Home»Pests - Diseases»Fungus gnat
works pestis are one of the most coarse types of household infestation .
appear just about anywhere online , and you ’ll find a small library onhow to portion out with aphids , mealybugs , flora scales , orspider speck .
Photo Credit: IG @j.l.perrone
But there are one species that tends to be more rough-cut than all the above yet is address far less often .
This is the infamousfungus gnat .
The full term fungus gnat really applies to a whole host of species in theSciaroideasuperfamily .
Fungus gnats are common indoor blighter that resemble mosquitoes , except they do n’t sting , and can often be establish around plants .
They are fairly tiny insect . They can be identified by their narrow-minded legs , light gray or clear wing , and segmented antennae declamatory than their heads .
As adult gnats , they ’re altogether harmless to everything but your sanity .
Gnats favour to pose their eggs in damp soil occupy with decaying constitutional matter , which is why they hump fall out in greenhouse and around houseplant .
However , a singlefemale fungus gnatcan repose up to 200 egg during her one - workweek lifespan , and these eggs cover into athirst little larvae .
If fungus gnats are a problem around your houseplants , try using a potting admixture that does n’t stop composted ingredient like processed forest products , bark amercement , or literal compost .
The larva are the real problem , as they will often eat at on plant roots while feeding on fungus and mold .
This harm is n’t usually enough to hurt a flora but can become serious with a declamatory infestation or if the flora is already sick .
As they love kingdom Fungi , plants suffering from root guff are specially vulnerable .
It ’s a pitiful fact that commercial-grade soils often turn back fungus gnats , so it ’s significant to have solutions ready at all times .
Thankfully , you’re able to in effect combat this pesterer without the need for harmful chemicals .
If you find a fungus gnat problem , hear to quarantine the infected pots forth from other houseplant so the problem does not get high-risk or spread .
What Are Some Home Remedies Getting Rid Of A Fungus Gnat Infestation?
There are a lot of leisurely home remedies , most of which postulate detail you probably already have lying around .
Here are just some of the many quick and well-fixed remedies available :
Steinernema feltiae
This metal money of beneficial nematode is a great treatment for firm plant that need systematically dampish grunge .
Simply sum these rude vulture to the damp soil , and they ’ll lash out by tunnel into the larvae and releasing bacterium that suffer the dupe from the inside out .
They prey on industrial plant roots , leaves on the stain , and decaying industrial plant materials .
Cinnamon
This once - expensive spice is a great repellent against many critters and can even kill some pests , such as fungus gnat .
Sprinkle a thin layer of Cinnamomum zeylanicum on the soil Earth’s surface .
Not only will this bolt down the gnat larvae , but it ’s also an effective fungicide .
interrelate : Using Cinnamon For Fungus Gnats
Diatomaceous Earth
Often referred to as simply DE , this therapeutic is really the smash stiff of diatom fossils .
Sprinkle athin stratum of Diatomaceous Earth on the soil of potted plantswhen it ’s dry to the touch .
The sherd will dilute through a cuss ’s protective wax coat , and they will slowly dehydrate to death .
You will need to reapply DE every time you water the works , or it rain down , and it ’s best to do so every couple of days .
It can take a slight while for the DE to eliminate the infestation , but it ’s a cheap and highly effective remedy .
Homemade Fly Traps – Apple Cider Vinegar Trap
You ’ve probably already made one of these before .
Simply take a 20 - ounce soda bottle and cut the top off where it begins to curve , then videotape the top upside - down into the bottom .
Fill it with apple cyder vinegar and ( if you so choose ) a few drop of dish liquid .
The gnats ( and fruit flies ) will fly into the opening and get stuck because they ca n’t sail the funnel shape , finally drowning .
Horticultural Sand
luck are , you already have some horticultural sand around . Simply apply a thin layer of okay Baroness Dudevant over the potting soil , and you are done !
Unlike the usual sand used in sandboxes , horticultural gumption is often used as a soil aggregate .
It also happens to work well against fungus gnat .
Simply add ¼ ” inch of horticultural George Sand on top of the territory , and it will discourage the gnats from land or laying eggs .
If needed , bring perlite to your potting premix to help improve drainage , especially if you incline to overwater .
Hydrogen Peroxide
In the garden , this household and can chemical is extremely utilitarian .
In fact , you should beusing part Hydrogen hydrogen peroxide on indoor plantsregularly .
For those who are n’t using peroxide regularly , you’re able to make a surface spray that will wipe out fungus gnats and their larvae on contact .
Simply take 3 cup of distilled ( AKA baby ) water and amalgamate in 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide order at 3 % pct or in high spirits strength .
biologic and synthetic insecticide sprays are effective for quick final result against fungus gnats , but they are not a long - term solvent and are seldom necessary .
Spray the mixed bag directly onto dry ground and replicate day by day until the infestation is cash in one’s chips .
More on : Using Hydrogen Peroxide To Kill Fungus Gnats
The Irish Method
Fungus gnat larva are an of import part of the exosystem since they help control fungus , modeling and also break down organic affair .
That ’s not to say you want them near your plants , but having this noesis gives you the means to trick them .
Slice up some bare-assed potato and lay the slices on the infested soil .
The gnats will be attracted to the murphy and will burrow up for a bite .
Keep an eye on the slices and replace them as they become infested until all the larvae are gone .
Of course , no dependable Irishman would waste a secure potato like this , but it ’s still a great way to slowly extract an early plague .
Neem Oil
Used as a soil soakage , neem petroleum kills ground - base pestsand protects a industrial plant from pierce bugs .
Simply emulsify a gallon of water supply with 1 teaspoon of Dawn liquid dish soap or pure Castilla soap , then stir in 2 tablespoons of 100 % percent insensate - pressed raw neem vegetable oil .
Test a small part of each industrial plant to assure it is n’t allergic or too sensitive .
After 24 hours , stream 2 to 4 cups of the smorgasbord per works around the roots , avoiding squish on the works itself .
This intervention can be reapplied every 21 day as a preventative .
detail : Using Neem Oil For Control of Fungus Gnats
The Sticky Trap
One of the easiest method is to pick up some yellow sticky trap from your local supermarket or hardware store .
pocket-sized yellow sticky lying in wait can be issue , placed on wooden stakes , and sneak in into pots close to the ground , where adult tend to crawl and vanish .
Since the larva do the bulk of the damage , it help to be aware of the fungus gnat ’s life cycle . In only three day , the bantam egg can hatch into larvae in a lovesome family .
pornographic fungus gnat are pull to the yellow paper and will quickly get themselves stuck .
grown female fungus gnats rest their eggs in organic , wet - ample environs like potting mixture , which brood into larvae at room temperature in a matter of days .
The adults put down their ballock in the dirt , and the emerging larvae provender on the soil ’s organic material and the plant ’s root hairs .
This remedy wo n’t belt down larvae , so you will need to lead the strips up for about a calendar month to get the nut and larvae when they arrive at maturity .
