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Are there swarms of lilliputian mosquito - like insects buzzing around your home that have more interest in your houseplants than land on you ? Chances are you have an plague of fungus gnats , insects that are harmless to multitude but set a threat to a wide variety of indoor plants . Once these bothersome encroacher make their way into your home , they can be tough to get under control . Here ’s advice on forbid fungus gnats and getting disembarrass of them for good .
On this page : What Are Fungus Gnats?|Get Rid of Fungus Gnats|Prevent Fungus Gnats|Recognize the Presence of Fungus Gnats|Identify Damage|Plants Susceptible|Frequently enquire Questions
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WHAT ARE FUNGUS GNATS?
Fungus gnat ( Bradysia species ) are fell insects with longsighted , slender legs , similar to mosquitoes , but their overall size is much little , so they are sometimes mistaken for fruit flies .
Unlikewhitefliesandaphids , which fertilise on the sap in a plant ’s leave , fungus gnats are attracted to the ground your plant is grow in . The female person commonly put down their eggs under the surface of the soil , and once the larvae emerge , they begin feasting on kingdom Fungi and decaying organic material . They also like to snack on works roots and ascendant pilus , which can cause substantial damage to seedlings and young plants that do n’t have fully developed root systems .
HOW TO GET RID OF FUNGUS GNATS ON PLANTS
Getting free of fungus gnat is often a two - bifurcate attack . If you treat the soil to belt down the larva , it will have no upshot on the adult gnat , allowing the female person to go forward to lay eggs . Since the larva do most of the damage , you should target your efforts at exterminate them first . The adult are a bit hard to get under control because they can move from plant to plant .
Try a biological control.
There are a number of effective biologic control agent you could use to eliminate fungus gnat larvae in the soil . One of the easiest to apply is a production calledMosquito Bits . Essentially little corn cob granule coated with a biologic insect powder calledBacillus thuringiensis israelensis(or Bti ) , the second can be sprinkled on the filth open or mixed with pot grease prior to planting to kill fungus gnat and other rainfly larvae . you could also hit it up them in water ( 4 thyroxine Mosquito Bits to 1 congius of piss for 30 mins , then strain ) and then apply the treated water to the soil . They do not have a foresighted residual effect , so repetition applications are commonly needed for stubborn infestations .
Beneficial nematodesare another way to assault gnat larvae and can go longer in the stain . Look for a product containingSteinernema feltiae , a of course pass louse - parasitic roundworm that actively searches for fungus gnat larvae and liberate a bacterium that vote down them .
For more selective information on biological control for fungus gnats , see this guidance from the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program .
Photo by : MarcOliver_Artworks / Shutterstock .
Set a trap.
To reduce drove of grownup fungus gnats buzz around your plants , an in force method is to useyellow pasty trapsto attract and arrest them . The gnat are run to the colouring material yellow and get stuck on the trap after landing on its adhesive coating . When the trap is full , simply throw it away and supersede it with another one . Not only is this an easy method acting of getting rid of grownup fungus gnats , it ’s also a safe means to supervise for their mien . These pesticide - destitute hole will capture other flying plant pests as well , includingwhiteflies , thrips , andaphids .
7 WAYS TO PREVENT FUNGUS GNATS
If you ’re an avid houseplant collector , it ’s likely that you will have at least one encounter with fungus gnat . But there ’s no pauperism to panic . It ’s pretty easy to preclude their spread and keep them from endure after other plants in your habitation .
HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE PRESENCE OF FUNGUS GNATS
Fungus gnat larva . Photo by : Henrik Larsson / Shutterstock
Fungus gnat do n’t move around much and prefer to hang out on the foliage or land surface of potted plants . Because they are so small , you often wo n’t notice them flitting about until you water your plant or disturb the leaves . They also are attracted to light , so you may see them flying near window .
The larvae of fungus gnats are more difficult to spot with the naked oculus . Often the first sign of these midget , worm - alike grunge denizen are slime trail on the soil surface , alike to those of snails and slugs . A simple way to confirm their presence is to insert sparse slices of raw murphy into the filth surface . Within a few days , the larva will originate course on the Irish potato slices and you ’ll be able-bodied to see them on the undersurface when you remove the slices for inspection . you may identify the larvae by their shiny black heads and white , semi - translucent bodies .
HOW TO IDENTIFY FUNGUS GNAT DAMAGE
Houseplants growing in ground infested with fungus gnat larvae can march a image of symptom , from wilt or yellow leafage to stunted growth . Because fungus gnat do n’t feed instantly on a plant ’s leaves , these symptoms are sometimes attributed to other factors , such as over or underwatering , instead of root damage because of undetected fungus gnat larvae . Both the larvae and adult fungus gnats can also spread plant pathogens that cause “ damp off , ” a soil - borne fungal disease that will quickly kill seedlings and fragile , young works .
PLANTS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUNGUS GNATS
Any houseplant spring up in moist , nutrient - fertile land is a likely objective for fungus gnats because the soil leave an abundant food source . Plants grown commercially in greenhouses and greenhouse are specially vulnerable , including African violets , geraniums , lilies , begonias , ferns , chrysanthemums , Dianthus caryophyllus , Cyclamen purpurascens , poinsettias , and many type of foliage plants . If you are growing seedlings indoors , they are also at risk of infection of damage .
FREQUENLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do fungus gnats feed on outdoor plants?
Although fungus gnat larvae can also course on the ascendent of plant raise outdoors in container or in the garden , they usually do n’t do serious hurt because natural predators and seasonal weather change keep them in check .
Are fungus gnats always harmful?
Adult fungus gnat are vexing but wholly harmless to people and pets . Of great concern are the larvae that feast on the roots of the plant and limit its power to take in nutrients . In small numbers , fungus gnats do piffling harm to sound houseplant with well - established , robust tooth root systems .
What brings fungus gnats into the home?
There are a number of path these unwanted Edgar Guest can make their room into your rest home . The most common is by thumb on novel houseplants that you add to your assembling or on works you bring in from the outdoors . However , they can also be found in open bags of pot territory and may even take flight into your home through open , unscreened doors and windows .
How long do fungus gnats live?
The whole sprightliness cycle of a fungus gnat ( from egg to grownup ) takes about 3 to 4 calendar week , with the adults survive an norm of a week . During that brief time , an grownup female gnat can lay as many as 200 eggs , which is why a small plague can get out of hand quickly .
Are fungus gnats a problem year-round?
Fungus gnats love warm indoor temperatures and will continue to breed for generations as long as they have a nutrient informant . Although they can be a problem any time of year , they tend to be more noticeable during late downfall and wintertime . factor contribute to this seasonal surge let in infested houseplants fetch indoors after spending the summer alfresco and overwatering , which is more common during the winter month when houseplant maturation tends to slow down .
Are there good home remedies for preventing fungus gnats?
Some houseplant cultivator claim that methods such as tearing plants with diluted hydrogen peroxide , aspersion cinnamon on the soil surface , and create cakehole using apple cyder vinegar and dish max are successful at eradicating fungus gnats and their larvae . However , the grounds that they work is primarily anecdotic . By far the easiest and best place therapeutic for ending your fungus gnat problem is to get rid of spare wet and decaying matter in the soil of your houseplant .
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