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Although they look like tiny mosquitoes, fungus gnats are small flies of the Orfelia and Bradysia species. They can be identified by their narrow legs, light gray or clear wings, and segmented antennae larger than their heads. If you notice these gnats flitting about and your plants seem to wilt for no reason, larval root damage could be the cause. If you want to get rid of gnats in your indoor potted plants, you can use common home remedies—like hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and cinnamon—without killing your plants. Read on to find more ways to get rid of gnats in plants naturally.
How to Get Rid of Gnats in Your House with a DIY Gnat Trap
The gnat larvae thrive in damp soil and can quickly harm the roots of young plants. You may notice these bugs in your houseplant soil or they may fly around your plants. When gnat larvae grow into flying insects, the gnats can quickly infest other plants in your home with fungal diseases. 'They normally feed on decaying organic material, but when found in our homes, they are a real nuisance. To prevent and control this species of fly, do not overwater your plants.
How to get rid of flies in the house - keep pests at bay with these nifty hacks - Ideal Home
How to get rid of flies in the house - keep pests at bay with these nifty hacks.
Posted: Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Use a Bug Zapper
Drain flies are about 1/8 inch (4 mm) long with long antennae and light tan to gray coloring. They have faint black and white speckling on their heart-shaped wings and tiny white hairs on their body. Don't overwater your soil; clean your drains with a stiff scrub brush and drain cleaner, and ensure your compost bin has a tight lid. Fungus gnats have a very distinct odor when crushed between your fingers.
How to Get Rid of Gnats in the Garden
Simply place the bowl with solution in the areas where you've noticed the most gnats, and wait for results. There are a few other simple tips you can use to control gnats in your home. One of them involves mixing sugar, water, dish soap, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl to attract and kill the flies.
The reproduction cycle of fungus gnats, for example, only takes about 17 days, so one gnat can breed hundreds very quickly. They tend to swarm around sources of food and moisture including your fruit bowl, your drains, your houseplants, and even your body. Fungus gnats, also called soil gnats, are small flying bugs that are the bugbear of anyone who has houseplants. The tiny flying pests lay their eggs in the potting soil where they hatch into larvae.
Cinnamon and Chamomile Kill Fungal Food Sources
The first three stages—egg, larva, and pupa—all take place in houseplant soil. Yellow sticky traps to kill flying gnats—Gnats are attracted to yellow color and will die when they stick to the traps. These gnat solutions help reduce gnat numbers and break the breeding cycle. If your kitchen becomes infested with gnats because of fresh fruit sitting out, you can use that fruit to get rid of fruit flies. Rather than making a trap with apple cider vinegar, as described in the previous section, you can place bits of your overripe fruit in a small glass, bowl, or jar. Cover the container with plastic wrap and poke small holes into the plastic with a toothpick.
Let the Soil Dry
If the gnats don’t appear to be attracted to fruit or vinegar, you can also make a trap out of a candle. Place the lit candle in a dish of soapy water to attract the gnats and turn out the overhead light. Although this method works best at night, never leave a burning candle unattended, especially while you sleep. This is a good way to remind your household to eat fruit before it starts to spoil.
Both are attracted to decaying or decomposing organic matter, though fruit flies are more likely to be hovering around your fruit bowl, while gnats prefer potted plants. Luckily, getting rid of gnats is a simple process, and with numerous ways to deal with gnats in the house, there is bound to be a method that works for you and your home. Fungus gnats tend to remain near their source of food—the organic matter and fungus in the soil. The adults lay their eggs in the soil, and the emerging larvae feed on the soil's organic material and the plant's root hairs.
How to get rid of gnats without damaging your plant’s sensitive leaves
First, it's essential to identify the specific pest in your home. Fungus gnats love houseplants because the potting mix provides an ideal habitat for them to raise their young, says Justin Hancock, horticulturist for Costa Farms. "Adult fungus gnats lay their eggs in moist potting mix, the eggs hatch, and the larvae feed on the naturally occurring fungi and organic matter in the potting mix," he says. "The larvae may feed on plant roots if there’s already a problem with the roots and they’re decaying or the potting mix doesn’t contain enough fungi."
You can also use red wine in place of water, sugar, and vinegar. A simple mixture of red wine and dish soap will also do the trick. Gnats are one of the few pests that can also be treated quickly by using home remedies. Home remedies for getting rid of gnats can be used for both indoor and outdoor infestations, as well as alongside other gnat treatment options. Experts recommend trying natural remedies first to remove gnats from your house plants. Natural remedies are eco-friendly and pose no health risks to humans or pets.
In rare cases a gnat bite can cause a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Symptoms of this include but are not limited to trouble breathing, nausea, swollen throat, lightheadedness and rapid heartbeat. Here’s what to know about getting rid of everyone’s least favorite household pests. If you're bedeviled by other pests, we've also get tips on how to get rid of mosquitoes, how to get rid of moths as well as how to get rid of ants and how to get rid of fleas. Chiana has been at Homes & Gardens for two years, having started her journey in interior journalism as part of the graduate program.
One way to go on the offensive with fungus gnats is to use biological controls. Introducing bacteria or microscopic worms to the soil can eradicate gnat eggs and tiny soil grubs. Let’s look at the two most common environmental gnat control methods. Hydrogen peroxide 3% is an easy way to kill soil gnats when they’re in the egg, larval, or pupal stage. Getting rid of the gnat eggs and larvae stops more bugs growing in the soil and helps break the life cycle.
Once the sticky side is sufficiently filled, toss it and add a new one. You can also try a bug zapper that’s aimed at catching smaller insects or, if the problem really persists, call a reliable pest control company. While traps help control the adult population of fungus gnats, you still need to treat the eggs and larvae in the soil.
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