# Why do knats bite? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964 "2003-11-24T07:26:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/1 "2003-11-24T07:26:07Z")
I know it sounds stupid but think about it. Mosquitoes bite b/c they need food. But knats bite just b/c you’re there and they don’t stop until you squish them into your skin. Why would an insect perform such a kamakazi maneuver like this for no reason? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/2 "2003-11-24T07:36:04Z")
I didn’t even gnow that gnats bit. But Cecil has covered [why they swarm](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_069a.html). ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/3 "2003-11-24T08:53:58Z")
Knats only knaw certain knarly gnights on their gnock gnees. Then you can hear them knashing their gnife-like pincers for miles over the grassy gnolls. [Here’s more info.](http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/bio/animals/invertebrates/insects/b00726d.html) Kpeace. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/4 "2003-11-24T15:19:32Z")
Gnats? I don’t think they do that, but there are tiny biting flies that look like gnats. Ran into some on Maui. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/5 "2003-11-25T02:50:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*Gnats? > > I don’t think they do that, but there are tiny biting flies that look like gnats. Ran into some on Maui. \*\* **handy,** rather than merely speculating and providing dubious information in GQ, did you think to actually click on my above link and read factual data which would preclude your irrelevant musings? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/6 "2003-11-25T02:58:19Z")
Well, I don’t much care for the tone of that link, implying that the biting gnats are prevalent in Scotland. I don’t recall ever being inconvenienced by midges on the moors, even while we were properly dressed for grouse pinching… ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/7 "2003-11-25T05:47:57Z")
I remember those biting gnats when visiting Scotland. Not as annoying as mosquitos, but I would get an armful of little bites that faded quickly. Gnats can be a swarming nuisance down here Houston in the less developed, swampy regions. I have inhaled my share, but they don’t seem to want to bite at all. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/8 "2003-11-25T08:06:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrFidelius \* > \*\*Well, I don’t much care for the tone of that link, implying that the biting gnats are prevalent in Scotland. > > I don’t recall ever being inconvenienced by midges on the moors, even while we were properly dressed for grouse pinching… \*\* Are you kidding? When I lived for two months on the west coast of Scotland, half of what I remember is the goddamned midges. You must have been lucky. (No offense to Scotland itself. It’s one of my favorite and most gorgeous places in the world.) ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/9 "2003-11-26T02:34:41Z")
You must have skimped on your application of remedy. For internal use only. Once you get your blood alcohol level high enough no biting insects will bother you. Remember, chiggers can’t be boozers. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/10 "2003-11-26T03:54:11Z")
Shouldn’t gnat be defined here? What I call gnats don’t bite. They just pester. ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/11 "2003-11-26T04:10:09Z")
Reeder, go to Scotland, primarily aroung grassy areas near water. They look just like the gnats we have. They are tiny. Maybe a little bit larger than ours, but still very tiny. They swarm in grassy areas just like our gnats. But they bite. Not very hard, but your arm, or other exposed areas will have red blotches on them fairly quickly. Nothing lasting. They are just nasty little buggars. Less of a nuisance than swarms of biting horseflies, but a nuisance. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/12 "2003-11-26T16:34:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reeder \* > \*\*Shouldn’t gnat be defined here? What I call gnats don’t bite. > They just pester. \*\* **Reeder** , you’re just as bad as **handy**. For pete’s sake, read the two links cited above that already answer your question. If you had, you’d find that there are biting and non-biting gnats. Do you just ignore what’s been posted before? ---
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-knats-bite/214964/13 "2003-11-26T23:31:54Z")
Alright,alright Subject closed. The answer asked for has been obtained and I’m grateful for all who participated.