Buffalo Gnats

BW Fowler · Thu May 21, 2015 2:32 pm

Malcolm,

Sorry to hear of your troubles with these gnats. If it is any consolation, by posting this you are helping many other landlords to keep an eye out for this problem. I had no idea that gnats could be so bad.

I looked-up the buffalo gnat yesterday when I read your post. About 5 mm long with a little hump on their back, which is why they call them 'buffalo' gnats. I told myself "I'll keep an eye out."

Well, when I lowered my gourd rack today for a nest check, I saw some gnats on the rope, and they were about 5 mm long with a bump on their back! I live near a creek. Most of the time it is mostly dry near where I am, but with all the rain we've had it has been flowing for several weeks now. "Could be buffalo gnats," I told myself. During the nest check, I found that one gourd in particular had several of the same gnats inside and on the outside.

Without seeing this discussion, I would not have known what to do. The one gourd with the gnats now smells like cotton soaked in vanilla. I went to Tractor Supply and got some Absorbine UltraShield EX and sprayed it on the sides and bottom (outside) each gourd in the rack with an active nest.

I figured it couldn't hurt if Louise says so. I may have overacted but I usually go way overboard on most everything I do. So why stop now?

Thanks again for sharing your experiences,
BW

Matt@atx · Thu May 21, 2015 3:36 pm

BW Fowler wrote:Malcolm,

Sorry to hear of your troubles with these gnats. If it is any consolation, by posting this you are helping many other landlords to keep an eye out for this problem. I had no idea that gnats could be so bad.

I looked-up the buffalo gnat yesterday when I read your post. About 5 mm long with a little hump on their back, which is why they call them 'buffalo' gnats. I told myself "I'll keep an eye out."

Well, when I lowered my gourd rack today for a nest check, I saw some gnats on the rope, and they were about 5 mm long with a bump on their back! I live near a creek. Most of the time it is mostly dry near where I am, but with all the rain we've had it has been flowing for several weeks now. "Could be buffalo gnats," I told myself. During the nest check, I found that one gourd in particular had several of the same gnats inside and on the outside.

Without seeing this discussion, I would not have known what to do. The one gourd with the gnats now smells like cotton soaked in vanilla. I went to Tractor Supply and got some Absorbine UltraShield EX and sprayed it on the sides and bottom (outside) each gourd in the rack with an active nest.

I figured it couldn't hurt if Louise says so. I may have overacted but I usually go way overboard on most everything I do. So why stop now?

Thanks again for sharing your experiences,
BW

" vanilla. I went to Tractor Supply and got some Absorbine UltraShield EX "

Thanks for the heads up BW,

Where exactly did you get that vanilla extract and Absorbine UltraShield Ex at? I'm down the street from you so those things can show up round mom's too.

If you take the 967 east back toward Buda proper crossing the 1626 from your direction, you come by Cullins Pond which should be on your right with a cluster of little business offices across the street on your left.

Look how flooded out that pond is. Don't believe I have seen that much water in that pond. I was thinking those things probably breeding in there as well as creeks like you said and we could see them for the first time.

Thank you for sharing this observation

M.Stephens · Thu May 21, 2015 4:24 pm

I purchased the pyrethrin at an Atwoods farm and ranch store yesterday and saw the absorbine Ultra-shied EX but went with a product called Equisect a pyrethrin based product only...wasn't sure about the ultra shield products from Absorbine because they had other insecticides in them. I'm looking for the 3m ultrathon and was going to stop at tractor supply to see what they offered. My nest check is scheduled for Saturday and I was going to apply the insecticides then. I work and have a huge colony or I would be applying sooner. I hope I stop this before it gets any worse.

rickchilli · Thu May 21, 2015 9:52 pm

I found out about using a concentrated soap solution in articles about gnat control from other landlords back in the 70's and 80's. they said to use 1 part basic H to 10 part water mixed in a hand plant sprayer (about 36 oz). I've used it for years. My martins love it. From my observations I'll spray the nests, compartments, and the outside of the house as a preventative measure while doing nest checks weekly. If I see the martins bobing their heads at the gnats I will lower the house and spray the outside of the house again daily if necessary. the gnats land on the house stick to it and die. I've also found out that after spraying the houses several times with the soap solution it builds up on the houses and the next time it rains the rain activates the soap again and I've found dead gnats on the house next time I lower it.

M.Stephens · Fri May 22, 2015 9:33 am

I found information about some of the ingredients in the Absorbine products pyrethrins and permethrin....

Pyrethrins are from the chrysanthemum plant and is nontoxic to birds...

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/pyrethr ... l#wildlife

...but permethrin is man made and is low in toxicity to birds...

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PermGen.html#wildlife

I believe pyrethrins alone are what can be put on cotton balls and placed under the nest but a mixture of pyrethrins and permethrin should be sprayed on the outside of a house or gourd only. Correct me if I'm wrong?

BW Fowler · Fri May 22, 2015 8:50 pm

Matt said "Where exactly did you get that vanilla extract and Absorbine UltraShield Ex at?"

Matt, I got the UltraShield Ex at the Tractor Supply in Buda, just on the other side of IH 35 from Cabela's. I only put it on the outside of the gourd as recommended by Louise. They have multiple spray solutions for flys and gnats. The vanilla extract came out of my pantry, and I put it on two cotton balls and placed them under some nest material in the one nest that seemed to have lots of gnats. HEB should have the pure vanilla extract. And yes, that pond is overflowing!

Malcolm, thanks for the info on the chemicals in the UltraShield Ex. I wasn't sure what type of absorbine product to get. It may be better to get a product with only pyrethrins, but I don't know. As long as it stays on the outside of the gourd, it should not affect the martins.

I like the idea of using the soap solution. Rickchilli, I didn't understand from your post what type of soap you mix with water. Is it just regular dishwashing soap?

I will do a nest check tomorrow and see how many gnats I see. I've got young ranging in age from 1 week until fledge to 1 day old (judging by the last pair of birds just now bringing in bugs). Trying to keep 'em all healthy for a month full of fledgings starting in June.

Best to all,
BW