What's up with all the #*!@$* gnats? (Allentown, Penn: houses, to buy, live in)

[ff18wife]

Originally Posted by GirlsMom

OK, I know that its the mountains and there is going to be bugs but this is crazy...For the last 2 days whenever I leave the house I get swarmed by gnats. It could be 10am, 2pm, 7pm - it doesn't matter. Yesterday I planned on checking out Shur-Way in Greeley but as I was loading the kiddies in the car we got attacked by gnats. I felt like I was in a sci-fi horror movie. After I got the kids in the car and myself I sat there and the whole car was surrounded by them. So I drove to the market and parked and was ready to get out when all of a sudden my car was getting swarmed by these damn gnats again! Did they freakin follow me? My little ones scream and cry when these pesty things fly around their heads so I didn't even go in the store. Before I left though I noticed other people around and they were not getting attacked. Hmmm.....OK....maybe its my car I thought. It does get pretty gross with 4 kids. I get home and call my hubby who thinks I'm crazy. So a few hours later he gets home and goes out to clean my car. He comes back in with that OMG look on his face. Yes, they swarmed him as well. Now I have been up here for almost a month and its only been the last 2 days that I cannot go out. I just feel bad I can't take my kids outside at all. I could live with this if it was during early evening or something but not all day. Help! Any suggestions? I bought bug spray and Cutter wipes to use today. I also placed an order through AVON for some Skin So Soft for the kids but if anyone has any advice please, please send it my way. Again, I know its the mountains and I can deal with bugs, spiders, etc BUT this is so not normal. Something is wrong.....

Yes they are bad here...I'm not far from the Shurway and it's the same here.

[poconosmama]

ugh, we are having construction done on the front of our house, and digging up the dirt isnt helping matters, it's a bug fest! We buy yard spray, it's either Off! or Cutter's cant remember. You spray it in the yard and it keeps the bugs away for a few hours. Usually works pretty good, but I'm not sure with this amount of bugs how well it will do!

[kwiktsi]

Welcome to my hell- IT SUCKS! I can't even go for a walk without them swarming me. If I am walking and stop suddenly, I can feel a bunch of them hit my head- it is that bad. They also appear to bother some people more than others- unfortunately, I'm one of the ones they bother more. I can be standing next to someone and they are swarming me but leaving my friend alone. I don't know if it is my soap, shampoo, deodorant, what... It is miserable out there .

They also swarmed one of our vehicles- as you were sitting in it, you could just see a cloud of them! It is our "I refuse to drive my nice cars on these horrible roads, Pennsylvania beater", so it hasn't been washed since last fall. I washed it the other day and that seemed to help greatly- for the car at least, they still bother me though .

I don't recall this ever stopping last year, I thought it went all season- hopefully my memory is just wrong and it does stop soon. I can't deal with a long, miserable winter followed by a bug infested summer!

if anyone has any tips, I'm all ears!

[Summering]

Originally Posted by loveinbloom

Yesterday, sitting on our front porch my son and I saw the biggest bumble bees I have ever seen. Keep in mind I lived in Texas where everything is supposedly BIG!I sat and watched them...I thought they were amazing! My son who has a wicked sense of humor said "...Mom they are freakin' me out man..."! I about peed my pants when he said that!

Just be sure to make sure they the " bumblebees" are not "carpenter bees" which do hang around and be a real pain..........plus do a ton of DAMAGE.
The carpenter bees are larger, and have a "buggier" eye.......but, look a big bunch like the regular bumble bee.
What happens is the male will fly around in your face, to annoy you and keep you from bothering the queen and the others.
Look for "round holes" and "sawdust" in the area. If you do have the carpenter bees you will need to treat for them. They will burrow into your wood, deep.......and they eventually do alot of damage, worse then a termite. It sometimes takes quite a few treatments to be rid of them.
And................I sure hope your right..........but, bumblebees usually don't stay and bother you, the carpenter bees do. ( google for pictures and information)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Summering

Just be sure to make sure they the " bumblebees" are not "carpenter bees" which do hang around and be a real pain..........plus do a ton of DAMAGE.
The carpenter bees are larger, and have a "buggier" eye.......but, look a big bunch like the regular bumble bee.
What happens is the male will fly around in your face, to annoy you and keep you from bothering the queen and the others.
Look for "round holes" and "sawdust" in the area. If you do have the carpenter bees you will need to treat for them. They will burrow into your wood, deep.......and they eventually do alot of damage, worse then a termite. It sometimes takes quite a few treatments to be rid of them.
And................I sure hope your right..........but, bumblebees usually don't stay and bother you, the carpenter bees do. ( google for pictures and information)

Wise words from a wise woman. I actually just helped a customer a few hours ago at work who was having a problem with carpenter bees, and he likewise described large round holes bored into the wood of his deck, sawdust nearby, etc. Those little things are basically harmless, but they can do some extravagant damage if left unchecked.

[GirlsMom]

Thanks for the replies. At least this is temporary. I was upset because I couldn't take the kids out. Hubby was worried because how was he going to drink his beer on the deck during the summer??

[Stanb999]

Originally Posted by kwiktsi

Welcome to my hell- IT SUCKS! I can't even go for a walk without them swarming me. If I am walking and stop suddenly, I can feel a bunch of them hit my head- it is that bad. They also appear to bother some people more than others- unfortunately, I'm one of the ones they bother more. I can be standing next to someone and they are swarming me but leaving my friend alone. I don't know if it is my soap, shampoo, deodorant, what... It is miserable out there .

They also swarmed one of our vehicles- as you were sitting in it, you could just see a cloud of them! It is our "I refuse to drive my nice cars on these horrible roads, Pennsylvania beater", so it hasn't been washed since last fall. I washed it the other day and that seemed to help greatly- for the car at least, they still bother me though .

I don't recall this ever stopping last year, I thought it went all season- hopefully my memory is just wrong and it does stop soon. I can't deal with a long, miserable winter followed by a bug infested summer!

if anyone has any tips, I'm all ears!

Don't worry. Soon they will leave. Then the mosquitoes will come. When they go the snow will fly again. Welcome to NEPA.

[bloominscranton]

Originally Posted by Summering

Just be sure to make sure they the " bumblebees" are not "carpenter bees" which do hang around and be a real pain..........plus do a ton of DAMAGE.
The carpenter bees are larger, and have a "buggier" eye.......but, look a big bunch like the regular bumble bee.
What happens is the male will fly around in your face, to annoy you and keep you from bothering the queen and the others.
Look for "round holes" and "sawdust" in the area. If you do have the carpenter bees you will need to treat for them. They will burrow into your wood, deep.......and they eventually do alot of damage, worse then a termite. It sometimes takes quite a few treatments to be rid of them.
And................I sure hope your right..........but, bumblebees usually don't stay and bother you, the carpenter bees do. ( google for pictures and information)

Thanks for the info! When we do buy a home I will have to keep this in mind! I did have to show hubby when he came home from work to verify they were bumble bees...'ya know being a "city gal" (those from my former area will get the humor)...plus it is always good to make hubby feel needed!

My in-laws had those carpenter bees last year and it was a hoot for me watching father and son bicker about them and the best course of treatment! LOl

[ashley19]

I have problems with certain bugs all year round. Does anyone have problems with stink bugs? I am not sure of the technical name. I have been out 3 times aready in the past week getting the cat. nests out of all my fruit trees and burning them. I despise those little creatures. I already wrapped the trees in duct tape and put vaseline around them and have my soapy water ready. Wow, it is a chore to take care of my yard. It could become a full time job for me. LOL.

[kwiktsi]

Originally Posted by Stanb999

Don't worry. Soon they will leave. Then the mosquitoes will come. When they go the snow will fly again. Welcome to NEPA.

Hope they go soon... It doesn't help that most of the area, especially Conashaugh Lakes where I live is nothing more than a huge pile of unkempt, rotting organic matter . I swear, nobody has pride in their yards, let alone the community image around here. Fallen trees- leave them. Rotting leaves- leave them too, or just rake them aside. Mountain laurel (nothing more than tough weeds)- let it grow. Little by little I have been clearing out years and years worth of leaves and unkempt mountain laurel that the previous owners did nothing about. The amount of bugs that fly out of those piles is incredible.

However, Conashaugh thinks they can tell you how much you can and can't clear. BS- two of my dogs and myself have tested positive for Lyme Disease since we moved here- if they think I'm leaving this place a festering cesspool and compost, they are mistaken . I didn't buy a place with a little bit of land so I cannot go outside and enjoy it!