THE Holy Grail of gnat control

ForbiddenFruit

ForbiddenFruit

Well-Known Member
Just wanted to pass this on, as I would want someone to do the same for me.

After years of frustration, I finally just accepted that gnats were only a problem I could control but never eliminate entirely. I tried everything I could think of, and then some. And nothing worked.

As I was looking for mosquito dunks at Home Depot (figured I'd give them one last chance, even though they never really helped before) I came across a similar product, only it actually advertised that it killed gnat larvae too, so I got it instead.

http://www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Dunks-117-6-30-Ounce-Bits/dp/B0001AUF8G

117_6_MB_30_30ozMosquitoBitsFR_clip_4x5_300_1109FAKE.jpg

Well, this stuff works like a charm. Between it and a few sticky traps, the gnats have been quickly and totally eradicated (I was shocked). I went from swarms of them down to NONE. And this after years and years of just accepting them as permanent residents in my garden. Sometimes I got so frustrated with them I found myself wishing I would find a giant 40 pound gnat just to beat up on it. So this stuff was god-sent as far as I am concerned.

BTW I grow everything in DWC and I've seen no ill effect at all in the water (PH, EC, etc) or in the plants themselves. I'd rather not have anything like this in my water, but the this stuff says it is safe for plants and you can flush once the gnats are gone.

Just thought I'd share. It's cheap, a small amount goes a long way, it's effective, and sold at Home Depot (and no, I don't have stock in HD). Happy hunting!
 
DemonTrich

DemonTrich

Well-Known Member
ive noticed a few black gnats buzzing in my tent. i put up 2 sticky traps (black flag x4 per box at .50@ at walmart) and caught 3 of them and havent seen any more since. might have to buy this and keep it on my shelf in the basement for other conditions that may arise. thanks for the tip!!
 
Sunbiz1

Sunbiz1

Well-Known Member
Bacterial control takes a good month to be effective on fungus gnats, a soil drench with hydrogen peroxide is much faster.
 
burgertime2010

burgertime2010

Well-Known Member
Peroxide is a anti-fungal but not an ovicide. To get them you must kill the eggs or 5 days later you have gnats . Cinnamon is a powerful ovicide as well as repellant to flying insects. I had them quite bad several summers ago and never again. I now use a weekly spray over the lower part of the plant and top of the coco. With a hose-end sprayer I use Dr Bronners. Peppermint soap, cinnamon, garlic, cayenne, a tsp of baking soda, and neem....THEY DO NOT LIKE THIS. Remember to wear masks and goggles, it is harsh yet non toxic and organic. Great for control in tent spaces or hard to access set-ups. The beneficials get eradicated with Peroxide. Gnatrol, Mosquito dunks, yellow sticky traps are popular and effective and keep it clean. Prevention.
 
Sunbiz1

Sunbiz1

Well-Known Member
burgertime2010 said:
Peroxide is a anti-fungal but not an ovicide. To get them you must kill the eggs or 5 days later you have gnats . Cinnamon is a powerful ovicide as well as repellant to flying insects. I had them quite bad several summers ago and never again. I now use a weekly spray over the lower part of the plant and top of the coco. With a hose-end sprayer I use Dr Bronners. Peppermint soap, cinnamon, garlic, cayenne, a tsp of baking soda, and neem....THEY DO NOT LIKE THIS. Remember to wear masks and goggles, it is harsh yet non toxic and organic. Great for control in tent spaces or hard to access set-ups. The beneficials get eradicated with Peroxide. Gnatrol, Mosquito dunks, yellow sticky traps are popular and effective and keep it clean. Prevention.
Click to expand...
Too much work, why not simply use DM earth?.
 
Trousers

Trousers

Well-Known Member
Mosquito Bits - Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis, solids, spores and insecticidal toxins, 2.85%
Mosquito Dunks - Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis, solids, spores and insecticidal toxins, 10.31%


The dunks are stronger, that is the only difference.
 
I

icebox7420

Well-Known Member
ForbiddenFruit said:
Just wanted to pass this on, as I would want someone to do the same for me.

After years of frustration, I finally just accepted that gnats were only a problem I could control but never eliminate entirely. I tried everything I could think of, and then some. And nothing worked.

As I was looking for mosquito dunks at Home Depot (figured I'd give them one last chance, even though they never really helped before) I came across a similar product, only it actually advertised that it killed gnat larvae too, so I got it instead.

http://www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Dunks-117-6-30-Ounce-Bits/dp/B0001AUF8G

View attachment 2671032

Well, this stuff works like a charm. Between it and a few sticky traps, the gnats have been quickly and totally eradicated (I was shocked). I went from swarms of them down to NONE. And this after years and years of just accepting them as permanent residents in my garden. Sometimes I got so frustrated with them I found myself wishing I would find a giant 40 pound gnat just to beat up on it. So this stuff was god-sent as far as I am concerned.

BTW I grow everything in DWC and I've seen no ill effect at all in the water (PH, EC, etc) or in the plants themselves. I'd rather not have anything like this in my water, but the this stuff says it is safe for plants and you can flush once the gnats are gone.

Just thought I'd share. It's cheap, a small amount goes a long way, it's effective, and sold at Home Depot (and no, I don't have stock in HD). Happy hunting!
Click to expand...

again, a fly swatter is much cheaper, and besides that fly swatting skills also serves as a practice for playing badminton or tennis!

just kidding!
 
kinddiesel

kinddiesel

Well-Known Member
stop over watering let the soil dry up a bit before you water, and you wont need the bug stuff for nats,,
 
Sunbiz1

Sunbiz1

Well-Known Member
Well shit, so much for the DE idea:

"In conclusion, based on the results from both experiments, the incorporation of DE into growing medium had no effect on fungus gnat second and third instars. This suggests that the use of DE as an amendment incorporated into growing media may not be beneficial to greenhouse producers. However, further studies are needed to access whether there is differential larval susceptibility (first instar vs. later instars) to DE and if moisture content influences the ability of DE to control soil-dwelling arthropods."

http://www.gpnmag.com/fungus-gnats-and-diatomaceous-earth

Last summer, I got so pissed at these little bastards I finally committed the cardinal sin of organics...a synthetic chemical.

Specifically permethrin, synthesized from chrysanthemums. One soil drench did the trick, but it kills everything including beneficial organisms.
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
Sunbiz1 said:
Well shit, so much for the DE idea:

"In conclusion, based on the results from both experiments, the incorporation of DE into growing medium had no effect on fungus gnat second and third instars. This suggests that the use of DE as an amendment incorporated into growing media may not be beneficial to greenhouse producers. However, further studies are needed to access whether there is differential larval susceptibility (first instar vs. later instars) to DE and if moisture content influences the ability of DE to control soil-dwelling arthropods."

http://www.gpnmag.com/fungus-gnats-and-diatomaceous-earth

Last summer, I got so pissed at these little bastards I finally committed the cardinal sin of organics...a synthetic chemical.

Specifically permethrin, synthesized from chrysanthemums. One soil drench did the trick, but it kills everything including beneficial organisms.
Click to expand...
could have saved your totally organic status and got some pyganic. the only pyrethrin based insecticide on the market that is 100 percent organic. one synthetic chemical in most others (except maybe Evergreen).
 
ForbiddenFruit

ForbiddenFruit

Well-Known Member
Well, I have used DE before and it didn't work. And I spread a whole bag out all over the room. Really, everything was coated with it.

I tried the mosquito dunks before as well. And even if you are telling me now that these bits have the same main ingredient, I just know they worked whereas the dunks did not. Not sure why, but that was my experience.

As for a fly swatter. lol Good luck swatting 1,000 of them. And I have had swarms of them in my garden.

In any case, I don't think there is anything on this entire website that I haven't tried. None of it worked, other than to control the population. Whereas this has eliminated them entirely. Take it for what it's worth. A small bottle of this cost less than $10, so if you are struggling with them you might want to give it a try.

Also, keep in mind, I grow in DWC(might not work so well with soil, I don't know). Huge reservoirs and a perfect environment for gnat larvae (my tops are homemade fence posts that have a hollow layer that make for a perfect home). Last time I transferred from veg to flower (I have to take the plants one by one and move them) I was plucking out tons of larvae. After using this stuff, they are all gone. And the larvae are all I am really concerned about. If they can't live and eat my roots, then the adult gnats are harmless (still catching them with traps, but they are laying eggs in vain).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top