Page 122 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

1.Antenna- 16 segmented 6.Thorax GNAT
2.Eyes 7.Petiole- none 5
3.Head 8.Abdomen
4.Legs- 6 long 9.Color- black, brown, yellowish 6 8
5.Wings 10.Other- mosquito-like
Life Cycle 1
Females lay about 60-500 eggs in damp soil or stagnant water, which begin
hatching and emerging after the spring rain falls. Larvae spend about two
weeks in the damp soil or water and feed on organic matter. They can last up 4
to three weeks under dry conditions. They go through a brief pupa stage in a
cocoon, and emerge as adults. Adults will only live 4-6 weeks, males do not
last as long as the females. Up to four generations can be produced in a year. Drawing Courtesy of Andrew Schaible

GNAT
Actual size 1/4”
There are two main types of gnats: biting, and non-biting. The biting gnats include Black flies,
Sand flies, and Snipe flies. Non-biting varieties include Fungus gnats, Black gnats, and March
flies. For most varieties, only the females bite, and Snipe flies are capable of delivering a good
deal of irritation from their bites. Black flies are just a little smaller than a House fly. They can
inject an irritating venom, and also transmit diseases.

While the non-biting gnats do not carry diseases or suck blood, they can occur in large num-
bers and be quite annoying, especially the Fungus gnats that breed in the soil of household
potted plants. The Black gnat is also commonly found indoors, and the larvae feeds in damp
decaying organic material such as the soil and humus of potted plants. March flies are about
1/4th inch long, and are mainly found in lawn areas. They are poor fliers, and feed on decaying
plant materials in the turf.

1.Antenna- feathery 6.Thorax MIDGE
2.Eyes 7.Petiole- none 5
3.Head 8.Abdomen- slender body 6
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- red to black 8
5.Wings- long & narrow 10.Other
Life Cycle 1
Midge larvae require a fairly aquatic environment, being found in mud,
wet sand, stagnant water, tree holes, decaying vegetation, and rotting
wood. They make eel-like motions when in water. Pupa float to the top 4
of water when they are ready to have the adults emerge.
Drawing Courtesy of Andrew Schaible
MIDGE
Actual size 1/25”
Midges can be a problem in that some do bite. They can be very small, about 1/25th inch,
but some varieties are almost the size of mosquitoes, of which they are sometimes confused.
Some females have sharp piercing mouthparts, while males never bite. They can also feed on
plant nectars and other insects. The biting varieties include Punkies, which are often referred to
as “no-see-ums” due to their very small size, only about 1/32nd of an inch, and Sand Flies.

Water Midges are a non-biting variety. They are about the same size and appearance as mos-
quitoes, yet they lack the biting capabilities. They are found in the same areas as mosquitoes:
anywhere that stagnant water can accumulate. They also become a problem near wastewater
treatment plants, as their larvae can pass into water systems. Florida also has blind Mosqui-
toes, another aquatic type of midge.

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