Lord of the Flies

Is it just US? Are others in Floyd County being bedeviled by clouds of tiny “gnats”–which upon inspection are a type of fly?

What is the source? I’m thinking these are “wet vegetation” hatches. They  especially like to congregate above our windows in doors to the extent that you can’t see paint underneath them.

Phorid flies maybe? They are smaller than fruit flies. Wing length is greater than body length. Does anybody have a valid ID so that I can explore control measures?

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fred
fred

Fred First holds masters degrees in Vertebrate Zoology and physical therapy, and has been a biology teacher and physical therapist by profession. He moved to southwest Virginia in 1975 and to Floyd County in 1997. He maintains a daily photo-blog, broadcasts essays on the Roanoke NPR station, and contributes regular columns for the Floyd Press and Roanoke's Star Sentinel. His two non-fiction books, Slow Road Home and his recent What We Hold in Our Hands, celebrate the riches that we possess in our families and communities, our natural bounty, social capital and Appalachian cultures old and new. He has served on the Jacksonville Center Board of Directors and is newly active in the Sustain Floyd organization. He lives in northeastern Floyd County on the headwaters of the Roanoke River.

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  1. We have a plague of Asian Lady Bugs here – all trying to get into the house to over winter – not the same but also weird and new. These lady bugs are the Asian newcomers brought in by gardeners – they have killed of the indigenous ones. These also bite and have a nasty yellow stain.

    We are having exceptionally warm weather in the high 70’s too