Nut or paranoid? I HATE those gnats!

[Clicio]

Hi folks.
Is it just me, or do those fungus gnats drive everyone crazy?
I have tried many paths; watering less and less, vinegar traps, neem oil, insecticides, the awful yellow stick trap, a combination of all.
Partial success; but after some 15 days or so they reappear.
By the way, this has been a *very* wet summer here in Brazil, it's been raining almost every day. So advice like "keep humidity low" is pretty useless at the moment...

 

[cbroad]

I've heard from people at a commercial greenhouse say to use 1/4 cup of bleach per 1 gallon of water that's sat out overnight and water the soil with that. It will kill the eggs. Also in the U.S., we have something called mosquito dunks that you put in water dishes or small ponds to kill mosquitoes, but these can be used to kill fungal gnat larvae and eggs. It's a biological control. Good luck!

 

[Clicio]

Also in the U.S., we have something called mosquito dunks that you put in water dishes or small ponds to kill mosquitoes, but these can be used to kill fungal gnat larvae and eggs.

Thanks @cbroad , I'll try to find those here in São Paulo, or order online. Thanks for the tips!

 

[leatherback]

Is it just me, or do those fungus gnats drive everyone crazy?

Yup. Know them, always get them when our trapical plants move from outside to the safety of the heater in fall. What can I say.. Be carefull of humidity; That does it for me. Once they have settled in being indoors (After a month or so) I let the soil dry out quite far before watering again, for maybe 2 weeks in a row.

But I guess you do not have that option

 

[Clicio]

Yup.
But I guess you do not have that option

Well, as you @leatherback may already know, what really is bothering me is all those seedligs that sprouted in the beginning of the Spring having their tender and yummy roots being eaten by the pests...
But I will try to keep them as dry as possible; thanks!

 

[James W.]

. . . . Also in the U.S., we have something called mosquito dunks that you put in water dishes or small ponds to kill mosquitoes, but these can be used to kill fungal gnat larvae and eggs. It's a biological control. Good luck!

"Mosquito Bits" is what you want. Same product, smaller pieces. Works well for me inside. DOES NOT affect the adults.

 

[hemmy]

Ditto on the Mosquito Bits (Bacillus Thuringiensis Subspecies Isrealensis) to control the fungus gnat larvae. I sprinkle on the ground and use it on the surface of potted plants.

 

[sorce]

El Natural....

Centipedes...

Seems they show up with a few patches of moss....but if I don't have them I seek them.

Still the most guaranteed effective...safe...

And they also take care of the giant list of other stuff that nest live, or hide in the soil. And they occasionally (watering) run up trunks too.

I smash Japanese beetles with bricks.

If I accidentally kill a centipede, I hold a tiny memorial and bury him somewhere sacred!

Sorce