Onion midges: how to get rid of, how to remove onion midges from an apartment, how to remove from a house

How to get rid of onion flies at home? Using various folk remedies and methods, you can remove insects. The described methods are also effective against fruit flies.

You have heard that this happens - midges appear in the apartment, but such a problem did not exist for you before. Well, you are now a member of the club of those who are learning how to effectively deal with annoying insects. We will tell you how to get rid of onion flies at home, give basic knowledge and introduce you to the secrets. All you need to do is read the article and put the knowledge you have gained into practice! Below is about the dangers of the appearance of flies in an apartment, where they come from, and how to say goodbye to them forever. Wherever insects appear - in the kitchen, in the bedroom, in the bathroom - you will soon forget about their existence!

Who are onion midges?

Midges are small flying insects. There are several species of midges that parasitize plants, mainly fruit midges (Drosophila) and soil midges (Sciriadae). The body of the midge is golden in color with black stripes, has an oval shape, the length of which does not exceed 1.5-3 mm. Females are larger than males. The insect has six legs and two wings. Midges have a slow flight, not as fast as that of ordinary flies.

Pests multiply at an incredible rate. Females lay eggs only on perishable fruits and vegetables, which serve as food for the larvae. Onion midges live 20-30 days, during which time they go through all four stages of the life cycle: adult, egg, larva, pupa.

What do they eat?

Most types of onions serve as food for midges: onions, leeks, shallots, chives. The insect uses all bulbous plants for food: garlic, tulips, lilies, and some varieties of lettuce .

In the kitchen, midges are attracted by the smell of spoiling vegetables, berries, and fruits. Spoiled foods are not only food for midges, but also a suitable place for reproduction, since larvae develop from laid eggs in the rotting pulp.

Insects instantly settle in open jars of homemade preserves: salted, pickled vegetables, compotes, jam. The left food of domestic animals and birds will also provide food for insect pests.

Features of the insect life cycle

The onion fly (Delia antiqua) belongs to the genus Diptera, the family of flower flies, and is found everywhere in Russia. Outwardly, it is similar to an ordinary housefly, but has a smaller body (up to 7 mm long), ash-gray in color with a greenish tint. The lifespan of adults is 1-2.5 months.

Larvae of the first generation cause damage in June, and of the second - at the end of July

In mid-May, during the flowering period of cherries and dandelions, flies begin to emerge . Soon, the females, between onion leaves or under lumps of soil, lay oblong eggs, up to 1.1 mm long, in groups of 5-12 pieces. After 3-8 days, larvae emerge from the eggs, looking like white cylinders no more than 10 mm long, and after 3 weeks they pupate in the soil. After a few days, the adult (imago) emerges. During the summer months, the number of pests increases significantly.

Where do they come from

Onion midges easily fly long distances. Attracted by the smell, they can enter the apartment through open windows, doors, or through ventilation holes from neighbors.

Eggs and larvae can be found in vegetables, fruits, berries purchased in a store, at the market, or brought from a personal plot. Cracks in overripe fruits provide good shelter for them. In these places, the process of rotting begins, which always attracts midges.

Often pests enter the house in a rotten onion when buying a large amount of onions.

Insects can be brought into the house with purchased cereals and flour. Eggs and larvae of the pest fall into them during packaging and weighing. It is almost impossible to find them there.

Attention! Midge eggs and adult insects can be found in the soil of purchased indoor plants. If the soil is constantly wet, it will attract new individuals, and they will quickly multiply in it.

Location

The most common habitat for midges is, of course, flower pots. But the list doesn’t end there, especially if we’re talking about fruit flies that can eat garbage.

Finding a source of fruit flies is not easy, but it must be done, because otherwise the fight against them will drag on for a long time.

Kitchen - favorite room

If there are midges in your apartment, then first of all you should go to the kitchen. It is here that a warm and humid atmosphere is often maintained, which small insects, flies, and flies love so much.

Of course, if there are whiteflies or sciarids, then you should look in potted flowers. But if we are talking about fruit flies, then you will have to do a general cleaning in order to find the pest.

The main “danger spots” where you should look for annoying pests:

window sill - often housewives put the finished dish on the windowsill to cool, or washed fruits, since there is no more room. Fruit flies will be happy to flock to such delicacies. And of course, the windowsill is a place where flowers often stand, which means all kinds of midges can settle here;
sink - if you do not wash the sink thoroughly, then over time a greasy coating will form, which fruit flies will also be happy about, since, in their opinion, this is a delicacy. Another reason why they may appear at the sink is a clog in the filter or siphon. Pieces of food fall into the drain hole, but do not go further into the sewer and begin to rot. This is where the aroma appears that attracts midges. And the most banal reason is that they flew in from their neighbors;
bulk products - due to improper storage of bulk products, such as cereals, flies, nuts, tea, midges can appear there. Moreover, we are not talking about home storage, but specifically in production or in a store - somewhere standards were violated;
fruits and vegetables are the most obvious place to look for unexpected guests. Midges either come home with purchased products, or fly to their rotten smell.

Yes, there are many places in the kitchen where flies can live. But if you maintain cleanliness, it is almost impossible to meet annoying guests.

Bathroom - dampness is a joy

Another place in the apartment where a warm and humid atmosphere is maintained is the bathroom. Flies, of course, prefer the kitchen, but if there is nothing to profit from there, then you can fly through the water supply to your neighbors and feast on them.

If midges appear in the bathroom, this does not mean that the hostess is a slob. Yes, midges are attracted to unsanitary conditions, but there are many other reasons for their love of the bathroom:

puddles forming on the floor due to leaking pipes;
dampness;
sewer pollution;
poorly cleaned toilet:
expired body care products.

And if there is a window in the bathroom, near which there is a flowering tree or a trash can, then there will definitely be no end to midges in such a room. It is best to avoid placing potted flowers in the bathroom, since the ever-damp soil can become moldy and serve as a luxury apartment for midges.

Are they dangerous, what is their harm?

Onion midges appear in late spring. They lay eggs on young onion shoots. After 8-10 days, larvae appear and penetrate inside the bulbs for food, as a result of which they deteriorate and disappear.

In kitchens, insects spoil food lying on the surface. They lay eggs on fruits and vegetables. Winged insects are carriers of various diseases. An onion midge bite can cause a severe allergic reaction accompanied by swelling. This is especially true for people prone to allergies.

Pests lay eggs on unpackaged products, which can end up in human food. Midges stain the surface of furniture and walls. During flight, they can enter the human respiratory tract.

Preventive measures

Preventive measures are aimed at preventing plant infection. The main recommendation is to change the location for the onion every three years. Before planting, onion seedlings should be soaked for ten minutes in a heated solution of potassium permanganate. At the end of spring, it will not be superfluous to treat the soil with insecticides.

In addition, fertilizer mixtures based on peat, manure and peat must be added to the soil. To prevent midges from approaching the plantings, the seedlings should be treated with bitter compounds based on wormwood, tansy or pepper. After harvesting, the soil must be dug up so that the larvae die from the cold.

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What to do if they appear in the apartment

To get rid of onion midges, you first need to find places where they feed and actively reproduce.

Important! The main principle of the fight is to leave insects without food and a favorable environment for their reproduction.

To do this you need:

review and discard spoiled bulbs;
put the stored onions in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator;
If there is a large quantity of onions, store them in well-ventilated nets;
do not leave vegetables, fruits, berries, citrus fruits on the table unnecessarily;
throw out garbage on time: midges flock to the smell of food waste;
do not leave dirty dishes in the sink, especially cups containing fruit juice;
block access of insects to water: wipe sinks, do not leave dishes with water uncovered;
use disinfectants to clean siphons, drain pipes, and sewers;
Monitor the cleanliness of pet food bowls, remove excess food in a timely manner, and clean cages.
review and hermetically seal containers with cereals and flour;
If midges are found in flower pots, reduce watering and replace the top layer of soil.

We draw a conclusion

To prevent Drosophila flies from appearing in your apartment, you need to adhere to the following rules, including how to store onions correctly:

Place only dry onions in boxes, without damage. Once or twice a month, go through your onion stocks, throwing away spoiled product.
Do not keep onions near central heating radiators, and avoid high humidity.
In braids, onions are better ventilated and rot less.
Storing onions in bulk assumes that the layer thickness does not exceed 20-25 centimeters.
You also need to monitor the cleanliness of your home, do the cleaning on time, getting rid of the remnants of sweet and starchy foods.

Source

How to get rid of midges

When onion midges appear in the kitchen, take action immediately, without waiting until the number of insects increases several times. To get rid of pests, chemicals, traditional methods and homemade traps are used.

Chemical methods

In the fight against onion midges, chemicals are the most effective. But keep in mind that they are much more harmful than traditional methods. There are a large number of insecticides that can be used to spray onion plantings, but most of them are used only in open areas. Their action is aimed at damaging the nervous system of insects, resulting in paralysis and death of the pest.

Such drugs include:

"Aktara" acts on adults and larvae. Dilute in water: 1 g of powder or 1 ml of liquid per 10 liters of water, and spray the plantings twice a season.
“Alatar” (10 ml per 10 liters of water) – also affects both adults and larvae. They treat the beds twice a season.
“Zemlin”, “Fly-eater” (granules) are poured onto the beds when planting bulbs.
"Karate Zeon " destroys harmful insects at all stages of the life cycle.
"Terradox" is applied to the soil when planting bulbs.
“Maxim” - prepare a solution from 20 ml of the product and 10 liters of water, treat planting material and adult plants.

After applying insecticides, the fruits can be eaten no earlier than three weeks later.

At home, aerosols such as Raid, Odorless Dichlorvos, Raptor, and Neo-Dichlorvos are used to combat midges. These drugs, if they come into contact with the skin and mucous membranes, can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, after treatment, the room must be ventilated.

Important! Insecticides in the form of aerosols are used in the home with extreme caution, since their particles, when sprayed, can end up on the dining table, kitchen utensils, dishes, or foods consumed by humans.

Traditional methods

To prevent midges from infesting stored onions, housewives and owners use safe folk methods.

Laundry soap is grated and poured with water until a homogeneous solution is obtained. The prepared solution is lightly sprayed onto the stored onions. During onion growth, onion beds are sprayed with this solution.
Carrots are planted next to the onions; midges cannot stand the smell of this plant. At home, when storing a small amount of onions, place a few carrots between the bulbs.
Horseradish – its smell repels insects. The plant is cut into pieces and laid out in several places in the kitchen, and the windows are opened slightly. Pests will quickly fly away from the room.
Tobacco, juniper - small pieces of twigs are set on fire in a metal container. Smoldering plants emit a scent that repels midges.
Pests also cannot tolerate the smell of camphor oil, lavender, lemon, and cloves. Open containers of essential oils are easy to place in the kitchen.
Wheatgrass infusion is used to spray kitchen surfaces and wipe the floor with it.
Pests are repelled by the smell of vanilla. Its pods can be placed in a glass. The room is sprayed with a vanillin solution.
Chop the garlic and add hot water. This solution is sprayed onto the soil in flower pots in which pests are hiding.
Geranium - the smell of its leaves repels the onion pest.

Traps

Taking up residence in the kitchen, onion midges multiply at high speed. Sometimes getting rid of rotting fruits does not bring quick results. In these cases, housewives take more serious measures by preparing baits and traps for flying insects.

Place a piece of any fruit at the bottom of a plastic disposable cup or pour a little juice or compote. The top of the glass is wrapped in cling film and several small holes are made in it. The trap is left in the kitchen overnight. Insects will flock to the smell, and through the holes they will penetrate into the glass. In the morning, the cup with the midges is tied into another bag and taken out of the house.
Pour a little juice into the jar or put pieces of overripe fruits. The top of the jar is closed with a funnel made of paper, placing its neck inward. The trap is left in the kitchen overnight. In the morning, the jar with the midges attracted to it is filled with water and poured into the sewer.
Pour some water into a wide container and add a few drops of liquid detergent with a citrus aroma. The smell will attract pests; they will land on the water, but once in the solution, they will lose the ability to take off. The liquid containing the midges is poured out.
Baits are made from plastic bags by placing pieces of overripe fruit in them and twisting the bag so that only a small hole remains in it. In a short time, a large number of midges will accumulate in the bag. The bag is tied tightly and thrown away.
Apple cider vinegar, table vinegar, leftover wine, sour compote, juice, poured into any container overnight, also serve as bait for midges. Insects will flock to such smells and die in vinegar and wine.
One of the most effective traps is sticky fly tape. The effect of the sticky tape is enhanced by sprinkling it with drops of wine.
The fruit pulp is impregnated with insecticides, placed in disposable containers and left overnight. In the morning, traps with dead midges are thrown away.

Spotted from nature

All living organisms are afraid of smoke and try to avoid it. The use of the repellent drug “Sochva Zh” - an aqueous concentrate of liquid smoke - is based on this well-known fact.

“Sochva Zh” was tested by specialists from the Khabarovsk Research Institute of Agriculture and was found to be an effective insect repellent.

The repellent is effective for 2 weeks. Despite the environmental safety, you should carefully read the instructions for use.

The reality is that simply planting a bed of onions and occasionally watering and feeding them is not enough.

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In this case, it is difficult to obtain a rich harvest.

An invisible army of pests acts against gardeners on the ground and in the air, defeating which is impossible without following the rules of agricultural cultivation and protection.

How to prevent onion midges

To prevent insects from appearing indoors, create conditions to prevent their appearance and reproduction:

First of all, clean all drain holes by pouring boiling water over them.
Pour a tablespoon of soda into the plums and add vinegar. The resulting mixture cleans drains well.
Stored cereals are carefully inspected; suspicious, spoiled, or with traces of cobwebs are thrown away.
Do not leave rotten fruits, fruits cut into pieces, or sweets on surfaces.
Pay due attention to high-quality disinfection of the trash can.
Do not leave tea bags in cups overnight.
Make sure that kitchen cloths, sponges, and napkins are clean, since when washing dishes a large amount of invisible food residue accumulates on them.
Food is put in the refrigerator overnight.
Particular attention is paid to proper storage of onions.

If vegetables are kept in a warm, dark place, in a closed plastic bag, the process of rotting begins in them. Bags with rotten onions are an ideal place for pests to breed.

To prevent the appearance of insects, stored onions are periodically sorted, rotten ones are thrown away, and high-quality ones are stored in open nets.

How to properly store onions so that they don’t get flies

Anyone who does not know the smell of spoiling onions has not stored them in sufficient quantities for the winter. When we buy onions in a supermarket or bazaar, we put them in a plastic bag, place them on the floor near the radiator and... store them safely there.

There is no need to do this - the heat and humidity of the closed bag will create a good microclimate for the decomposition of the product.

The first unshakable rule for successful storage of onions is their thorough drying after harvesting. Scatter the onions in one layer under a canopy, in a barn, on a terrace.
Only healthy and undamaged heads are laid for wintering. There is no need to trim the bottom of the bulb; only dry roots are trimmed or peeled. Otherwise, pathogenic microorganisms will penetrate through the “wounded” surface and create the possibility of damage.
Dry onions are stored at room temperature 17-22 degrees, but in the basement it is permissible to keep them at 1-5 degrees.
Air humidity in the room during storage should not exceed 75-80%.
In small quantities (when onions are bought at the store for a week), it is convenient to keep them in a bag in a special compartment of the refrigerator.
Boxes with holes and special braids are what you need to preserve onions.

Important! No matter how the onions are stored during the winter, they need to be inspected and sorted periodically, at least once a month. At the same time, soft or dried specimens are thrown away, and fallen husks are removed from the boxes.

It has been noticed that red onion varieties are more susceptible to rotting. This is explained by the fact that red onions are almost always early ripening and are not intended for long-term storage, and they are also almost always sweeter than usual. Maybe that’s why flies appear most often in such a bow.

You should not fall for the assurances of market sellers that there are special varieties of onions that do not rot. You may be advised to buy a bow that does not produce flies. But all this is pure fantasy. The main thing is to properly dry and store the onion.

Signs of a pest presence

The larvae of adult insects suck out all the juices from the bulb and devour the pulp. After three weeks, the flies completely destroy the plant, burrow into the soil and pupate. She spends the whole winter in this state.

In the spring, the onion fly emerges from the cocoon weak, but capable of life. For a week she will feed on the nectar of dandelions or lilacs, and after another week she will reach sexual maturity. At this time, insects move to the onion beds.

The following signs will help you spot pests in a vegetable garden in time:

The bulbs begin to rot and emit an unpleasant odor. In the section you can see the passages made by the larvae.
The plant slows down in growth, the feathers begin to turn yellow, wither, and the tips curl inward.
The bulb is easily pulled out of the soil with its roots; near the bottom you can see small worms, these are fly larvae.

After harvesting, you need to dig the ground deeply (to a depth of 20 cm). How can you treat soil infested with insect pests? The onion fly dies in a salty environment, so it is recommended to water the beds with a salt solution before planting the bulbs. The larvae die immediately.