Why Do Gnats Swarm?

You may have witnessed a large group of gnats in your yard. What are these groups? And why do they gather in your garden in such a large number?

These groups of gnats are called gnat clouds and they gather in groups to breed. This process of breeding is known as swarming.

In this article, we will discuss what is gnats swarming and what are these clouds.

We will also provide you with some preventive measures to get rid of these gnats from your yard.

What is Swarming and Why Do Gnats Do That?

Swarming is the phenomenon in which species organize themselves in a large number to carry out important life processes. In the case of gnats, swarming is very important as it increases their population. The whole purpose of swarming is breeding. 

Gnats fly in large groups, look for the right place and environment and then search for a partner to commence their mating. 

Let’s move to the next section to understand more about why gnats swarm.

Swarms of Gnats 

As already discussed above, the swarming of gnats is nothing different from normal swarming. They fly in groups called swarms, and their purpose is to mate. 

During the spring and summer seasons, gnats fly in large numbers. It is their mating season. Dusk is a popular time for gnats to swarm.

After mating, the females search for a moist place as they require water to deposit their fertilized eggs. 300 eggs are laid by each female daily.

The worms hatch from the eggs and feed on plants and organic material. They do not cause any damage to the plants and the roots. The exception is there if the worms are larger in number. 

The larva stage lasts for one month. After this stage, the larva turns into a pupa and then finally emerges as a gnat two to three days later. The adults live for a week, their work includes swarming and mating thus starting a new generation of gnats.

Gnats love humidity so a garden with a humid environment is a perfect place for them to mate. Also, if your garden has a pond or is watered many times, then the chances of gnats invading your garden are very high. This is due to the moist environment and the presence of water in your garden.

Gnats can fly for hours and once they invade your garden, it becomes very tough to get rid of them. It is very normal for people to witness a cloud of hundreds of tiny flies during the summer and spring seasons. 

What are Gnat Clouds?

In the previous section, the last para has the word cloud in it. What is it? These clouds consisting of hundreds of flying insects are known as gnats clouds. These clouds consist of mature gnats that are looking for partners to mate with.

Gnats don’t gather to annoy humans. The purpose of making clouds is breeding. All the male gnats stay together in groups hoping for females to arrive. They do a lot of conspicuous behaviors to impress a female such as falling from the swarm to get the attention of the females.

They form clouds for high visibility. The chances of finding a partner are very low without clouds. Females can’t track down a single gnat as compared to the groups of gnats. As soon as a female arrives, a male gnat grabs her and mating begins.

How to Get Rid of a Swarm of Gnats?

Gnats are attracted to moisture. If you can control it, you can control the swarm of gnats. They prefer the garden due to its moist environment so it is important to take care of your yard.

• Get rid of excess water from your yard.

• Do not water your garden regularly.

• If there is an open space where water is getting collected, try to cover that area. Grass can be planted there.

Conclusion

Swarming is a natural process, you cannot do much about it. The process doesn’t cause a lot of damage, gnats do. If you have a beautiful garden with a pond, you have to be more cautious. 

Gnats will choose a very perfect place for their mating and a garden with a pond fulfills their requirement. Try to follow all the preventive measures mentioned above.

If that doesn’t work, call for a pest control team.