They're both tiny, both annoying, and both seem to appear out of nowhere — but gnats and fruit flies are different insects with different habits and different breeding sites.
Fungus gnats are one of the most common types of gnats found indoors. You’ll most often find them near houseplants, since that's where they breed.
Fruit flies are small, rounded flies, usually fast movers, and tend to hover near food sources rather than resting on surfaces.
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Fungus gnats tend to hover near houseplants or flutter toward windows, especially in rooms with overwatered plants. Running your hand over damp potting soil and disturbing a small cloud of flies is a strong indicator of a breeding site.
Fruit flies, on the other hand, cluster near food sources, like hovering around a fruit bowl, a recycling bin, or an open bottle of wine. Because fruit flies reproduce quickly, a handful can turn into a noticeable swarm within a week or two.
Cutting off access to food and breeding sites is the most effective way to keep both pests at bay.
If gnats or fruit flies keep coming back despite your best efforts, our pest control services can help.
No, gnats and fruit flies are different insects. The term "gnat" covers several small fly species, including fungus gnats, which breed in damp soil. Fruit flies are a distinct species that breed near fermenting food and organic waste.
Fungus gnats tend to hover around houseplants and moist soil, while fruit flies are drawn to overripe fruit, drains, and food waste.
Drain flies and fruit flies are more than a nuisance. Our technicians identify the source of the infestation and treat it at the source.
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