Help with tiny little house flies!!

[Genevieve]

What the heck are these things and how can I get rid of them???



They drift around my house like fruit flies but they're not fruit flies.
They're just as tiny but they're not pink.



I find them mostly flying around:



my potted plants

my kitchen sink

my bathtub &

the garbage can



God forbid I forget the butter on the counter one morning... they'll be two
stuck in there by the time I get home! Any glass of water or juice left for
more than an hour is sure to have one floating it in and one always seems to
drift around my face while watching TV!



I can't take this anymore! I've sprayed my potted plant's soil with dish
detergent and water but they won't die!



What can I do??

[willshak]

On 11/22/2004 8:18 AM US(ET), Genevieve took fingers to keys, and typed
the following:

>What the heck are these things and how can I get rid of them???
>
>
>
>They drift around my house like fruit flies but they're not fruit flies.
>They're just as tiny but they're not pink.
>
>
Fruit flies are not pink, but they do have reddish eyes.
Google on 'fruit flies', or 'phorid flies' (different but similar fly),
for answers.

>
>
>I find them mostly flying around:
>
>
>
>my potted plants
>
>my kitchen sink
>
>my bathtub &
>
>the garbage can
>
>
>
>God forbid I forget the butter on the counter one morning... they'll be two
>stuck in there by the time I get home! Any glass of water or juice left for
>more than an hour is sure to have one floating it in and one always seems to
>drift around my face while watching TV!
>
>
>
>I can't take this anymore! I've sprayed my potted plant's soil with dish
>detergent and water but they won't die!
>
>
>
>What can I do??
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Phil]

"willshak" > wrote in message
...
> On 11/22/2004 8:18 AM US(ET), Genevieve took fingers to keys, and typed
> the following:
>
>>What the heck are these things and how can I get rid of them???

I have a feeling they are fruit flies , never tried this but I think it will
work, get a small jar smear the insides with honey or jelly, drop in some
small pieces of banana , flies will be attracted to the banana , land on the
sides and stick to the honey, this is based on a fly trap I saw in a bar ,
they hung around the drip trays of the draught beer in the summer .

[Al]

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 08:18:39 -0500, "Genevieve"
> wrote:

>What the heck are these things and how can I get rid of them???
>
>They drift around my house like fruit flies but they're not fruit flies.
>They're just as tiny but they're not pink.

<SNIP>

Sounds like you most likely have Fungus Gnats or Shore Flies. Take a
look at the identification section of the link below for a better
diagnosis. The easiest way to tell them apart is by looking at the
antennae and wings. Fungus Gnats have segmented antennae that are
longer than their head. Shore Flies have short, fuzzy, barely
noticeable antennae and 5 white spots on their wings. Getting rid of
them long term is not easy. A few drops of dish soap in the plant
water will kill some of the larvae. Don't use anti bacterial
detergent because it can upset the balance of the soil. The link
suggests adding bacteria to the soil to combat the larvae.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7448.html

[Kevin French]

Genevieve wrote:
> I find them mostly flying around:
>
>
>
> my potted plants

Let them dry out
>
> my kitchen sink

Clean,Clean, CLEAN
>
> my bathtub &

See above
>
> the garbage can

Quickly tie the top and remove
>
>
>
> God forbid I forget the butter on the counter one morning... they'll be two
> stuck in there by the time I get home!

Keep it covered
Any glass of water or juice left for
> more than an hour is sure to have one floating it in and one always seems to
> drift around my face while watching TV!
>
>
>
> I can't take this anymore! I've sprayed my potted plant's soil with dish
> detergent and water but they won't die!
>
>
>
> What can I do??
>
>
>
>
I had them at work and got rid of them with sprays using above methods

The honey also suggested may work just watch it and make sure they are
not multipuling there