"Gnats" in the backyard ...

[backyardgardner]

Greetings!



I'm a neophyte gardener who is being chased out of my backyard by these "Gnats". I know that gnat is a general term and not a specific one, so I'm looking for some help to figure out what's infesting my backyard and what I can do about them. I've attached a picture of one I caught (using fly paper, standing still while they swarmed me, then spinning in a circle with the flypaper. I'm sure I looked like an idiot but it worked!) - can anyone help identify what this thing is?

Attachments:

[Adam Cotton]

Where in the world is your garden?

[backyardgardner]

Fairfax Virginia, United States

[Paul K]

...another thread for Jan

[backyardgardner]

Awww, I feel like I've missed an inside joke.

[backyardgardner]

Cool - I will probably check out the thread when I have more brain cycles.


I was able to figure out that my gnat is most likely a Buffalo gnat. 

[Adam Cotton]

That sounds quite likely, since I found out that for most of us these are usually known as black flies (Simuliidae).

Maybe someone can advise how to get rid of them, or at least reduce their numbers.

Adam.