什么是蠓蝇-你如何控制它们?

You’ve probably experienced hopelessly swatting at a swarm of flies while trying to enjoy a sunny day outside, 而且你远不是唯一一个. Each summer – or even year-round if you’re in a warmer climate such as Texas or Florida – midge flies can become a major nuisance wreaking havoc on property and recreational time and driving residents away from outdoor resources.

如果你需要控制你的房子里的蚊子，乐虎网的团队 here 或者了解更多乐虎网乐虎网的蠓的能力 here.

但是，什么是蚊子苍蝇? 你怎样才能在你的财产上减少它们?

什么是蚊蛉或“盲蚊”?

蠓是指几种小型的非蚊类苍蝇. 更具体地说，最常见的蠓包括蚊科 Chironomidae (midges) and Chaoboridae (幻蚊)在这个顺序 Diptera (指所有苍蝇).

Now, 换一种更有用的说法, midges are small, 精致的苍蝇(尽管有些物种可能更笨重)有一对长, narrow wings, and long, skinny legs. Males tend to have feathery antennae used to hear the high-pitched sounds emitted by the female’s wings.

While midges are usually found near naturally occurring lakes and ponds in small, non-nuisance levels, the abundance of nutrients within stormwater systems acts as a beacon to breeding midges and they can reproduce in vast quantities. 这就是他们成为社区问题的时候.

蠓和蚊子有什么区别?

蠓和蚊子经常被误认为是同类, 这说得通，因为它们都属于同一阶 Diptera (尽管它们的幼虫控制是 very different). 两者之间最大的区别是蚊子有一个 proboscis, 口器用来咬和吸血的口器. 蠓不会，也不会咬人.

Otherwise, most of the differences visible to the eye are found in the fine details.

蠓有以下特点:

• When landed, fold their first leg pair in a ‘prayer’ position (which can be mistaken for antennae)
• Have long tarsi 前腿的足部
• 翅膀上没有鳞片，使它们光滑

Mosquitoes 具有以下特点:

• 落地后，将第二腿/后腿举在空中
• 有鳞片状的翅膀，翅尖上有淡淡的流苏
• Typically don’t form swarms

Where are Midge Flies Found?

Midges deposit their eggs near waterbodies, often stillwater boggy marshes or stormwater ponds. Because of this, their adult counterparts are generally also found in these same areas.

在空中看到大群或“云”的蠓也很常见, 通常是在黄昏时分(一些南方人把它们称为“蚊球”)。. This can be when a lot of people or community residents become irritated or frustrated by their presence.

就地理而言，几乎在任何地方都能找到蠓. 但是在南方的一些州, such as Florida or Texas, 它们温暖的气候使种群全年繁荣.

Do Midge Flies Bite?

Thankfully, 事实上，蠓并不叮咬人类, they only live for a few weeks at most and thus rarely eat anything in their adult stage beyond nectar, fruit juices or sugar water. They can land and crawl around the skin, which many find irritating and unwanted.

为什么蚊子不断出现?

Part of what makes midges so difficult to control is their ongoing lifecycle that starts in ponds, 湖泊，雨水系统和陆地末端. 蠓的生命周期分为四个阶段, 在沉入淤泥之前，卵在水体表面产下. 这些卵孵化成幼虫, depending on the species, 要么深入沉积物，要么在水中自由游动. 幼虫先发育成蛹，再发育成完全成形、会飞的成虫. 这个持续的过程可能只需要两到三周.

That means that if you’re trying to control midges by just combating the adult ones flying around, 鸡蛋里还有很多, larvae and pupae stages, ready to continue the cycle.

如何控制蚊蚋?

There are plenty of reasons to get rid of or control the midge flies in your area. 它们不仅在水边聚集令人讨厌, ponds, lakeshores, or docks, 但它们也会对油漆或木制表面造成财产损失.

大多数驱虫喷雾剂在驱赶蚊蚋方面作用不大, and they certainly are powerless against swarms or heavily populated areas near waterfronts, boats, or shorelines. 虽然有助于暂时减轻蠓的数量, pesticides alone won’t solve the problem in the long term as midges continuously breed and migrate from nearby waterbodies.

Instead, here at Clarke, 我们建议采用一种综合的方法，结合化学, biological, and preventative methods to keep midges away while also working to control the population. 要了解更多乐虎网我们如何处理下面的问题，请点击 here.

1. Surveillance – take samples of midges to identify which are present and estimate their population levels (as well as to figure where they are coming from).
2. Nutrient Abatement – midges are attracted to stormwater ponds in particular as they have tons of weeds and algae as well as nutrient-rich waters from runoff – things larvae feed on. 但是有一些方法可以安全地减少这些, as well as making sure water stays circulating rather than still and stagnant.
   1. 曝气系统，以保持水的不断运动
   2. 沿海/岸线种植以吸收流失的养分
   3. 控制藻类，改善整体水质
3. Biological Control – sometimes the addition of certain fish, which feed on the midges, can act as a natural control. Make sure that this fish species and the amount is estimated by someone with experience – adding the wrong fish, the wrong quantity, 或者添加到错误的水体中可能会产生不利影响.
4. Chemical Control – done mainly to reduce annoyance; these may include larvicides applied to waterbodies, ULV adulticide, 壁板和树叶的屏障处理, or more.

如果你想控制家里的蚊蚋数量, pond, or community, contact Clarke here 估计一下或了解更多乐虎网我们的蚊虫控制措施 here. We have decades of experience dealing with all kinds of pests – including midges.