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Who has never encountered those mosquitoes that like to visit the bathrooms? Yes, they are attracted to this part of the house, because that is where they find organic matter to feed themselves.
This little insect, in addition to being very discreet (silent) and sensitive (fragile), is harmless and does not pose a risk to human health. There is no news of any disease that is related to this insect. So don't be afraid of it. If he's in your bathroom, it's because there's food for him.
Bathroom flies feed on fungi that live in humid environments and organic matter found in drains.
In this content we will explain more about this animal, its importance and how to get it out of the home in an ecological way.
1. Bath mosquito: what animal is this?
This insect is also known by other names:
- Fly filter
- Bath fly
- Table
- Chamexuga
The bathroom fly may belong to the genusPsycoda orTelmatoscopus Both are part of the Psychodidae family, of the Nematocera suborder, inserted in the Diptera order, of the Insecta class, of the Animal Kingdom.
There are generally four species of bath flies, three of the genusPsychoda , what are the speciesPsychoda alternata , Psychoda cinerea YPsychoda satchellie and another gender, Telmatoscopus , which includes the speciesTelmatoscopus albipunctatus .
These gnats have a robust body and hairy wings, they look like miniature moths. As adults they measure about 2 mm and have a color that varies between gray and light brown.
Unlike other insects, they are very fragile, because a small blow can already end their existence.
2. How do they get to the bathroom?
Bathroom flies breed in humid environments. The larvae of this insect appear and develop in sewers and drains. Their eggs are deposited on the walls of the drains, near the surface of the water.
In addition to drains, the female chooses other places to breed and lay her eggs, such as sewer pipes, tile crevices, toilet joints, and gutter boxes. In these areas it can lay 200 eggs at a time.
The larvae of this insect hatch in a maximum of 48 hours and remain in this form for nine to 15 days, then they become pupae and after that stage they undergo a metamorphosis that lasts from 20 to 40 hours, when they reach the adult stage. In adulthood, their life cycle does not usually exceed four weeks.
The speed of the reproduction cycle and the number of eggs that the female lays occurs depending on the availability of food (organic matter) found in the environment.
As an example of organic matter we have: hair and skin residues that accumulate near the drain, after bathing, and to this are added the fungi that multiply due to the humidity in the bathroom. These elements are the necessary ingredients to serve as good food for the larvae of these insects.
Another factor that helps these insects to focus on places, such as the bathroom, is that they do not have the habit and ability to fly long distances, so they stay in the environments where they were born and raised. This is why it is so common to see them on bathroom tiles and walk across the surface of sinks and sinks.
3. Why not kill them?
This fly is not only not harmful, it is also useful for the environment, since it fulfills the function of recycling organic matter and surprisingly, if it weren't for it, the drain could even get clogged!
When you see these insects roaming around in your bathroom, or anywhere else in the house,andIt's a sign that there is an accumulation of organic matter, and this fly is a natural indicator of this.
Each insect has a function for the ecosystem, so don't kill it!
4. How to prevent your presence?
To prevent these insects from reproducing, that is, from forming a breeding ground in certain places, it is necessary to keep the environment clean and dry and the drains covered.
See more tips on this care:
4.1 Cleaning
To prevent these mosquitoes from living in your bathroom, without having to kill them, keep the environment clean and free of excess moisture and organic matter sprouts. To do this, wash and brush the edges of the drains, behind the toilet, and around the sink. Always dry the floor and walls well, since humidity contributes to the proliferation of fungi, food for these insects.
4.2 Repair leaks
If there is any infiltration in your home, take care to solve the problem, since only this will favor the appearance of the larvae of this mosquito. Therefore, if there are cracks, seal them, to avoid the accumulation of water in these places.
4.3 Drain protection
The drains are the most favorable places to attract the mosquito from the bathroom because, in addition to the environment being humid and conducive, there are the food they need to live. Therefore, place protection (bars, screens or rubber mats) in each drain to prevent access and reproduction of this insect.
When there is a high incidence of this fly in the environment, it is because the aforementioned care is lacking.
With this care you will be doing a natural control of these insects, simply keeping the environment clean.
Now that you know more about this insect, take a good look at it and follow the advice they gave you, so that it does not proliferate infesting your home.
By Deise Aur. Article in Portuguese
