How to get rid of onion midges

Onion midges are common in all latitudes. With the onset of spring, they appear in the kitchen when onions are stored improperly and easily spread to other vegetables and fruits lying unpackaged. In garden plots, insects can destroy planted crops in a few days.

Who are onion midges?

Midges are small flying insects. There are several species of midges that parasitize plants, mainly fruit midges (Drosophila) and soil midges (Sciriadae). The body of the midge is golden in color with black stripes, has an oval shape, the length of which does not exceed 1.5-3 mm. Females are larger than males. The insect has six legs and two wings. Midges have a slow flight, not as fast as that of ordinary flies.

Pests multiply at an incredible rate. Females lay eggs only on perishable fruits and vegetables, which serve as food for the larvae. Onion midges live 20-30 days, during which time they go through all four stages of the life cycle: adult, egg, larva, pupa.

What do they eat?

Most midges serve as food types of onions: onion, leek, shallots, chives. The insect uses all bulbous plants for food: garlic, tulips, lilies, some varieties of lettuce.

In the kitchen, midges are attracted by the smell of spoiling vegetables, berries, and fruits. Spoiled foods are not only food for midges, but also a suitable place for reproduction, since larvae develop from laid eggs in the rotting pulp.

Insects instantly settle in open jars of homemade preserves: salted, pickled vegetables, compotes, jam. Insect feeding -pests There will also be leftover food for domestic animals and birds.

Where do they come from

Onion midges easily fly long distances. Attracted by the smell, they can enter the apartment through open windows, doors, or through ventilation holes from neighbors.

Eggs and larvae can be found in vegetables, fruits, berries purchased in a store, at the market, or brought from a personal plot. Cracks in overripe fruits provide good shelter for them. In these places, the process of rotting begins, which always attracts midges.

Often pests enter the house in a rotten onion when buying a large amount of onions.

Insects can be brought into the house with purchased cereals and flour. Eggs and larvae of the pest fall into them during packaging and weighing. It is almost impossible to find them there.

Attention! Midge eggs and adult insects can be found in the soil of purchased indoor plants. If the soil is constantly wet, it will attract new individuals, and they will quickly multiply in it.

Are they dangerous, what is their harm?

Onion midges appear in late spring. They lay eggs on young shoots Luke. After 8-10 days, larvae appear and penetrate inside the bulbs for food, as a result of which they deteriorate and disappear.

In kitchens, insects spoil food lying on the surface. They lay eggs on fruits and vegetables. Winged insects are carriers of various diseases. An onion midge bite can cause a severe allergic reaction accompanied by swelling. This is especially true for people prone to allergies.

Pests lay eggs on unpackaged products, which can end up in human food. Midges stain the surface of furniture and walls. During flight, they can enter the human respiratory tract.

What to do if they appear in the apartment

To get rid of onion midges, you first need to find places where they feed and actively reproduce.

Important! The main principle of the fight is to leave insects without food and a favorable environment for their reproduction.

To do this you need:

• review and discard spoiled bulbs;
• put the stored onions in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator;
• If there is a large quantity of onions, store them in well-ventilated nets;
• do not leave vegetables, fruits, berries, citrus fruits on the table unnecessarily;
• throw out garbage on time: midges flock to the smell of food waste;
• do not leave dirty dishes in the sink, especially cups containing fruit juice;
• block access of insects to water: wipe sinks, do not leave dishes with water uncovered;
• use disinfectants to clean siphons, drain pipes, and sewers;
• Monitor the cleanliness of pet food bowls, remove excess food in a timely manner, and clean cages.
• review and hermetically seal containers with cereals and flour;
• If midges are found in flower pots, reduce watering and replace the top layer of soil.

How to get rid of midges

When onion midges appear in the kitchen, take action immediately, without waiting until the number of insects increases several times. To get rid of pests, chemicals, traditional methods and homemade traps are used.

Chemical methods

In the fight against onion midges, chemicals are the most effective. But keep in mind that they are much more harmful than traditional methods.There are a large number of insecticides that can be used to spray onion plantings, but most of them are used only in open areas. Their action is aimed at damaging the nervous system of insects, resulting in paralysis and death of the pest.

Such drugs include:

1. "Aktara" affects adults and larvae. Dilute in water: 1 g of powder or 1 ml of liquid per 10 liters of water, and spray the plantings twice a season.
2. "Alatar" (10 ml per 10 liters of water) – also affects both adults and larvae. They treat the beds twice a season.
3. "Zemlin" “Fly beetle” (granules) are poured onto the beds when planting bulbs.
4. "Karate Zeon» destroys harmful insects at all stages of the life cycle.
5. "Terradox" applied to the soil when planting bulbs.
6. "Maksim" – prepare a solution of 20 ml of product and 10 liters of water, treat planting material and adult plants.

After applying insecticides, the fruits can be eaten no earlier than three weeks later.

At home, aerosols such as Raid, Odorless Dichlorvos, Raptor, and Neo-Dichlorvos are used to combat midges. These drugs, if they come into contact with the skin and mucous membranes, can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, after treatment, the room must be ventilated.

Important! Insecticides in the form of aerosols are used in the home with extreme caution, since their particles, when sprayed, can end up on the dining table, kitchen utensils, dishes, or foods consumed by humans.

Traditional methods

To prevent midges from infesting stored onions, housewives and owners use safe folk methods.

• Laundry soap is grated and poured with water until a homogeneous solution is obtained.The prepared solution is lightly sprayed onto the stored onions. During onion growth, onion beds are sprayed with this solution.
• Carrots are planted next to the onions; midges cannot stand the smell of this plant. At home, when storing a small amount of onions, place a few carrots between the bulbs.
• Horseradish – its smell repels insects. The plant is cut into pieces and laid out in several places in the kitchen, and the windows are opened slightly. Pests will quickly fly away from the room.
• Tobacco, juniper - small pieces of twigs are set on fire in a metal container. Smoldering plants emit a scent that repels midges.
• Pests also cannot tolerate the smell of camphor oil, lavender, lemon, and cloves. Open containers of essential oils are easy to place in the kitchen.
• Wheatgrass infusion is used to spray kitchen surfaces and wipe the floor with it.
• Pests are repelled by the smell of vanilla. Its pods can be placed in a glass. The room is sprayed with a vanillin solution.
• Chop the garlic and add hot water. This solution is sprayed onto the soil in flower pots in which pests are hiding.
• Geranium - the smell of its leaves repels the onion pest.

Traps

Taking up residence in the kitchen, onion midges multiply at high speed. Sometimes getting rid of rotting fruits does not bring quick results. In these cases, housewives take more serious measures by preparing baits and traps for flying insects.

1. Place a piece of any fruit at the bottom of a plastic disposable cup or pour a little juice or compote. The top of the glass is wrapped in cling film and several small holes are made in it. The trap is left in the kitchen overnight. Insects will flock to the smell, and through the holes they will penetrate into the glass.In the morning, the cup with the midges is tied into another bag and taken out of the house.
2. Pour a little juice into the jar or put pieces of overripe fruits. The top of the jar is closed with a funnel made of paper, placing its neck inward. The trap is left in the kitchen overnight. In the morning, the jar with the midges attracted to it is filled with water and poured into the sewer.
3. Pour some water into a wide container and add a few drops of liquid detergent with a citrus aroma. The smell will attract pests; they will land on the water, but once in the solution, they will lose the ability to take off. The liquid containing the midges is poured out.
4. Baits are made from plastic bags by placing pieces of overripe fruit in them and twisting the bag so that only a small hole remains in it. In a short time, a large number of midges will accumulate in the bag. The bag is tied tightly and thrown away.
5. Apple cider vinegar, table vinegar, leftover wine, sour compote, juice, poured into any container overnight, also serve as bait for midges. Insects will flock to such smells and die in vinegar and wine.
6. One of the most effective traps is sticky fly tape. The effect of the sticky tape is enhanced by sprinkling it with drops of wine.
7. The fruit pulp is impregnated with insecticides, placed in disposable containers and left overnight. In the morning, traps with dead midges are thrown away.

How to prevent onion midges

To prevent insects from appearing indoors, create conditions to prevent their appearance and reproduction:

1. First of all, clean all drain holes by pouring boiling water over them.
2. Pour a tablespoon of soda into the plums and add vinegar. The resulting mixture cleans drains well.
3. Stored cereals are carefully inspected; suspicious, spoiled, or with traces of cobwebs are thrown away.
4. Do not leave rotten fruits, fruits cut into pieces, or sweets on surfaces.
5. Pay due attention to high-quality disinfection of the trash can.
6. Do not leave tea bags in cups overnight.
7. Make sure that kitchen cloths, sponges, and napkins are clean, since when washing dishes a large amount of invisible food residue accumulates on them.
8. Food is put in the refrigerator overnight.
9. Particular attention is paid to proper storage of onions.

If vegetables are kept in a warm, dark place, in a closed plastic bag, the process of rotting begins in them. Bags with rotten onions are an ideal place for pests to breed.

To prevent the appearance of insects, stored onions are periodically sorted, rotten ones are thrown away, and high-quality ones are stored in open nets.

Conclusion

Onion midge causes a lot of trouble for housewives and even experienced agronomists. It quickly spreads throughout the entire garden, damaging green spaces. To prevent its occurrence, destroy weeds in a timely manner, treat the soil when digging, and promptly remove spoiled fruits. It is not difficult to combat the pest; the main thing is to take the necessary measures in time after detecting a midge.