Why do I have tiny little gnats in my house all of a sudden?
Attracted to damp soil, fungus gnats usually get into homes by flying inside or from infested houseplants brought inside the house. Fungus gnats infest soil and feed upon decaying or damaged plant roots as well as fungi found in the soil. Last year we tried a diluted peroxide solution, but now we’ve moved onto a new method using ground cinnamon. Just sprinkle a generous amount over the top soil and that’s it. Cinnamon acts as a natural fungicide that kills off mold + mildew in the soil — the food source of gnats (no food, no gnats).My advice is to water normally, and use a mozzie tea drench every water, but that’s why you need to use this method with adult gnat control also using Sticky Traps to reduce the adult population at the same time (so they don’t lay more eggs and start the cycle all over again!Coffee grind is great at removing gnat infestations. Dry the grind thoroughly – this will prevent mould from forming – and spread it over the potting soil. A thin layer will keep the female gnats from laying their eggs. Additionally, the coffee can fertilise your plants.A diluted solution of Hydrogen Peroxide and water poured directly onto the soil will kill fungus gnat larvae on contact and help stop the gnats’ life cycle.This means drying out the soil they live in because fungus gnat larvae need moist soil. If you let it dry out completely before your next watering, it will get rid of the gnats in the soil and discourage new adults from laying their eggs.
What are the tiny flying insects around my indoor plants?
Fungus Gnats and Mosquitoes These are tiny flies that will probably cause more annoyance to you than your plant. However, their larvae can damage roots, especially in young plants. Bugs like fungus gnats and mozzies thrive in moist soil and areas holding stagnant water. Adult fungus gnats do not feed on or damage plants but are a cosmetic nuisance. Fungus gnat larvae typically feed on decaying organic matter and fungi in the soil. However, if larval numbers are high, they may damage roots by feeding on root hairs or tunneling into the roots themselves.Coffee grind is great at removing gnat infestations. Dry the grind thoroughly – this will prevent mould from forming – and spread it over the potting soil. A thin layer will keep the female gnats from laying their eggs. Additionally, the coffee can fertilise your plants.