A midge is a small fly and includes several types of mosquitoes as well. They are found on pretty much every land area, whether during the summer season or all year round, with the exception of frigid zones and permanently arid deserts where they can’t survive.
They are annoying and can seem to arrive in big groups anytime you want to spend some time on the balcony with friends and family.
To get rid of midges on your balcony, remove any sitting water, reduce the amount of lighting on the balcony, use bug traps and sticky tape, remove any food and garden waste properly, add neem oil near the doors, use insecticides, set an all-natural trap, and wear clothing to cover your skin.
While a midge can be annoying, this article will spend some time looking at all the simple steps you can use to help reduce their numbers on your balcony. Using these will help you get your balcony back so you can really enjoy the summer.
1. Reduce the Lighting on the Balcony
The first thing you should do is make sure lighting is minimal on your balcony. This includes any lights. Turn off the lights for the backyard, any safety feature lights, candles, and even the lights inside your home that may reflect out to the balcony.
Midge bugs, and other pests, are attracted to these lights. The more lights that are near or on your balcony, the more likely you will have to deal with these pests.
Turn off the balcony lights when you are not out there and consider turning off the motion detector, so nothing sets it off through the night. When it gets dark, consider drawing the curtains or blacking out the light that goes directly out to the balcony. This will help keep the midge bugs away.
2. Don’t Allow Water to Sit
Never let water sit around on your balcony. Standing water has a way of attracting the midges, as well as mosquitoes and other pests. You need to get rid of any water that is near your home, especially standing water on your balcony, to help reduce this problem. Consider water from the following sources to help:
- Pools
- Fish tanks
- Rain barrels and meters
- Sewers
- Drains
- Gutters
- Pooled water
- Fountains
And other sources of water that you may leave on your balcony. Pay attention to when water may collect around your balcony. Dump it as soon as possible or find a way to secure it to avoid problems.
3. Burn Some Citronella Products
Having these near the perimeter of the balcony is the best option. Anywhere someone is likely to congregate in your yard or balcony will be a great place to burn a few of these products, especially the candles.
In addition to keeping some of these candles around the balcony, consider using an insect repellent, one with DEET like the OFF! Deep Woods Insect Repellent works the best on your clothes and skin to keep the bugs away.
DEET is one of the most effective chemicals for keeping bugs of all kinds away. Using an insect repellent with this ingredient inside will help keep flies, midges, mosquitoes, and other insects away for several hours at a time. Most citronella products and bug sprays you will use contain DEET in some concentration because it effectively keeps the insects away.
4. Set Traps and Sticky Paper
It is possible to set traps to catch the midges that fly around. There are a few options, but one of the best is to use sticky paper. The bugs can get caught in. These attract the midges over, and once they land, they will get stuck in the sticky stuff, not able to move. Once the strip gets full, you can remove it and throw everything away.
These are often found at your local supermarket stores, and you can put them out as soon as spring starts. A good choice includes the Trappify Sticky Fruit Fly and Gnat Trap.
5. Consider Some Safe Insecticides
There are some insecticides that will work if you want a quick solution to your midge problem. A few options that you may want to consider include:
- Repel Insect Repellent: This is one of the most popular options and is effective against many different types of pests. It also has a DEET concentration of 98%!
- BUGGINS Natural Insect Repellent: This is a good alternative for those who want a natural product without DEET, but still want to keep the pests away.
- Sawyer Products: This option is a good one to put onto your clothes to keep the bugs off. It is more expensive, but it can provide protection on the balcony for six weeks.
6. Wear Clothing That Covers Your Skin
As you work to get rid of the midges, consider the type of clothing that you wear. While it may be hot, when the issue of midge bugs and other pests gets really bad, and while you try out the other solutions in this list, consider picking clothing that will cover your skin. Long-sleeved t-shirts and long pants are a good place to start.
7. Dispose of Plant and Leaf Litter
Don’t let the plant and leaf litter add up around your home. Basic maintenance should be enough and can keep the midges far from your balcony. Always dispose of this yard waste efficiently and quickly.
If you let the plants and leaves sit around your yard, the midges will fly in and enjoy the plant matter and sap. This is even worse when the plant life is leaking and wilting, so the midges can smell it from far away. Pick up all the waste and secure your compost piles and garbage cans, especially if they are close to your balcony.
Keep other food off the balcony as well. If you grill out or enjoy some other food on the balcony, take the time to clean it all up. Having food left out will attract pretty much every type of bug and pest, including the midge bug, so save yourself the hassle.
READ ALSO: How to Keep Spiders Away From Your Balcony – 9 Simple Tips
8. Add Neem Oil to Your Doorways
Midges do not like to be around Neem Oil at all. You can purchase a small amount and add a few drops into some water. Then just leave the cup near the entryway to the balcony. It lasts a long time and keeps the midges out. If the water or the oil evaporates, then you just need to fill the cup up again, and you are set.
A little bit will do here. You can paint it near the door frames as well to make sure the bugs won’t try to get into other parts of your home.
9. Use an All-Natural Midge Trap
There are many great options you can purchase for trapping midge bugs. But if you want to capture them with a natural solution, then adding a bit of apple cider vinegar into a bowl with some washing liquid is efficient.
The midge bug will come straight in because of the smell of the vinegar. When they land, though, they get stuck. After placing on your balcony, take the time to check and replace the bowl every day to two, and you are set.
Conclusion
Midge bugs and other pests can be a hassle during the summer. It seems like they are everywhere and won’t leave us alone. Working with some neem oil, apple cider vinegar, sticky tape, and removing water from the area is one of the best ways to keep these midges off your balcony so you can enjoy your evenings.
