How to Kill Flying Insects: Gnats, Moths, Whiteflies

Flying moths and other insects can be real nuisances.

Flying insects, such as gnats, moths and whiteflies, can be a real nuisance. They can be annoying as they fly around you and your family. Moths and whiteflies can also feed on plants in your yard and cause damage. Fortunately, killing these flying pests is not a difficult endeavor.

Things You'll Need

• White distilled vinegar
• Bowl
• Plastic wrap
• Rubber band
• Fork
• Soap
• Plastic sports-drink bottle
• Nail clippers
• Drill
• String
• Pheromone bait strips
• Tape
• Liquid dish detergent
• Insecticides
• Horticultural oils

Instructions

Gnats

1. Mix together equal parts of white distilled vinegar and water in a medium-size bowl.

2. Cover the top of the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap. Pull the wrap tightly over the top of the bowl and secure it in place with a rubber band.

3. Use a fork to poke the top of the plastic wrap three or four times to make holes.

4. Place the vinegar-filled bowl where you are experiencing your gnat problem. Gnats will fly in through the holes in the plastic wrap to get to the moisture in the bowl, and drown when they cannot find their way back out.

5. Empty the vinegar mixture every two to three days and replace it with a fresh mixture.

Moths

1. Use soap and water to clean the inside of an empty plastic sports-drink bottle. Make sure the bottle has a bulbous top that is the same size or larger than the sides of the bottle. Allow the bottle to dry completely.

2. Use a pair of nail clippers to make four holes in the side of the bottle, just below the bulbous top. The holes should each be 1-1/4 inches in length and 3/8 inches in height, and evenly spaced around the bottle.

3. Use a drill to make a small hole in the center of the sports bottle lid. Feed a 12-inch piece of string into the hole and tie a knot in it, inside the bottle lid. You want the string to hang down about two inches inside the bottle when the lid is back in place. Use tape to attach a pheromone bait strip to the string hanging down from the inside of the lid. You can find pheromone bait strips at garden-supply stores.

4. Fill the bottle with a squirt of liquid dish detergent and two inches of water. For best results, add the water before you add the dish detergent. Replace the lid and use the twine outside the bottle lid to hang your moth trap from a tree.

5. Empty the contents of the bottle every week and replace with fresh pheromone bait strips, water and dish detergent.

Whiteflies

1. Use an insecticide to spray problem areas when whiteflies are seen. Follow the package directions. Choose an insecticide that will be absorbed in the leaves of plants. These insecticides will be eaten by the flies when they feed.

2. Use a second insecticide to water your plants a month after spraying the first insecticide. Follow the package directions. Choose an insecticide that can be mixed with water and used to water your garden. This insecticide will be absorbed by the plant roots and last the remainder of the season.

3. Apply a horticultural oil made with refined cottonseed oil whenever you see signs of whiteflies, such as black mold or honeydew buildup. Follow the package directions.

References

• How to Kill Gnats: Indoor Gnat Killing
• Gypsymothalert.com: Making a Homemade Gypsy Moth Trap
• Southern Living: The Grumpy Gardener and Whiteflies