” to eat food of plant origin – nectar, pollen.
Females need the blood of a person or a warm-blooded animal. It is rich in protein compounds and amino acids, which are required by blood-sucking females to bear viable offspring.
Life expectancy of a midge in natural conditions:
- males feeding on food of plant origin – up to 1 week;
- females feeding on the blood of people and warm-blooded animals - from 4 to 12 weeks.
The lifespan of insects living in a human home differs significantly and directly depends on the temperature in the room. If the temperature in the house does not exceed +17°C, the lifespan of a midge is no more than 3 weeks. In a very hot room with a temperature of more than +26°C, blood-sucking insects live up to 9-10 days.
Kitchen
The most important rule is to never leave a trash bin overnight. The next steps will be:
Garbage bin in the kitchen with leftover vegetables
- monitor the freshness of products (prevent the formation of rot);
- It is recommended to use adhesive tape (both outside and inside cabinets);
- washcloths and washcloths should be twisted and dried after use;
- prevent the formation of fatty deposits and clogging of the drain pipe of the sink and hob;
- no leakage or contamination of taps;
- make homemade traps in the form of a cup with rotting fruit or unfinished juice (the area where a large number of midges get in, it must be tied tightly and thrown away).
Traps
- The most ordinary glass jar. Take a larger jar. Then put in it several pieces of slightly rotten or fresh fruit (it is worth noting that midges will fly to rotten fruits and vegetables faster). You can pour a little compote and put some sweet candies. Place the jar in a visible place or near the insects' habitat. Roll a funnel out of plain white paper. Insert it into the jar. This should be done with the tip down. This way, it will be easy for fruit flies to get into the jar, but they will never get back out. Wait until as many insects as possible are trapped and throw the contents of the jar outside. Never throw everything in the trash. There they will only continue to reproduce. How long do midges live in a trash can? Small colonies can live there for up to four months.
- Take the most common plastic disposable cup. Put some sweet bait there. Even a used fruit aromatic tea bag will do. Cover the cup tightly with cling film. And make small holes in this film so that the midges can crawl through. Wait until a large number of midges (15-30 pieces) bite the bait.
- Plastic bag. Take one garbage bag. Open it up as much as possible and place a few slices of fruit in the middle. Wait for the fruit flies to fly and close the bag quickly. Take it to an outdoor trash container.
Flower pots
Karbofos - a remedy for midges in the apartment
If a midge has settled on your favorite flowers and is interfering with their development, you need to do the following:
- reduce watering the plant to a minimum (how much to water? just a little);
- if tea leaves were used as fertilizer, it must be removed from the surface of the soil in the flower pot;
- stick up to five matches into the ground (gray side down);
- spray the plant with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
- use of store-bought drugs: “Karbofos”, “Fitoverm”, “Agravertin”.
Preventive actions
Getting rid of annoying insects is much more difficult than preventing their appearance. Preventive measures that will help prevent the problem:
- regularly throw out garbage and keep the trash can clean;
- wash the sink and clear the pipes of blockages;
- If food spoils, immediately take it out of the house;
- light incense or incense, since midges do not like strong odors;
- regularly clean trays, cages, and bedding for domestic animals;
- install mosquito nets on the windows, which is especially important in the warm season.
Preventative measures must be observed at all times. If the living space is clean and tidy, no insects are afraid.
Not a single housewife would be happy about the appearance of indoor midges in the house. You can poison uninvited guests yourself very quickly, the main thing is to eliminate the source of their appearance and subsequently maintain cleanliness in the room and promptly get rid of spoiled food products. Compliance with simple preventive measures will prevent the proximity of insects.
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Bathroom
Here the main means of combating midges will be the elimination of dampness and moisture. It is necessary to monitor water flow and sewerage. Fix leaks in a timely manner and remove any resulting contamination.
Why and how midges appear in the bathroom
In the apartment, strong odors of natural origin will help in the fight against midges:
- the smell of garlic;
- the smell of incense;
- citrus smell;
- the smell of camphor (camphor is crushed and heated in a frying pan);
- the smell of crushed horseradish root.
It is important to remember that fighting midges is a labor-intensive and lengthy process. But by adopting all the methods, a person will always emerge victorious in this struggle.
