The swarming gnats flitting about are buffalo gnats, also known as black flies. They're rampant this year, and Missouri Department of Conservation officials said the booming population is because of this season's wet climate.

"With insects, you have populations in boom and bust cycles," natural history biologist Bob Gillespie said. "This year happens to be a wet year and a cool year, and they do well in those."

Like mosquitoes, they spawn in wet areas, near fast-moving water. Since the southeast region has had a moderate spring, with regular rain, the gnats are out in force this season.

"The more water we have, the more spawning they're going to do, and the more offspring," Missouri conservation agent Kyle Booth said.

Gillespie said windy and sunny days end the gnats' life cycle. As soon as the region has more dry weather, the gnats will no longer be a problem. He said the gnats are approaching the end of their life cycles and should be gone within the next two weeks, if not earlier.

DEET and many other bug repellents aren't effective against the gnats.

"What we've found that seems to work better is something that is a little more fragrant, more of a smell to it, and they seem to be put off by that a little bit," Gillespie said.

Many people claim vanilla extract will keep the buffalo gnats at bay, putting it on

areas of the body the bugs target, such as ears, the back of the neck and arms.

Gillespie also recommends wearing lighter-colored clothing when outdoors, because it's not as warm as darker colors, and gnats seem to be drawn to darker clothing when seeking a host.

These bugs bite. Some cause only slight irritation, but others can end up in swelling or blisters.

Joe Touchette, the owner of the gardening store Plants Plus, said his customers have been coming in to buy mosquito plants and lemon grass to see if they'll keep the gnats at bay. He's heard some customers talking about mixing the vanilla extract with water to spray on themselves.

Debbie Kaempfer, an employee at outdoor store Foutz's, said the store has sold out of mosquito nets. Customers have been in talking about the gnat problem for a few weeks now.

"They're horrible," she said. "I've seen some nasty bites."

Kaempfer has also heard of using vanilla extract as a remedy, and some stores sell bug spray with the extract in it.

Illinois company VBS, or Vanilla Bug Spray, boasts an original DEET-free spray with vanilla extract to ward off buffalo gnats. The product is sold mostly in Illinois retail stores, but can be bought online at the company's website.

Cape Girardeau Public Works director Tim Gramling said there is nothing the department can do about the gnats. The department used to spray a fog to kill mosquitoes, but the practice wasn't effective. The city turned to using larvicide tablets in stormwater drains and other locations with standing water to kill eggs. The tablets aren't used for gnats, though, and the department doesn't have anything to kill gnats and black flies.

botto@semissourian.com

388-3620