First off, relax—you’ve probably got fungus gnats or fruit flies, not a full-blown plague. Fungus gnats look like tiny, mosquito-like things that love moist soil, while fruit flies are chunkier and drawn to anything fermenting. (Yes, that includes the banana you forgot about last week. You know the one.)
The real kicker? They’re both terrible fliers but fantastic at annoying you during Zoom calls. I once watched one land on my laptop camera during a client meeting. It was like it knew I couldn’t swat it without looking crazy.
The crime scene investigation (a.k.a. your kitchen)
So where are these little monsters coming from? I’ll save you the detective work: check your drains, garbage can, and houseplants. Fungus gnats breed in the damp top layer of potting soil—especially if you’re a generous waterer (guilty as charged). Fruit flies, meanwhile, are laid as eggs inside overripe produce or in the slimy film inside your sink drain.
Here’s a fun fact: One female fruit fly can lay over 500 eggs. That’s basically an army of tiny black dots waiting to hatch in your compost bin. Isn’t nature beautiful? No, no it isn’t when it’s in your kitchen.
