Gnat

Gnat is the name given to a number of species of fly in the suborder Nematocera. These flies are often very small in size and some, but not all, species bite. In some areas gnats are important pollinators, particularly of orchids. The larvae of gnats can be terrestrial or aquatic and some species cause leaf galls.

The name, gnat, is applied to different species in different regions of the world and is not consistently applied. Consequently, the use of the name is ambiguous and is often applied to any small fly.

A photograph of the Fungus gnat Sciara analia.
Photograph by 2micha licensed under Creative Commons.

Related terms

• Diptera
• Gall
• Lek
• Midge

Related pages on this web site

• True flies - Order Diptera

See other words beginning with G