Insects - very small, jumping - sudden infestation...

sierra2469alpha · Post by **sierra2469alpha** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 5:57 pm

Gang, I sure hope someone can help Mrs. C and I with this one...

We live in a new build, about 30 stories up. I left the apartment this morning at about 11:00AM or so, and returned at about 4:00PM, to wit, I found a number of very very small insects deciding to lodges themselves on our ceiling.

Upon closer inspection (using a dutiful amount of spray), they are less than 1mm in length, have two small wings, but "hop". yes, hop. They jump when one tries to use the "pedal influence" upon them (i.e. stomp on them)

On the ceiling, they appear to be building a "nest" of sorts. And in about 5 hours!!!! And before you ask - no, I didn't leave a carcass laying around, nor any stagnant water.

Mosquitoes? Annoying bugs? What the....??? They don't look like mozzies - but they sure as hell were rampant.

Suggestions, advice?

P

QRM · Post by **QRM** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 6:16 pm

wash more often?

durain · Post by **durain** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 6:24 pm

since they are on the ceiling, that cancel out bed bugs (or crab or fleas!). are the insects hard or soft shell? are the wings explose or nicely folded in? could be baby flies just got off their lava. but then you said they hop. so can they fly as well?

sierra2469alpha · Post by **sierra2469alpha** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 8:55 pm

QRM - yes I did ask your wife to wash before she came around the last time

Durain - they are softy skinned, with folded in wings. They are approximately 3mm in length.

We have never seen these before.

We are both totally amazed at these bugs - 30 floors up!!

P

durain · Post by **durain** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 9:08 pm

i think the bugs had a sip of redbull. have wings will fly. or maybe they were in your container? spray them with shelltox or get those electric tennis racket and zap them. i think the tennis racket option is more fun.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 9:25 pm

Get the digital camera out and take a macro photo and post it here. There may be a couple of insect fanatics on here. I may even be able to find out at work if I've got a photo to refer to - I work for a very large pest control company here.

Do it look like this:

durain, that was just for your young'un!

durain · Post by **durain** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 9:40 pm

cbavasi · Post by **cbavasi** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:22 pm

does it look something like this? could be flying ants. they tend to come out after the rain and all of a sudden there will be more and more and more.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:21 pm

sierra2469alpha wrote: I found a number of very very small insects deciding to lodges themselves on our ceiling.

Upon closer inspection (using a dutiful amount of spray), they are less than 1mm in length, have two small wings, but "hop". yes, hop. They jump when one tries to use the "pedal influence" upon them (i.e. stomp on them)

I wanna watch you use the "pedal influence" on'em especially as they are on the ceiling!

positano · Post by **positano** » Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:00 am

totally cringeworthy

how about pest control Mr P ?

sierra2469alpha · Post by **sierra2469alpha** » Thu, 21 Aug 2008 9:22 am

SMS - hahahaha - after Mr Mortein had his way with them they were on the floor!

I've tried to take a photo, but it's not that brilliant as these blighters are mightly small....I put a $1 coin in one to show the scale...

Unfortunately, they were back this morning. They only seem to like the ceiling - they don't fly around.

Any ideas? Or is it time to call Fox and Scully....??????

sierra2469alpha · Post by **sierra2469alpha** » Thu, 21 Aug 2008 9:24 am

cbavasi wrote:does it look something like this?

Heya - sort of, but they seem to be smaller and without the dark head.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:38 am

C&P, I believe you may have Fungus Gnats. Do you have indoor plants?

http://www.ehow.com/how_9360_control-fungus-gnats.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus_gnat

sierra2469alpha · Post by **sierra2469alpha** » Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:46 am

Only three bamboo plants on the balcony....and we've had those for the 6 months we've been here and this is the first infestation. The balcony is timber decking over concrete, with 0.5cm gaps between each plank. I am suspecting that the bamboo leaves which have fallen in between may be where the gnats are breeding, as it's not possible to access and remove those leaves that have fallen through.

I've just looked for the larvae to no avail.

Many thanks for your research there SMS. Really appreciate it.

P

micknlea · Post by **micknlea** » Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:08 am

They're not booklice (psocids) are they? These are tiny and you find them on walls, near aircons usually, doesn't have to be near books! They come in large groups and like mould and fungi. If you keep your place open and airy they tend to go away as they like it damp etc.

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Insects - very small, jumping - sudden infestation...

Insects - very small, jumping - sudden infestation...

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