- Gnat common name for any one of a number of small, fragile-looking
two-winged flies.
- Gnat is about 1/16" in length, shiny black to dull gray in color
with yellow or orange markings on the legs and has small mouthparts
and bare aristae on antennae.
- Gnat larvae are free-living, most feeding on plants.
- England mosquitoes are called gnats.
- The life cycle varies from 7-28 days depending on the temperature
and moisture.
- Gnats breed in soil containing considerable organic matter, decaying
vegetation, and animal excrement.
- Often gnats enter the homes through open doors or windows. They are
strongly attracted to light and observed mainly on windows in large
numbers.
- The adults are strongly attracted to moisture around the eyes and
nose of people outdoors.
- In mid-summer large numbers of gnats persistently hover around the
face causing considerable annoyance.
- All gnats have long, hairlike antennae, which are particularly well-developed
- Gnat larvae are free-living, most feeding on plants. Larval plant
feeders, e.g., the Hessian fly larvae, cause root, stem, and leaf galls
to be formed by the host plant
- Some species of fungus gnats (families Mycetophilidae and Sciaridae)
are very common pests of mushrooms and roots of potted plants in homes
and greenhouses.
- One group of dipterans (family Chloropidae) of the suborder Cyclorrhapha
are commonly called eye gnats, or eye flies. Gnats are classified in
the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Diptera.
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