dark-winged fungus gnat

5864   Hey it’s Cal from Calgary, Alberta. I’ve killed about 50 of these little flies in my bedroom every day for the past week. I live in a basement apartment and I can’t find out where they’re coming from! Can you provide any help with identifying these guys?

This is a dark-winged fungus gnat (Diptera: Sciaridae). They basically are nuisance pests whose larvae are found primarily in very damp/wet soils having a high organic content, where they sometimes will damage tender roots and other underground parts of plants. If you have indoor potted plants of any kind, allow the soil to dry out as much as practical between waterings. See http://tinyurl.com/hrgsoqh for more detailed information. Saugstad, retired entomologist; Sinks Grove, WV.