You know that gnats are bothersome small flying insects that often roam in and around your house.
But have you ever paused and given a thought to whether the gnats are harmful or they carry diseases?
Well, if that’s the food for thought for you, then it is time to clarify your doubts.
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Continue reading this quick blog to know whether gnats are harmful to humans or pets and many more interesting things about these tiny creatures.
Do Gnats Carry Diseases?
Several species of gnats are found, and only certain species are known to carry and spread diseases.
So before moving further, first, let’s learn the major types of gnats.
Some gnat types include biting midges, buffalo gnats, eye gnats, fungus gnats, and deer flies.
For instance, sand gnats bite humans and are known to carry certain diseases. Midge flies also bite humans and cause large, itchy, swollen areas on your skin.
Whereas eye gnats don’t bite, but some researchers have found that they are responsible for spreading pink eye and other eye infections in both humans and livestock.
Now reverting to the question, “Do gnats carry disease?” The answer is simple.
Only some gnat types carry and spread diseases, while most gnats types are harmless.
Can Gnats Bite Make You Sick?
Female gnats only bite and suck blood from your skin in most cases. Unlike mosquitoes, gnat bites don’t break open the skin. Rather they cut open the skin to suck blood. However, they cause more pain.
So when gnats bite humans, it causes minor to severe reactions to their bodies.
Common symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. It is also reported that people who are allergic to gnats showed severe reactions to gnat bites.
In case you are bitten by gnats, avoid scratching the area as too much scratching can lead to a skin infection. You can apply antiseptic lotion to ease the pain and prevent any infection from developing.
Are Gnats Harmful to Humans or Pets?
If you have read the above topics by now, you know that only some variety of gnats bites humans, and most ones are harmless. But what about your pets?
Do gnats bite your pets?
Or
Do they threaten your pet’s life?
Well, gnats are not only troublesome creatures for humans but also for our furry little friends, especially dogs.
If you notice sudden bumps on your dog’s body or if the dog is feeling itchy and annoyed, then gnats are the reason behind them.
These flying insects swarm around your pets and hide in their fur, and breed. In some cases, gnats lay eggs in open wounds and easily develop infections in their blood.
In particular, if your dog is older, it might have a weak immune system, and it might find it hard to fight back the infections, and this can threaten its life.
So it is highly recommended to identify and eliminate the breeding grounds of gnats and save yourself and your pets from the nuisance created by gnats.
Conclusion
Most gnats varieties that bite are found outdoors. And Gnats tend to bite on uncovered skin, especially on the head, neck, forearms, hands, and legs.
So connecting the dots, when you go outdoors, it is recommended to either cover yourself or apply some insect repellants. You can also apply some insect repellents on your pets, after consulting with a vet.
And that’s all about whether gnats carry diseases or gnats bites make you sick. After extensive research, we have given our best to answer the crucial questions about gnats. If you find this article interesting, give it a big fat thumbs up. Cheers!
