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So, I don't remember the gnats being this bad last year (our first year here). This year, I'm desperately trying to do gardening, lawn work, and take care of the chickens, only to be chased inside after a couple minutes due to inhalation of, oh, I don't know, a billion gnats!
Is there a "season" for gnats? Will they be dying off or at least getting a little more sparse any time soon? Or will I have to just burn my garden, cook the chickens, and stay inside until October
Jello, don't cook them chickens yet! I am a person who is, believe it or not, allergic to gnats. I break out in big welts, one time went to the doc and people avoided me becuz I looked like my husband pushed me down the stairs. So, I bought some Citronella Oil from a hippie type place on Haywood Street, it's human friendly, comes in a little bottle with a tiny opening, drop some on my fingers and applied it to my face, dabbed it under my eyes, around my nose, my whole face really. Also, I never hesitated to whisk my hands around my face to make their little clouds disperse. The gnats come from water like mosquitoes do, so if you go out to an old garden and it's all overgrown and damp from rain, you're gonna get gnats. But if you keep your lawn mowed, garden clear, no upright buckets or half-discarded annuals six-packs or turned-over planting pots, and get them gutters dragged out, you will destroy where they like to gather. The sweat that runs off a person's face will also attract gnats, so keep a handkerchief stuck in your waist or pocket, maybe go in and reapply the Citronella or put some on the cloth. Those would be my tips. As for a "season," it's generally when it rains a lot or people sweat a lot or however many cars are on the road that day, that sort of thing. Smile. GG
Are the gnats worse at lower elevations, and are they still bad at the higher elevations?
How long is the gnat season?
We are at 5k feet, and the gnats have been a bit more bothersome this year, imo. They seem to come in cycles up here, but they have been more 'steady' this season. Could be just a cycle or, could be climate change, or just a seasonal blip.
I am outside doing stuff everyday, and I use a spritz spray on all exposed skin, of ~50-50 water and Skin So Soft; it seems to hold them off for awhile, but they get me sooner or later. I suspect they are like mosquitoes and need blood for fertility, etc.
I don't consider them an outside activity prohibitive nuisance, however...
GL, mD
We are at 5k feet, and the gnats have been a bit more bothersome this year, imo. They seem to come in cycles up here, but they have been more 'steady' this season. Could be just a cycle or, could be climate change, or just a seasonal blip.
Putting my Biology cap on real quick (knew that 30k degree would be worth something... )...
Gnats' larva live off fungus and fungus grows in moist areas. Its been a rather wet winter and spring, compared to the the past years, so this is most likely why you are noticing them more now. If you go out to trails around creeks they will be especially bothersome. They always drove me nuts in the bent creek area during runs.
They are killed off by either dry soil or cold temps. If the areas around your house are well drained you might just have to wait until october-ish. Otherwise, start checking the gutters and such to make sure everything is working properly.
Hi all! Try using clothes dryer sheets, put one around your neck along your collar! Learned this on my travels to southern Georgia. Any brand will work, have fun and save dem chickens.
My husband has been is Blowing Rock since last Saturday and hasn't seen a single gnat or mosquito.
But he did see a mated pair of geese walking their tiny 9 babies across a street, and after they got them all safely across the street, the gander turned around to all the stopped traffic and honked 3 times---like he was thanking them for stopping. Everyone in their cars were chuckling.
Right. Well. I wouldn't get your hopes up too much. Some of the places I got eaten by mosquitoes the most while camping/hiking were around the boone area.
Maybe they just haven't hatched out or matured there yet. He's hiking in Boone for next 2 days, so I'll be curious to what he finds.
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Dryer Sheets!
