Little Black Flies?

[Spcl22]

Help... I have two plants in my living room, they are both fairly healthy and are growing, etc. But, I keep finding little black flies either flying around the plants, dead on the window sill or flying around my flat!

They are doing my head in!!! Everynow and again, they land on me and I'm sure I've been bitten!

I don't have any pets, so I know its now fleas.... how on earth can I get rid of them? Forever?

Thanks..

[skylight]

Hi spcl, These sound like fungus gnats, Take off 1 inch. top soil and replace with fresh compost. Keep plants on the dry side (let compost dry out before watering). These little blighters thrive on continually wet compost but are harmless. Or you could spray with insecticidal soap .cheers skylight

[smurfchops]

There do seem to be a lot of little black flies around at the moment ... don't like to use insect spray but what do we do ??

[stevie-p]

I wonder if they are fruit flies?
We are plagued with them at the moment,perhaps its the season.

[Thunderbird+]

I think Skylight is right with fungus gnats or what I usually calls sciarids, ( same thing)if you see them running about on the soil surface when you water then you can bet your bottom dollar thats what they are.
I had an infestation of them in my cool green house last year which seemed to target seedlings mostly but also attacked the roots of a sweet potato, I was growing in a pot.
I managed to get rid of the flies by putting the plant outside for a spell and soon discovered these critters dont like the out-doors, my carnivorous plants traped quite a few as well, especially the honey dew. Good Luck Tbird+