I have no plants nor do I have fruits sitting around. I find these gnats in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and livingroom. How can I get rid of these annoying insects. Do I buy insecticide? Please help.

Dear Mary, Gnats as you mentioned normally are associated with vegetables or fruits. There are other small insects similar to gnats that can be bothersome. Fungus Gnats, midges and Drain Flies are three examples. Most llike moisture or damp areas in the home and a food source of decaying organic matter The Drain Fly is likely to be found in the Bathrooms, Kitchen, Mud room or Laundry Room. A frequent place we overlook is the actual floor drains in our homes. As the furnace continues to dry out our homes, the pests usually lessen and then dissapear. You can add bleach and water mixture to the floor drains to control the Drain Fly. Other choices are Bacteria or Enzyme cleaners too. Once gone, be sure to add water/bleach mixture to the drain on a regular basis. Remember to check your potato and onion storage areas too. Clean the garbage can to eliminate any food sources. Lastly store bought fruits like bananas can be the start of the fruit flys, even in the winter. In out of the way areas you can use a fly strip too.

Sanitation is the best place to start, then consider a Ready To Use household spray and follow label instructions and restrictions as to the surfaces you can apply.

Sincerely, Richard Hentschel

Mr. Hentschel,

I am a cleaning Nazi, my bathrooms and kitchen are cleaned once a week, top to bottom. I use Drano in the bathroom drain as a percaution since I have long hair. We also run a de-humidifier in the basement to avoid moisture during the summer when the air conditioner is running. Could these gnats be coming from the air conditioner hose and then get in to the vents? I find them in every room of the house, not just the bathrooms and kitchen. I also have Terminex that comes every three months, and usually sprays inside and outside. I just have to think they are coming in from somewhere daily.

Hello Jennifer: It is impossible to have the insects getting into your air conditioner system itself as it is a closed system so you can rule that one out. If the venting ductwork is comprimised there may be an access point. Most often insects of this nature are associated with moist areas or harvested fruits and vegetables waiting to be consumed. These insects have a short life cycle and can generate future populations quickly. One area that could be a cause will be floor drains. The insects live and breed in the trap. Flushing regulary with several gallons of water and on occasion using some bleach will stop them. gnats, fungus flys and drain flys can be found in laundry rooms, bathrooms around the toilet and sink, in the kitchen. Once summer comes to a close and the furnace begins cycling, they will not survive in the home except the drains.