First off, I don't know why they're called fungus gnats. Seems to me that they'll land anywhere there's dirt. Secondly, why they're finding my indoor plants so attractive besides that fact that they're plants living in dirt befuddles my mind. Can you feel the resentment here? The soil isn't overly moist or fungus-y by any means. Actually, I probably don't do a good enough job of keeping them moist. I don't ever open the window in here, although we open the rest of the windows daily... I guess it was only a matter of time before they found this new resort.
Anyway... I have got to get rid of these flying [enter expletive of choice here] before my plants head outside or I'll just be continuing the cycle--especially with my SWC setup. So, I've spent the past hour in my dining room (probably the most usage it's ever had) battling these guys. My strategy, whether or not it's logical to anyone else but me, is to apply a Neem oil on the soil surface of ALL my pots, and for the first week (today) flush everything but my newly transplanted tomatoes and nasturtiums with a BTi water solution I now keep at the ready. Then apply another layer of Neem oil to the top of the soil. Next week I will do the same to everything (unless anyone chimes in with a better, more knowledgeable strategy).
Not very exciting, but the white flecks are a few of the youngest larvea that have been flushed out of the pots.
If you so choose, you may look at more pictures of fungus gnats and larvea here. Blegh!
At least I've enjoyed my dining room a little bit today LOL...
Ewww...I'm sorry you're having to deal with those. I haven't encountered them, yet. I hope the BT and Neem oil work for you.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! One year I got a gnat infestation from a snake plant I'd purchased from Wal-Mart. Luckily, it was in AZ, and I didn't have any other plants for them to infect. I never did get rid of them, I finally took a perfectly beautiful plant to the dump, rather than bring it north to infect everything here.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of fungus gnats but I hate gnats in general - yet they love me! Every spring I get nearly eaten alive by black gnats in my garden. I don't always feel them biting, but the itchy welts they leave are no fun and last for weeks!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the little buggers!
Granny~It sure does stink having to throw plants away, but your sacrifice probably saved your WA garden.
ReplyDeleteSylvana~Thanks for stopping by! Growing up in the humid east, I've had my fair share of gnats too. Gnats in the eyes and up the nose were commonplace LOL. I love the fact that in the 1.5 years of living in CA, I've seen 1 mosquito, and only black flies and (now) the gnats.