Fungus gnat?
- Thread starter AfgooCBD
- Start date
GrowerGoneWild
Well-Known Member
Make sure you id the pest correctly first. Catch one on a sticky trap and get your microscope out.
Neem or Azamax etc, seems not to totally control them, I've been fighting them for the last few weeks, oddly enough I get more fliers after routine application. So I'm still having some problems with azamax and sticky traps for fungus gnat control. If I were you I would go with a neem treatment and spinosad neem/azamax seem to act as an anti-ovipository and spinosad is toxic to larve... so I'm going to add spinosad to my pest management.
Also I'm reducing the water times for the plants in soil, apparently this is an ideal environment for fungus gnats (wet soil tops) I might consider mulching if I cant get things under control.
What did work for me in the past was pyrethium foggers, I just warn you its harsh on your plants.. It burned leaves, etc.. I just applied a quick fog over the base, waited a few days and did again a few times and I killed them all
Lastly I picked up a shit load of fungus gnats from zen potting soil, I'm never using that shit again. Ive switched to black gold seedling mix.. much better stuff.
AfgooCBD
Well-Known Member
Looks like the tiny guys flying around my plants. If they are fungus gnats, what happens is the larvae go dormant when the top of the soil dries. Then when you water, they all wake up again and start destroying your roots. From what I've read. So I'm going to hit my soil with hydrogen peroxide (4 parts water, 1 part hp) Friday. Supposed to kill both the eggs and larvae. The flies themselves won't damage the plant. It's the larvae.
SnapsProvolone
Well-Known Member
Fungus gnats or winged root aphids? Wings longer than torso and "dual exhaust" nubs posterior equals winged root aphids.
If just gnats, gnatrol.
If aphids you need imidacloprid, orthene and diligence.
If just gnats, gnatrol.
If aphids you need imidacloprid, orthene and diligence.
GrowerGoneWild
Well-Known Member
Additional Info on Fungus Gnat Control.
http://www.ggspro.com/new/pdfs/Fungus-Gnat.pdf
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7448.html
http://www.ggspro.com/new/pdfs/Fungus-Gnat.pdf
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7448.html
AfgooCBD
Well-Known Member
Thanks GGW. Good to know. I had shore flies last year for sure, based on your first link, like tiny house flies. These are a lot smaller, like tiny mosquitos.
Here's the link I saw about hydrogen peroxide and fungus gnats: http://www.freeplants.com/fungus-gnats.htm
Here's the link I saw about hydrogen peroxide and fungus gnats: http://www.freeplants.com/fungus-gnats.htm
Geronimo420
Well-Known Member
Getting rid of the adults is easy: simply use sticky yellow cards to land on. The larvae are a bit trickier. The first step toward getting rid of them is to starve your plant of water for a few days, Once the soil is dry, mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution with 4 parts water. Use 3% solution, which you can find in any drug store or in the hygiene/medicine aisle of a chain grocery store. Water your plants as you normally would, using the hydrogen peroxide solution and taking care to get good coverage of the entire top layer of soil. Use a spray bottle if desired. The soil will fizz for a few minutes after application; this is natural. The gnat larvae die on contact with the H2O2. After a few minutes the fizzing stops and the H2O2 breaks down into oxygen molecules (which your plants don't mind) and water molecules (which your plants love).
SnapsProvolone
Well-Known Member
If it were only so easy.
Aphids are evil little bastards. You need something with a residual systemic effect like imidacloprid.
AfgooCBD
Well-Known Member
Found this informative page on the fungus gnat, if anyone is interested: http://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/controlling-fungus-gnats-organically
GrowerGoneWild
Well-Known Member
Well I think I beat the gnats. In a week I will know for sure.
1) I've been in construction mode in the greenhouse, I had some random buckets of hydroton, and the gnats found a home in there to.. It comes down to sanitation and getting rid of all the hiding spots. I even found them in my dehumidifier.
2) I used something with fast knockdown power, pyrethrum fogger for all the stuff around the place and carbyl will kill the larve, I am still continuing with azamax to keep them out of the plants. And the sticky traps will never go away.
The problem is they can get everywhere, so you really cant just treat soil or medium.. you have to treat the entire building, So really hydrogen peroxide, or spinosad is only part of getting rid of them.
1) I've been in construction mode in the greenhouse, I had some random buckets of hydroton, and the gnats found a home in there to.. It comes down to sanitation and getting rid of all the hiding spots. I even found them in my dehumidifier.
2) I used something with fast knockdown power, pyrethrum fogger for all the stuff around the place and carbyl will kill the larve, I am still continuing with azamax to keep them out of the plants. And the sticky traps will never go away.
The problem is they can get everywhere, so you really cant just treat soil or medium.. you have to treat the entire building, So really hydrogen peroxide, or spinosad is only part of getting rid of them.
AfgooCBD
Well-Known Member
Good to know! Thanks for the info. For me, the sticky trap is a must in getting rid of the adults. I'm working on the soil now. Things are looking good on my end too. I'll know for sure around Friday when I water next.