1000's of bugs/flies in bush

Columbus, OH

Hello all,
in the bush in front of my veranda live thousands of little, almost transparent flying bugs. They are bigger than fruit flies and when squooshed leave a surprising trail of dark orange on the wall. They're a real nuisance. What are they and how do I get rid of them?

The video clip would show you more, but this site doesn't allow uploading such a file. They are hard to see on a photo, but if you look closely you can see them in flight.

Thank you for your advice!

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Minot, ND

Please try yo get some 'still life' images of these insects. If you can capture some undamaged specimens, place them in a container that you can leave in a refrigerator for half an hour or so. They will then hold still long enough for you to photograph them. From what little I could make out in the images provided here, there is a possibility they could be flies in the family Cecidomyiidae.

Columbus, OH

Thank you very much, "Flapdoodle". I think you are right, when I compare the fly to the pictures of the many different types of Cecidomyiidae, that could be one of its species. Their legs are not as long as most of these, but overall that looks right.
So what can I do about them? They are a real nuisance but I don;t see damage to the leaves of the bush. Once they fly into the house, they die if I leave them flying around but then there are hundreds of these dead bugs everywhere. Ay suggestions?
Thank you very much!

Minot, ND

The larvae of flies in this family have varied habits; many are gall-formers on plants, and some, like the Hessian fly, can be serious pests. However, others can be beneficial predators, feeding on the eggs and larvae of other insects; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecidomyiidae for detailed information.

Columbus, OH

Thank you very much for this information. Will the problem go away by itself over time or will I need to spray the bush to get rid of the gnats? Do you have any experience with this problem?

Minot, ND

I doubt that they pose a serious threat to your bush, but just keep an eye on it...

Columbus, OH

It's less about the bush itself and more about the nuisance. It's uncomfortable to sit on the porch and if the door to the house is left open they are all over inside the house in the hundred's within minutes. While sitting outside they get into your drinks, hair and on your skin. Very unpleasant.

Minot, ND

There is no specific control for these that I know of, so I suggest going with the least toxic space spray you can find.

Columbus, OH

Thank you very much. If you have a specific recommendation for a non/least-toxic spray that would be fantastic, otherwise, thank you very much for all of your feedback and advice!

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