Fungus gnats

Discussion in 'Garden Pest Management and Identification' started by lily, Jul 23, 2003.

  1. Tom Hulse

    Tom Hulse Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Marysville, WA USA
    I see that there was someone last year that said they tried Bti and it didn't work for them. Just wanted to add that it is a live culture, and therefore delicate to things like chlorinated municipal water or sodium-laced water in a home that has a water softener.
    I use Bti (liquid form from pond supply company) with great success. I only have to mix a few drops in a quart of water in a sprayer (first left the water open for a day or two dissapate the chlorine), and spray every plant I have with one or two squirts at the soil, plus a couple squirts in the corners of the plant room window where they like to congregate. This can eliminate thousands of them in a week or two, with 100% complete control.
    If I do this in the fall when the first bloom occurs, there might be just a couple show up next spring or summer, but I've never had to spray more than once a year. I love Bti! I've had my tiny bottle for about 12 or 13 years now, and it's still works great. Just make sure your package says the strain of Bt is israelensis :)
     
  2. georgiagardener

    georgiagardener Member

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    Location:
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    Hi,

    I had to join this forum just to reply to the great suggestion of using Cape Sundew plants to control Fungus Gnats. I was able to locate one Cape Sundew from a shop here in Atlanta and I brought it back from the brink. They are hardy plants if you treat them correctly, but will die if you don't use the right soil, water, no fertalizer, etc...(read care of sundew plants on google search results, you'll get all the info you need)....now on to the fun part. Within three hours of introducing my healthy sundew to my fungus gnat infested indoor bonsai tree it had captured 6 fungus gnats. I have it on my office table and I watch all of the action unfold, very cool. I can finally work without fungus gnats flying all around my head and office space. It has been 3 or 4 days since I placed the Sundew next to the Ficus Bonsai and it has probably captured 10 or 11 fungus gnats. They literally can't stay away from it, it is wonderful! Thanks for the great suggestion, what a neat little plant this is.
     
  3. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    Agreed. Cape sundews are great. Another sundew that is good or even better is Drosera adelae, lance leaf sundew. It's much better at self-propagating.
     
  4. pinenut

    pinenut Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Whitehorse, Yukon Zone 0b or 1a
    I'm not sure what it might reveal about my personality, but I'm really looking forward to watching a sundew feed. "Vengeance is mine" saith the pinenut! My pitcher plant has no taste for fungus gnats so I have to feed it a hamburger once in a while

    So, Junglekeeper, where can I get a sundew plant that'll survive the trip to Whitehorse, or alternatively some seed?

    Cheers and thanks
    Carl
     
  5. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    Not sure you'll find fungus gnats on a sundew leaf that interesting to look at. Kind of like watching paint dry I imagine. I'd send you some seed if I had some but they were all used up in revitalizing my pots awhile ago.

    I'm amazed at how resilient Drosera adelae is. My plants were overgrown and seemingly dead from neglect so I removed all the dead material and reseeded the pots with sprinklings of the crushed flowers. Now I have tiny little plantlets sprouting in each pot. Not sure if they're from the seed or from the left over roots; probably a bit of both.

    My mother plant was purchased from a nursery that is supplied by Keehns Carnivores. Perhaps you can track down a local supplier. Failing that, you could try your luck with a post in the forum for some seed or even plants from someone in your area. Shipping plants during the winter can be dicey.
     
  6. pinenut

    pinenut Active Member 10 Years

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    Thanks again Junglekeeper. I just ordered some seed from Kheens and I'll pass along the contact to my local greenhouse lady.
    Cheers
    Carl
     
  7. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    You're welcome. I was not aware that Keehns sold seed; it's not apparent looking at the website.
     
  8. Wonder747

    Wonder747 Member

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    Have you tried Nematodes? You can add them to your watering can and water as usual. They're parasitic microscopic worms that eat the eggs and larvae, disrupting the breeding cycle.

    Can buy them at http://www.bcbugs.ca
     

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