23-04-2025
Are gnats worse right now around the Puget Sound? Here are tips to prevent them
A warmer climate has begun to take hold in the state of Washington, bringing in new hordes of gnats.
Black flies, also known as buffalo gnats, can cause irritated, itchy bites but do not typically spread diseases in North America, according to the Spokane Regional Health District's website. The bugs are especially active on cloudy, humid days with little wind, and like to swarm at dawn and dusk, the website says.
Weather in the Tacoma area is expected to continue to warm this week, according to the National Weather Service, reaching a high of about 73 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday before dropping off to the 60s and high 50s in the next few days. This will create a warm environment for gnats; they may remain active late in the day, given the longer stretches of spring sunlight.
Roberto Bonaccorso, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health, told The News Tribune in an email that populations of biting flies and midges can increase in the warmer months because the environment becomes more favorable for their larvae to develop. Some species may be thriving this spring while others have adapted better to summer weather, he wrote.
Tacoma's location along Puget Sound — a large estuarine system — also makes it an attractive place for gnats, who love streams, marshes and lakes, according to the Washington State Department of Health website.
If you are bit by a gnat, the insect's saliva is the usual irritant that causes swelling and redness at the bite site; the state Department of Health recommends washing the bite, watching for symptoms of infection — such as pain and further swelling or redness — and avoiding scratching to reduce chances of infection, which can be helped by topical creams.
The SRHD recommends wearing light-colored clothing and long pants and sleeves to help avoid gnat bites by covering skin and keeping cool, as the heat absorption of darker colors tends to attract more insects.
Last June, The News Tribune spoke with Scott Phillips, executive and medical director at the Washington Poison Center, who said N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, or DEET, as insect repellent and the insecticide permethrin are some of the best options to ward off insects as weather warms.
