Root Aphids, Fungus Gnats, and other fun bugs (ID PICS)

[AlterNation]

I have had an absolute bitch of a time getting rid of the sciridae flyers. Nematodes did not help. Maybe I chose the wrong ones or didn't apply them properly or something. The only thing I found that was even remotely helpful was to place an inch thick layer of sand on top of the soil and in the runoff tray, effectively blocking access to the soil. That, plus constant attention, seemed to knock them down some, but...I don't even have anything growing in this house anymore and I still see them flying around sometimes...

Interestingly, even upon very close inspection, I have never seen the larvae.

 

[AlterNation]

These are the gnats I had in my cannabis and still have in my veggies. I'm moving to a new area soon, and I'm hoping to not bring these little fuckers with me.

.

 

[altitudefarmer]

GREAT thread!

 

[dutchman]

I have had an absolute bitch of a time getting rid of the sciridae flyers. Nematodes did not help. Maybe I chose the wrong ones or didn't apply them properly or something. .

The flies are harmless. The larvae eats roots.....if we use Steinernema feltiae nematodes here in central/ northern Europe, the fuckers die within 48 hours. Soil should be kept moist otherwise the nematodes die too early......
Catch the flies with yellow stickers

But IMO you have other strains of sciridae in the americas....in that case, Dimethoat really helps, but is nasty.

 

[AlterNation]

I'm in the Pacific Northwest. I had yellow stickers all over my room. Caught 1000 flyers at least. I tried five or six different treatments, but it was the layer of sand that really knocked them down, in the end. I also heard that mixing cinnamon or diametacious (sp) earth in with the sand will help even more. Who the fuck knows? All I know is that I'm done with soil and done with these gnats. I do think they messed with the roots of a few of my plants, which showed signs of decreased uptake throughout the whole cycle.

I just used whichever nematodes they carry at the ag store, but those guys are fools, for real. (Not as much as me for shopping there, though.)

 

[souf69]

They are a nuisance for sure, but if out of control can cause you to throw away buds due to dead carcasses colonized on the bud. imo- they are pre loaded in just about all coco coir. I have also seen them transfered from coco to rockwool and growool from transplanting.

I keep them in check by spraying Gnatrol on the top layer of my medium, as well as sticky tabs hanging.

 

[souf69]

During winter months here in Colorado I leave my coco bags outside so they freeze up. I feel like the freeze helps quite a bit with whatever is in the bags.
It could be I am paranoid too! Lol

 

[alpinehi]

I have similar problems with the gnats. They are everywhere, like Seamaiden mentioned. However they do not seem to cause any devastating problems, they are just supremely annoying. They have been around for years. Sticky traps seem to do little other than give me the satisfaction of seeing thousands of their dead carcasses. I have used mosquito dunks in my water reservoir as a preventative measure, but I'm not certain it helped. Souf, you may be on to something, they really seem to love coco. I just fished one out of my glass of water...fuckers.

 

[drbombay]

thanks one an all for the info in this post. creepy crawly but enlightening

 

[EveryOneSmokes]

Just wanted to add this, predator mite (beneficial mite) .. Hypoaspis miles, kills mite, aphids, gnats also will munch on algae and debri..

Sometimes mistake for aphids, I ran into some of these recently...

 

[keonaona]

They are a nuisance for sure, but if out of control can cause you to throw away buds due to dead carcasses colonized on the bud. imo- they are pre loaded in just about all coco coir. I have also seen them transfered from coco to rockwool and growool from transplanting.

I keep them in check by spraying Gnatrol on the top layer of my medium, as well as sticky tabs hanging.

How do you spray gnatrol ??? Whats your process on making gnatrol spray... isn't a powder???

 

[keonaona]

Anyone ever steam or cook there soil before bringing into your gardens...

 

[alpinehi]

Just wanted to add this, predator mite (beneficial mite) .. Hypoaspis miles, kills mite, aphids, gnats also will munch on algae and debri.

Have you/anyone had good results with these? I dropped some on my plants and they seemed ineffectual...and they were pricey.

Anyone ever steam or cook there soil before bringing into your gardens...

It will sterilize your soil. However, in general it's never going to be worth the effort that would be required to be thorough. Unless you're doing things on a really small scale, or you have access to a gigantic oven, like maybe one you would find at a crematory, it's not really feasible.

 

[EveryOneSmokes]

Alpinehi, to tell you the truth I nevered purchased any , I really don't have any idea where they came from... I had a root aphid infestation and one day notice these guys living after a dose merit 75... So after the pest died, the predator mites died, haven't seen anymore...

I believe they may of come in the coco bags, via the store...

 

[alpinehi]

I believe they may of come in the coco bags, via the store...

Hmm, this is an observation I have made and it is now been reiterated to me in a few places. I use a pro-mix but I like to fill the bottom few inches and top dress an inch or so with the coco.

 

[Sailfishdan]

During winter months here in Colorado I leave my coco bags outside so they freeze up. I feel like the freeze helps quite a bit with whatever is in the bags.
It could be I am paranoid too! Lol

ive read the opposite actually at least in reference to the root aphids sterilization, whereas the freezing causes hibernation and when they wake up they are hungry...

cooking however will kill them but greenhouse soil sterilization ovens aren't cheap, i think about 2 G will get you started but depending on size the get pricey quick

 

[souf69]

sail, wurd man I stand corrected,but I did notice less of them when I did it. Im paranoid thanks for the confirmation.

 

[Seamaiden]

A lot of the plants are going into my enclosed GH today. I'm debating putting that mother out there because she'll need supplemental light and if I can see light coming from there from my own place, I wouldn't be surprised if others could, too (even with everything leafing out). I'm wondering--just how dim can I go with the supplemental lighting? I've gone as low as 7W of a type of fluorescent that seems dim when you turn it on with other lights on, but on a black, moonless night out here? Lights the whole GH up, I was so glad when I could turn it off.

I know that once plants go out there, the fungus gnats will become a problem of the past because I have a huge host of predator and other beneficial bugs.

 

[souf69]

nice maiden, im tearing the roof off my barn tonight. I plan on putting em out bout junish.

 

[cctt]

I'm wondering--just how dim can I go with the supplemental lighting?

It's just to keep them vegging? I've never tried this, but I understand plants have a photoperiodic response to IR wavelengths. You could potentially give them some light that no one else could see.