There are bugs all over my plants. They look like fruit flies, what should I do?

[Growth]

They're little black fruit fly looking bugs possibly fruit flies but I've never heard of fruit flies being attracted to pot...

They're all over the dirt and leaves and when I opened the tent they started flying around like crazy.

What should we do?

 

[Gtglicky3]

They're little black fruit fly looking bugs possibly fruit flies but I've never heard of fruit flies being attracted to pot...

They're all over the dirt and leaves and when I opened the tent they started flying around like crazy.

What should we do?

Sounds like fungus gnats. How often do you water your plant? Do you let it dry out before you water it again? Any pics of your medium an get sticky traps

 

[MrGreenfinga]

They're little black fruit fly looking bugs possibly fruit flies but I've never heard of fruit flies being attracted to pot...

They're all over the dirt and leaves and when I opened the tent they started flying around like crazy.

What should we do?

The best i can advice is let the soil dry out and Next time you buy soil be sure that its been heat treated by the manufacturer and all contaminants is gone

 

[GNick55]

it’s the fungas gnat larvee that create the worst issues..

 

[Growth]

it’s the fungas gnat larvee that create the worst issues..

We added crushed eggshells to the top layer of the dirt to dry it out and sprayed alcohol/water mix on the leaves and soil.

 

[BB22]

I’ve used apple cider vinegar, honey, couple drops dish soap in a mason jar with holes poked in the top. Makes an effective fly trap.

 

[Growth]

I’ve used apple cider vinegar, honey, couple drops dish soap in a mason jar with holes poked in the top. Makes an effective fly trap.

What about the larva eating the root system?

 

[BB22]

Can’t help you there brother. Haven’t encountered that serious of a problem yet.

 

[Lifted1]

the best way that i have found to iradicate gnats is to use Bacillus thuringiensis. Same for outdoor to iradicate catepillars. Same for your lawn to iradicate mosquitos.

dont buy the mosquito dunks, thats way to expensive.

buy the concentrate from the box store. you prolly need like a 1/2 tsp per gal and soil drench. now you have an inoculated soil that the gnats can not repeat their life cycle in.

if its the gnats with the heart shaped wings, ..... get on it. those larvae eat yer roots!

 

[Bilber]

Airflow......make sure there's plenty to disrupt them.....

Have 2 fans....add another......

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

There seem to be many ways to fight fungus gnats. I've used most of them. Here are some that I don't remember being mentioned already: spread diatomaceous earth on the soil, spray the soil with hydrogen peroxide solution, and/or spread a layer of sand on top of the soil.

 

[Hazyflavors]

I use a neem oil flush: 2x the recomended strength per gal. If real bad ill also add a top layer of play sand or diatomaceous earth.
If not at hand, potatoes (cut) new cut part down, which will draw the larvae to the surface and aay from roots. Check daily. Very common pest

 

[BryanOconner]

A lot of bad advice above.
Only way to stop them is to ((((((((((((((((((((PREVENT)))))))))))))))))))))))) them
No 1 issue is having bugs in the soil is Over watering . Two watering incorrectly . Three bad drainage in soil .
Wait until your soil is dry on the top before watering it . Bugs hate dry soil and will die .
For now you can place sand on the top of the soil . You will need to learn how to water properly make a new post ask .
This is a common rookie problem .

 

[Hazyflavors]

Not necessarily a rookie problem my guy. Just an environmental problem. Read the responses prior to responding please. If you did read the I fo provided, you'd notice the advice given was the same as you but with more treatments. You can't prevent what is already there. He needs treatment.

A lot of bad advice above.
Only way to stop them is to ((((((((((((((((((((PREVENT)))))))))))))))))))))))) them
No 1 issue is having bugs in the soil is Over watering . Two watering incorrectly . Three bad drainage in soil .
Wait until your soil is dry on the top before watering it . Bugs hate dry soil and will die .
For now you can place sand on the top of the soil . You will need to learn how to water properly make a new post ask .
This is a common rookie problem .

 

[GNick55]

if in flower i’ll use the drying out method to minimize and eventually kill off all gnat/larvee as the stress to the plant from the gnat and drying out more than usual can increase terpenes and resin production..
but i wouldn’t recommend this method to anyone newish..

 

[Hazyflavors]

if in flower i’ll use the drying out method to minimize and eventually kill off all gnat/larvee as the stress to the plant from the gnat and drying out more than usual can increase terpenes and resin production..
but i wouldn’t recommend this method to anyone newish..

Love it!!
I also stop "my" use of added sugars like molases. That's a magnet for gnats. Drying it works the best. Just like us, they need water. But like you said. Not if newer

 

[GNick55]

Love it!!
I also stop "my" use of added sugars like molases. That's a magnet for gnats. Drying it works the best. Just like us, they need water. But like you said. Not if newerView attachment 2085441View attachment 2085440

i’ve only had gnats like 3 times ever,.. once came with clones from a friend.. i’ve always just let it dry out and increased airflow.. but you have to realize gnat larvee/eggs are resilient because of nature but generally have a life cycle of 30 days

 

[GangstaGanjaGardnah]

Hey all, new poster long time lurker. Got a bit of advice here.

So I got some crappy (obviously improperly stored )Coast of Maine soil a while back and ended up with a bunch of these fucks. They were gnawing in my micro roots.

I cleared them up in about 2 weeks doing a multi attack- fan blowing directly in soil surface but not at a high speed, yellow sticky traps around soil level height (in your tent)all over the corners, treated soil with watering in Mosquito Bits BTI after soaking in a bottle for 30 mins (24 hour killer vs Dunks), and replaced top couple inches of soil (except around base of stem, gave about 2 inches all around it).

The Mosquito Bits are also labeled specifically for Fungus Gnats on packaging. When watering it in, you want runoff here. Not a lot, just enough to ensure the solution is all through the soil to get the larva. After 5 days, I replaced top 3 inches of my soil with fresh amended CoM soil, ew castings, and some myco mix. Watered in with BTI bits again. After watering in BTI, 2 days later used Bonide Neem rtu spray and drenched the first quarter inch or so of the top layer of soil and perlite (I put a layer of perlite on top to discourage any gnats that were lingering or hiding), and for good measure, the saucer the pots were sitting in also got a decent spray down with neem every few days as I saw them coming out the drainage holes at times

You don't want just any BT....you want the Israelis sub species...won't kill other beneficial things in soil and targets fungus gnats and skeeters specifically.

Doing what I did, cleared everything up within 2 weeks. Of course I still had the odd gnat or 2 here and there every few days after clearing up main infestation, but those I just killed by hand or blew them into sticky trap.

Using the bti also leaves the carcass in the soil for the microbes to decay and turn to usable plant food.

Hope this helps your crop my dude.

 

[Mikehayes191]

They're little black fruit fly looking bugs possibly fruit flies but I've never heard of fruit flies being attracted to pot...

They're all over the dirt and leaves and when I opened the tent they started flying around like crazy.

What should we do?

They are fungus gnats , let your soul dry out a little and invest in yellow sticky traps to place on each plant around the stalk area .

 

[BryanOconner]

Not necessarily a rookie problem my guy. Just an environmental problem. Read the responses prior to responding please. If you did read the I fo provided, you'd notice the advice given was the same as you but with more treatments. You can't prevent what is already there. He needs treatment.

In fucking correct. And bullshit . Only so much stupidity can be spready on the internet before somebody needs to step up.
Dry soil kills gnats . If you water it incorrectly you will Almost ALWAYS get them. You can put fire into the soil to kill the bugs. Water incorrectly the bugs come right back.
Here is a quick article about it . I strongly suggest looking up more info how to water properly to prevent them .
Or put poison in the soil neem oil ddt vinegar lime juice holy water continue the process bugs will be back

Prevent and Get Rid of Fungus Gnats

At some point, you might notice some unwelcome visitors making your houseplants their home. Fungus gnats, also known as soil gnats, are small dark insects that look like fruit flies and live in the soil of houseplants. When you have them, you will notice them when you water your plants or...

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