If you've been outside the last couple of weeks it's not unusual to be swarmed by gnats as you are strolling down the sidewalk. What gives with all the gnats? I figured that once we had that first hard frost of the year they wouldn't have survived! Well here's where they are most likely coming from, and ways you can avoid having them live with you over the winter months.

The first thing you need to do is avoid areas that are often wet. According to lawnstarter.com:

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Gnats breed and survive in moist environments. To reduce moisture, you can: 

  • Avoid overwatering plants 
  • Allow soil to dry out between waterings 
  • Improve drainage in areas where water pools 
  • Remove sources of standing water, like bird baths and pet water bowls

If you are looking to get rid of the annoying pests, here are some things you can do.

Put out a trap, one that has apple cider vinegar in it. Mix a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dish soap and a little sugar in a saucer. The gnats will be drawn to the sweet smell and get trapped in the soapy surface.

A candle trap, where you place a tall, tapered candle in a candlestick in a shallow pan of water. If you shut off the lights, light the candle, the gnats will be drawn to the flame.

The other thing you can try to keep the gnats away is by using a scent. According to Treehugger.com "gnats dislike the smell of vinegar, vanilla, pine oil, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender. You can use dryer sheets to help repel them"

Hopefully, soon, we won't be dealing with gnats and that will be in exchange for snow flakes, but I'm alright with that.

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