I think they are gnats. I have a bunch of them in my container garden too, yuck. It seems they're attracted to overly moist soil. Lots of posts on gnats in the forum. I'm linking a couple here.

Here is a link that might be useful: gardenweb link

This post was edited by Metaphor_ on Sun, Jun 29, 14 at 15:23

They don't seem to be harming anything

==>>> so you will be leaving them alone.. yes????

ken

While they're not harming the OP's plants, I've had a lot of seedlings die since these guys appeared. So I purchased a soap spray for vegetables at the garden centre.

I also turned over some earth in a pot that I can't seem to grow anything in -- and it appears the gnats are crawling through the potting mix. So I'll let the mix dry out, wait for the gnats to die, and start over again with that pot.

Thank you both for replying! I will follow the link Metaphor so I can learn. We live on a lake and with the rain showers it seems that area of the yard stays moist.
Ken I am debating.......problem is I can't get close to my plants to care for them because they swarm me.

Wear long sleeves, long legged pants and use an insect repellent according to directions.

Sidemeat, I think that you might be seeing midges. They breed in the lake and form swarms. Adults, if they feed at all, are likely to feed on flower nectar.

I could not make my mind up if they were midges or gnats that is why I posted the picture. I think the control is pretty much the same for either one. I will research it though. Thanks rhizo.

Jean, I think I could stand the insect repellent but here in middle Georgia it is 90+. I don't worry about them landing on me there are just so many that they stay swarming about my face and head.

For gardening in gnat season, I wear a broad-brimmed hat sprayed inside and out with insect repellent; sometimes I have to wipe my cheeks, ears and neck with a cloth sprayed with repellent, but that usually keeps them away from my head, and they don't bother much with the rest of me.