Midges - Ask Extension
We live on the waterfront in Baltimore City and for the past month or two have experienced an invasion of midges. They layer over our windows and glas...
Knowledgebase
Midges #934993
Asked June 10, 2026, 1:14 PM EDT
We live on the waterfront in Baltimore City and for the past month or two have experienced an invasion of midges. They layer over our windows and glass doors. They make it impossible to sit on our balcony. Is there a way to eradicate/control the swarm?
Baltimore City County Maryland
Expert Response
Probably not, as they are likely breeding in a natural water source that you can't control or drain. Midges, being a type of fly, need moist organic matter for their larvae to live in, and even though the drought is keeping many soils quite dry, there may be streams/creeks, ponds, or damp soil along the waterfront itself that is supporting them. Very few midges bite, and for those, using personal repellent (same as for mosquitoes) or long-sleeved clothing is the most effective and practical approach.
If there is an outlet nearby, have you tried using a fan pointed on anyone sitting on the balcony? Like mosquitoes, they are weak fliers and can't travel well when faced with a consistent breeze. (It doesn't necessarily have to be the highest setting on the fan, just enough air movement to create a moderate breeze.)
They also should have a fairly short lifespan as adults (although there may be successive or overlapping generations, or different species present over that 1-2 month period), and a variety of natural predators eat them, including spiders, birds, and other insects (small robber flies, damselflies, etc.). If any aerial or yard spraying for mosquitoes has been done (either in your yard or a neighbor's), that can remove those predators and make nuisance insect outbreaks worse.
Miri
If there is an outlet nearby, have you tried using a fan pointed on anyone sitting on the balcony? Like mosquitoes, they are weak fliers and can't travel well when faced with a consistent breeze. (It doesn't necessarily have to be the highest setting on the fan, just enough air movement to create a moderate breeze.)
They also should have a fairly short lifespan as adults (although there may be successive or overlapping generations, or different species present over that 1-2 month period), and a variety of natural predators eat them, including spiders, birds, and other insects (small robber flies, damselflies, etc.). If any aerial or yard spraying for mosquitoes has been done (either in your yard or a neighbor's), that can remove those predators and make nuisance insect outbreaks worse.
Miri
