Have you ever walked into the bathroom and found that there are some small black flying insects on the wall, on the edge of the sink, or even in the toilet, and they are constantly flying around, making you feel sick and disgusted?Have you ever wondered what these little flying insects are?They come from?
Are they harmful to your health?This article will unveil the true face of these small flying insects for you from the perspective of popular science, tell you their habits, hazards and prevention methods, and make your bathroom clean and comfortable again.
The small flying insects that are common in the bathroom are actually an insect called gnats, which belong to the order Diptera, the family of midges. The lifespan of a gnat is generally 10 20 days, and the female can lay 15 40 eggs or even hundreds in her lifetime, and the eggs are translucent, very small, generally no more than 1 mm, and need to be attached to a moist surface.
The larvae of the gnats are worm-like, have a head and a 12-segmented body, have fine hairs and bristles on the body, like to live in water rich in organic matter, feed on microorganisms and decaying substances in the water, enter the pupal stage after 4 molts, and then emerge into adults.
Gnats are a kind of insect that likes to be dark and damp, and they mainly breed in various stagnant water, such as septic tanks, sewage tanks, toilets, sinks, flower pots, etc. Their larvae live in the water and feed on the organic matter in the water, while the adults fly out of the water and move around in search of food and mating partners.
Adult gnats tend to be active at night or on cloudy days, and stay on walls or other shady places during the day, preferring bright light and dry environments. Although the adults of gnats have wings, they have poor flight ability, generally only flying short distances, and are easily blown away by the wind. Adult gnats also don't like water, as they have a superhydrophobic structure on their body surface that allows water droplets to bounce off the moment they come into contact with them without wetting their bodies.
The adult worms of gnats feed on various organic matter, such as decaying plants, animals, feces, etc., and also suck human blood and secretions, such as sweat, tears, etc.
Although moths and gnats may look inconspicuous, their harm should not be underestimated. First of all, gnats can affect the cleanliness and aesthetics of the bathroom, making people feel disgusted and uncomfortable. Secondly, gnats can cause some health problems to humans, such as:
Transmission of diseases: Gnats carry a variety of pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae, etc., they will bring these pathogens to human food, drinking water, towels, toothbrushes and other items during the flight, if humans accidentally ingest these pathogens, it may cause diarrhea, vomiting, fever and other symptoms, and even lead to serious intestinal infection and poisoning.
Bites**: Adult gnats have sucking mouthparts, they will suck human blood and secretions, if they bite humans, it may cause redness, swelling, itching, pain and other discomfort, and even cause infection and inflammation.
Now that we know the true face, habits and hazards of gnats, we can take some effective measures to prevent and eliminate these pesky little flying insects, so that our bathrooms can be clean and comfortable again. Here are some ways to control gnats:
Clean the toilet: This is the basic measure to prevent and control gnats, and it is necessary to clean the floor, walls, pools, toilets, etc. of the toilet frequently, remove stagnant water and dirt, keep it dry and ventilated, and reduce the breeding conditions of gnats. Special attention should be paid to cleaning the drain in the bathroom, scraping off the organic matter from the pipe wall with a brush, rinsing with boiling water or disinfectant, at least once a day for more than a week, until the eggs and larvae of the gnats are completely removed.
Replace the floor drain: The floor drain in the bathroom is the main entrance and exit of the gnats, and the floor drain with anti-odor function should be replaced in time, such as silicone floor drain, spring floor drain, flap floor drain, magnet floor drain, etc.
These floor drains use different principles and structures to achieve automatic opening and closing or water sealing, preventing odors and gnats from overflowing. When replacing the floor drain, pay attention to choosing the right size and shape to adapt to different drainage pipes and locations, and also pay attention to regular cleaning and maintenance to keep the floor drain smooth and sealed.
Use insecticides: If adult gnats have appeared in the bathroom, you can use some insecticides, such as insecticide spray, insecticide powder, insecticidal patches, etc., to deal with these small flying insects. It should be noted that insecticides can only kill adults, not eggs and larvae, so it is necessary to cooperate with other measures to completely eliminate the source of gnats.
Improve ventilation: Ventilation in the bathroom is an important factor affecting gnats, and poor ventilation can lead to dampness and stuffiness in the bathroom, which is conducive to the reproduction and activity of gnats. Therefore, to improve the ventilation of the bathroom, you can install exhaust fans, open windows, open doors, etc., to allow air circulation, reduce humidity and temperature, and reduce the breeding conditions of gnats.
At the same time, ventilation can also take away some odors and germs, improving the air quality in the bathroom.
Gnats are a common small flying insect in the bathroom, which not only affects the cleanliness and aesthetics of the bathroom, but also brings some health problems to humans, such as spreading diseases, causing allergies, bites**, etc. Therefore, we should pay attention to the prevention and control of gnats, understand the true face, habits and hazards of gnats, and take effective prevention and control measures, such as cleaning the bathroom, replacing floor drains, using insecticides, improving ventilation, etc., so as to eliminate these pesky little flying insects and restore our toilets to cleanliness and comfort.