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What Do Gnats Look Like? with photos

Unknown - October 13, 2015
Many types are for gnats:
A female black fungus gnatA gnat is any of many species of tiny flying insects in the Dipterid suborder Nematocera, especially those in the families MycetophilidaeAnisopodidae and Sciaridae.
In British English the term applies particularly to Nematocerans of the family Culicidae. The common gnat is the species Culex pipiens.
Male gnats often assemble in large mating swarms or ghosts, particularly at dusk.

Gnat larvae are mostly free-living and some are aquatic. Many feed on plants, though some are carnivorousLarval plant feeders (such as the Hessian fly larva) cause root, stem, or leaf galls to be formed by the host plant. Some species of fungus gnats (families Mycetophilidae and Sciaridae) are pests of mushrooms and roots of potted plants in homes and greenhouses.
Some South American Pleurothallid orchids are pollinated by tiny gnats and have correspondingly small flowers.

Eye gnatChloropidae
The Chloropidae are a family of flies commonly known as frit flies or grass flies. About 2000 described species are in over 160 genera distributed worldwide. These are usually very small flies, yellow or black and appearing shiny due to the virtual absence of any hairs. The majority of the larvae are phytophagous, mainly on grasses, and can be major pests of cereals. However, parasitic and predatory species are known. A few species are kleptoparasites. Some species in the genera Hippelates and Siphunculina (S. funicola being quite well known in Asia) are called eye gnats or eye flies for their habit of being attracted to eyes. They feed on lachrymal secretions and other body fluids of various animals, including humans.
There are scant records of chloropids from amber deposits, mostly from the Eocene and Oligocene periods although some material may suggest the family dates back to the Cretaceous or earlier.

Dark-winged fungus gnat

Sciaridae 
The Sciaridae are a family of flies, commonly known as dark-winged fungus gnats. Commonly found in moist environments, they are known to be a pest of mushroom farms and are commonly found in household plant pots. This is one of the least studied of the large Diptera families, probably due to the small size of these insects and the difficulty in specific identification. Currently, around 1700 species are described, but an estimated 20,000 species are estimated to be awaiting discovery, mainly in the tropics. More than 600 species are known from Europe.

How to identify them?
These gnats are small, from one to at the very most seven millimetres long. They have slender, darkly colored bodies and dark wings. However, the females of several species are wingless. Their long legs and antennae with eight to 16 segments are typical of many gnats.

Sciarid flies are common pests of mushroom houses and of plants grown in protected culture, for example herbs, where the warm and moist conditions favour their rapid development. In commercial mushroom houses, sciarid fly larvae tunnel into the stalks of the mushrooms, and feeding damage can sever developing mycelium, causing mushrooms to become brown and leathery. Their faeces may also prevent the mycelium from colonising the casing layer, severely reducing yields. As a pest of plants, sciarid larvae feed on the root system. In both industries, adult sciarid flies are a nuisance pest that can result in crop rejection if high numbers are present in the growing area.

The damaging larval stage can be controlled using the beneficial nematode Steinernema feltiae, which enters the larva and releases a bacterium that kills the insect. The nematode then reproduces within the larva and its young are released into the growing medium, where they actively search out new host larvae.

Sand Gnats
Sandfly (or sand fly) is a colloquial name for any species or genus of flying, biting, blood-sucking Dipteran encountered in sandy areas. In the United Statessandfly may refer to certain horse flies that are also known as "greenheads" (family Tabanidae), or to members of the family Ceratopogonidae, also known in Florida and elsewhere as a sand gnatsandfleano-see-um (no-see-emnoseeum), granny nipperchitrapunkie, or punky. Outside the United States, sandfly may refer to members of the subfamily Phlebotominae within the PsychodidaeBiting midges are sometimes incorrectly referred to as sand flies. Biting midges, also known as no-see-ums (no-see-emnoseeum), are insects that belong to a different biological group and should not be confused with the sandflies.
There are a number of remedies for sandfly bites. Below are some of them
Pharmaceutical remedies:
Calamine lotion
Ibuprofen Gel
Hydrocortisone cream 1%
Xylocaine gel 2%
Antihistamine
Avon ‘Skin So Soft’
Tea tree oil
Essential lavender oil
Home remedies: Baking soda with water
Vinegar
Aloe vera
Toothpaste 
Onion

Gnat bug
Stub iconEnicocephalidae, also called unique-headed bug and gnat bug, are a family of 130 species of the suborder heteroptera. They are typically 4 mm long, and found throughout the world. They have an elongated head, constricted in places, hence its head is 'unique'.

Gall gnats
Cecidomyiidae (sometimes spelled Cecidomyidae) is a family of flies (order Diptera) known as gall midges or gall gnats. As the name implies, the larvae of most gall midges feed within plant tissue, creating abnormal plant growths called galls.

Cecidomyiid laying eggs on grass
Cecidomyiidae are very fragile small insects usually only 2–3 mm in length; many are less than 1 mm long. They are characterised by hairy wings, unusual in the order Diptera, and have long antennae. More than 3000 species are found worldwide, but since 1,100 are from well-studied North America, this may be an underestimate. Many are economically significant especially the Hessian fly, a wheat pest, as the galls cause severe damage. Other important pests of this family are the lentil flower midge (Contarinia lentis), the lucerne flower midge (C. medicaginis) and the alfalfa sprout midge (Dasineura ignorata) on the Leguminosae; the swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii) and the brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassicae) on the Cruciferae; the pear midge (Contarinia pyrivora) and the raspberry cane midge (Resseliella theobaldi) on fruit crops; and the rosette gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis) on goldenrod stalks.

No-see-um
Ceratopogonidae, or biting midges (including what are called, in the United States and Canadano-see-umsmidgiessand fliespunkies, and others), are a family of small flies (1–4 mm long) in the order Diptera. They are closely related to the Chironomidae, Simuliidae (or black flies), and Thaumaleidae.

read more on:
How do gnats enter in the house
Many types are for gnats:
A female black fungus gnatA gnat is any of many species of tiny flying insects in the Dipterid suborder Nematocera, especially those in the families MycetophilidaeAnisopodidae and Sciaridae.
In British English the term applies particularly to Nematocerans of the family Culicidae. The common gnat is the species Culex pipiens.
Male gnats often assemble in large mating swarms or ghosts, particularly at dusk.

Gnat larvae are mostly free-living and some are aquatic. Many feed on plants, though some are carnivorousLarval plant feeders (such as the Hessian fly larva) cause root, stem, or leaf galls to be formed by the host plant. Some species of fungus gnats (families Mycetophilidae and Sciaridae) are pests of mushrooms and roots of potted plants in homes and greenhouses.
Some South American Pleurothallid orchids are pollinated by tiny gnats and have correspondingly small flowers.

Eye gnatChloropidae
The Chloropidae are a family of flies commonly known as frit flies or grass flies. About 2000 described species are in over 160 genera distributed worldwide. These are usually very small flies, yellow or black and appearing shiny due to the virtual absence of any hairs. The majority of the larvae are phytophagous, mainly on grasses, and can be major pests of cereals. However, parasitic and predatory species are known. A few species are kleptoparasites. Some species in the genera Hippelates and Siphunculina (S. funicola being quite well known in Asia) are called eye gnats or eye flies for their habit of being attracted to eyes. They feed on lachrymal secretions and other body fluids of various animals, including humans.
There are scant records of chloropids from amber deposits, mostly from the Eocene and Oligocene periods although some material may suggest the family dates back to the Cretaceous or earlier.

Dark-winged fungus gnat

Sciaridae 
The Sciaridae are a family of flies, commonly known as dark-winged fungus gnats. Commonly found in moist environments, they are known to be a pest of mushroom farms and are commonly found in household plant pots. This is one of the least studied of the large Diptera families, probably due to the small size of these insects and the difficulty in specific identification. Currently, around 1700 species are described, but an estimated 20,000 species are estimated to be awaiting discovery, mainly in the tropics. More than 600 species are known from Europe.

How to identify them?
These gnats are small, from one to at the very most seven millimetres long. They have slender, darkly colored bodies and dark wings. However, the females of several species are wingless. Their long legs and antennae with eight to 16 segments are typical of many gnats.

Sciarid flies are common pests of mushroom houses and of plants grown in protected culture, for example herbs, where the warm and moist conditions favour their rapid development. In commercial mushroom houses, sciarid fly larvae tunnel into the stalks of the mushrooms, and feeding damage can sever developing mycelium, causing mushrooms to become brown and leathery. Their faeces may also prevent the mycelium from colonising the casing layer, severely reducing yields. As a pest of plants, sciarid larvae feed on the root system. In both industries, adult sciarid flies are a nuisance pest that can result in crop rejection if high numbers are present in the growing area.

The damaging larval stage can be controlled using the beneficial nematode Steinernema feltiae, which enters the larva and releases a bacterium that kills the insect. The nematode then reproduces within the larva and its young are released into the growing medium, where they actively search out new host larvae.

Sand Gnats
Sandfly (or sand fly) is a colloquial name for any species or genus of flying, biting, blood-sucking Dipteran encountered in sandy areas. In the United Statessandfly may refer to certain horse flies that are also known as "greenheads" (family Tabanidae), or to members of the family Ceratopogonidae, also known in Florida and elsewhere as a sand gnatsandfleano-see-um (no-see-emnoseeum), granny nipperchitrapunkie, or punky. Outside the United States, sandfly may refer to members of the subfamily Phlebotominae within the PsychodidaeBiting midges are sometimes incorrectly referred to as sand flies. Biting midges, also known as no-see-ums (no-see-emnoseeum), are insects that belong to a different biological group and should not be confused with the sandflies.
There are a number of remedies for sandfly bites. Below are some of them
Pharmaceutical remedies:
Calamine lotion
Ibuprofen Gel
Hydrocortisone cream 1%
Xylocaine gel 2%
Antihistamine
Avon ‘Skin So Soft’
Tea tree oil
Essential lavender oil
Home remedies: Baking soda with water
Vinegar
Aloe vera
Toothpaste 
Onion

Gnat bug
Stub iconEnicocephalidae, also called unique-headed bug and gnat bug, are a family of 130 species of the suborder heteroptera. They are typically 4 mm long, and found throughout the world. They have an elongated head, constricted in places, hence its head is 'unique'.

Gall gnats
Cecidomyiidae (sometimes spelled Cecidomyidae) is a family of flies (order Diptera) known as gall midges or gall gnats. As the name implies, the larvae of most gall midges feed within plant tissue, creating abnormal plant growths called galls.

Cecidomyiid laying eggs on grass
Cecidomyiidae are very fragile small insects usually only 2–3 mm in length; many are less than 1 mm long. They are characterised by hairy wings, unusual in the order Diptera, and have long antennae. More than 3000 species are found worldwide, but since 1,100 are from well-studied North America, this may be an underestimate. Many are economically significant especially the Hessian fly, a wheat pest, as the galls cause severe damage. Other important pests of this family are the lentil flower midge (Contarinia lentis), the lucerne flower midge (C. medicaginis) and the alfalfa sprout midge (Dasineura ignorata) on the Leguminosae; the swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii) and the brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassicae) on the Cruciferae; the pear midge (Contarinia pyrivora) and the raspberry cane midge (Resseliella theobaldi) on fruit crops; and the rosette gall midge (Rhopalomyia solidaginis) on goldenrod stalks.

No-see-um
Ceratopogonidae, or biting midges (including what are called, in the United States and Canadano-see-umsmidgiessand fliespunkies, and others), are a family of small flies (1–4 mm long) in the order Diptera. They are closely related to the Chironomidae, Simuliidae (or black flies), and Thaumaleidae.

read more on:
How do gnats enter in the house
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