When the weather starts to get charming, some unwelcome guests come to your house and cause to illness. Buffalo gnats are the little flies that miserable your life. They can create problems for human, pets and other livestock especially in the summer. They can kill the dozen chickens or other animals in one week. These gnats are belonged to black fly family. Female gnats like to bite the animals and human in order to suck their blood. They cause to allergic reaction and damage the livestock. These gnats have the short breeding period.
The other names of these gnats are the turkey gnat and black fly. These tiny flies are 5 mm long. Even they are called as black fly, but they have the gray, orange, and brown shade. They have the antennae in eleven segments, wings, and prominent eyes. Rivers and areas with the stream are an excellent atmosphere for the buffalo reproduction. Their eggs can live in water only so the development rate in the moist area is high. These gnats are normally found in arctic areas and wooded places. They do not like the warm and dark places.
Buffalo Gnats
The life cycle of buffalo gnats
Its life cycle is unique. They can lay hundred eggs at one time. Their generation developed in the flowing water. The female gnats lay their eggs directly onto aquatic plants’ leaves or into the water directly from air. Unluckily, these gnats cannot live in the still water, like the pond. Their larvae find the stable surface like the vegetable or stones for the development. The larvae have the small structure like a suction cup. They grow in two to three weeks and will be able to gain energy by eating. They come from water through a bubble of air and ready to live for more three weeks.
They have teeth in the mouth to cut the human. They need livestock blood and nectar to survive. They cannot miss any chance to bite the human. The male gnats require the nectar to survive, they cannot cause to bite. They cause to human diseases such as, river blindness. They also called as cattle killer. Consequences of the gnats’ attacks in animals cause to extreme weight loss, death, and anaphylactic shock. Turkeys and poultry animals suffer from diseases after being bitten. They cannot carry the encephalitis like the mosquitoes.
Some states conduct spray in the grounds or plants to reduce the gnats, if you feel any serious infection after the gnats attack. Don’t try to treat it with insecticide. Contact the health officer to eliminate the infection. These gnats are daytime bitter, comes with the sun raises. To avoid the buffalo gnats use the bug spray while performing the water activities, such as fishing and canoeing. Wear the long hat near the water to cover the face. Try to do outdoor activities after ending the gnats’ season, If you have moving water stream near the house get rid of.
Handling of bites of buffalo gnats
Apply the corticosteroids cream or soothing lotion to the affected area. Take an antihistamine in the case of swelling or itching. Don’t allow the bite to develop bacteria. Take necessary precautions to avoid the severe reaction. There are few possibilities of the gnats’ presence at the higher altitudes. It is advantageous to thoroughly the trip on mountains for camping to enjoy the safest summer. Wear the light-colored suits with full sleeves. Keep cover your body as possible. Wait the sunset to go outside because temperature will be cooler in the evening. The cooler temperature is against environment to the nature of gnats.
“Little black fly” by jeans_Photos is marked with CC BY 2.0.
