HOUSTON — If you've noticed a bunch of tiny black bugs flying around your house lately, you're not alone.
Unfortunately, mosquitoes and flies aren't the only uninvited houseguests showing up in Houston homes this spring. A lot of people are overwhelmed with gnats and fruit flies too.
"Anyone noticing an increase of fruit flies/gnats in the house?" a recent post on Next Door asked.
"Yes!! Terribly!!" replied a woman in River Oaks.
"Yes big time with fruit flies!!" a Rice Military resident replied.
"Yes I have had an overabundance of these little critters," a Heights resident said. "If my dog doesn’t eat her food immediately they swarm her dish."
"We are having a terrible problem at my townhouse in Bellaire," a commenter posted. She said she even saw some flying around a hospital ER last weekend.
How to get rid of gnats, fruit flies
Several people offered tips on how to get rid of the annoying little pests. From DIY hacks to gadgets and sticky traps you can buy, here are a few tricks.
Vinegar trap
You may already have the ingredients for this hack in your kitchen. Just put some apple cider vinegar in a bowl with a little bit of dish soap. Some people also put plastic wrap with tiny holes over the top to keep them from getting out.
"The fruit flies go right into it and die," Mari V. in EaDo posted.
She shared this picture of dozens of dead bugs in her bowl of vinegar.
Beer or wine
Seems like a shame to waste perfectly good wine or beer on bugs but fruit flies are attracted to the smell. Just leave a little bit of wine or beer in the bottle to help attract them.
Pour bleach or boiling water down the drain
The bugs are attracted to moisture so they might be coming from your drains. Try pouring some boiling water or a little bleach down the drain to kill their eggs and clear out the gunk.
Candle trap
Set a tall candle on a candlestick into a small pan filled with soapy water. Light the candle and turn the lights off. The flame will attract the bugs so they'll either fly into it or fall into the water and drown. Don't leave the candle unattended though.
Sticky traps
Sticky traps can be bought online and they're an inexpensive way to get rid of the insects.
Natural solutions
One man on Next Door said Aunt Fannie's FlyPunch Fruit Fly Trap worked for him. It uses plant-based ingredients and is advertised as safe around people and pets.
There are also several sprays available that are said to be safe for indoor use.
Bug zappers
If none of these simple and cheap methods work, you could invest in a bug zapper. Several people on Next Door said that's what finally got rid of their gnats and fruit flies. The zappers typically use a UV light to attract the bugs.
