Summit 116-12 Quick Kill Mosquito Bits, 8-Ounce

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Fungus gnats are called “fungus” gnats because they feed on fungi growing in your soil or potting mix. Adult fungus gnats are harmless, but the larvae in the potting mix, if present in large numbers, can damage roots, particularly in younger plants. CONTROL CULTURAL CONDITIONS TEMPERATURE It has been found that 4 tablespoons of Mosquito Bits per half a gallon of water work great in control of fungus gnats. I’ve only used 1 tablespoon per gallon of water and still had excellent results. But you can safely increase the amount of Mosquito Bits if you want.

a b "11 Sure Ways of Getting Rid of Gnats". Cover Images. February 23, 2016. Archived from the original on March 28, 2016 . Retrieved 2016-03-18. DE was very effective in killing off both larvae and gnats, with good results within a week. After around three weeks, the population was all but gone. Although it is effective, it is also quite expensive and because it indiscriminately kills all small insects, it can be a risky choice, especially for outdoor plants. While bacillus thuringiensis is probably the best way to naturally kill fungus gnat larvae, you can use other biological control methods to kill these maggots. The following options will help control fungus gnat infestations but will likely not completely get rid of them unless you stop overwatering your plants.Some growers will even cook new soil to make sure any fungus gnat larvae are dead before letting their cannabis plants or clones near it. Bob Vila and its parent company, Recurrent Ventures, puts conservation and sustainability at the forefront of nearly everything we do. Though effective, some of the solutions offered in this content are not organic or sustainable. Bob Vila’s staff encourages readers to make informed choices about maintaining their home and property, and opt for solutions that will not have detrimental effects on the health and longevity of this planet and its inhabitants.

Important! Let the topsoil dry out between waterings. Fungus gnats usually result from over-watering. It did reduce the number of larvae wriggling about underneath the soil, but it didn’t come close to eliminating the problem completely. Because many plants can’t be chronically under-watered for a long time, it means that once you resume normal watering, the gnats will just multiply again. Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, is used in a popular product called Mosquito Bits, which, in spite of its name, will also help you get rid of fungus gnats. Bt is essentially a bacteria that kills fungus gnats but is considered safe for humans and pets. Mosquito pellets are very effective, as they systematically kill larvae in the soil. Repot houseplants with new potting soil frequently. Although fungus gnats live outdoors, too, they generally don’t cause problems in open spaces. Repotting indoor plants gives fungus gnats fewer opportunities to overtake containers.

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If you tend to water only one spot, please be aware that this will potentially leave fungus gnat larvae in other, unwatered, sections of the soil. So make sure to water the full soil surface. Step 2: Water affected plants with the hydrogen peroxide mixture, soaking the plant to kill larvae lurking in the soil. Don’t worry if the soil starts to fizz, as this is what happens when hydrogen peroxide breaks down. Fruit flies don’t cause much damage outdoors – though they did for me in that one freak spring that wouldn’t stop raining. More often they infest houseplants or potted plants that are kept indoors or in a greenhouse. Mixes that contain a lot of coco coir or peat moss are prime environments. Sod farms are another area where fungus gnat adults can do their thing and proliferate. Fungus Gnats as Disease Vectors By allowing the top portion of your potting mix to dry out, you’re making it less hospitable for fungus gnat eggs and larvae, and this will result in less gnats that will reach adulthood and pester you and your plants! CAPTURE ADULT FUNGUS GNATS WITH TRAPS

a b c "Controlling Fungus Gnats and Damping Off Organically". Small Footprint Family. 8 April 2012 . Retrieved 2016-03-18. Sformo, Todd; Kohl, F.; McIntyre, J.; Kerr, P.; Duman, J. G.; Barnes, B. M. (1 October 2009). "Simultaneous freeze tolerance and avoidance in individual fungus gnats, Exechia nugatoria". Journal of Comparative Physiology B. 179 (7): 897–902. doi: 10.1007/s00360-009-0369-x. PMID 19495776. S2CID 13072438. Water your plants with a small amount of water to moisten the soil (so it is ready to absorb the nematodes);Fungus gnat larvae eat fungus or decaying matter and need wet conditions to thrive. It is common for soil growers to overwater their cannabis plants, and wet soil is the perfect home for fungus and decaying organic matter. After fungus has grown (often invisible to the naked eye) or overwatered matter has begun to decay in the topsoil, fungus gnat lays their eggs in the top layer of wet soil. Mosquito Bits contain BTI to kill fungus gnat larvae and mosquito larvae. This product is harmless to people, pets, beneficial insects, fish and wildlife. Soak Mosquito Bits in Water If you still have fungus gnats after doing that for a few days, try to mix it up because they will start getting resistant to your chosen treatment. Try one of these alternative cures:

This creates a hard, rough surface which the adult gnats would need to climb through to lay eggs and dig into the soil. They do not like materials that scratch their bodies and are less likely to lay where pumice is present. Option #4 Vinegar Traps Symptoms and Effects: Fungus gnats are usually noticed indoors when adults fly around light sources (e.g., windows, lamps), or when they fly around or walk across and rest on the soil of potted plants. 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. This sort of damage is rare in home settings.Bottom water your plants– If possible, water your plants from the bottom versus the top. Since fungus gnats lay their eggs in the first 1- to 2-inches of soil, bottom watering plants keeps the water at the bottom of the pot, keeping the top soil dryer, and less attractive to adult fungus gnats. On the other hand, non-organic media consists of materials that are free of nutrients and contaminants, like perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay aggregate, pumice, sand. Some of them are used in hydroponics but also as soil amendments for houseplants. They do not decompose over time and do not attract gnats. Fungus gnat larvae feed on a fungus found in the soil. Organic soil contains carbon-based material that is living or was once living. It consists of decaying plant material. This includes compost, manure, bark, wood chips. All of this is decaying organic matter that is great for growing fungus which acts like a magnet for fungus gnats. After all, these pests are named for it. Fill a wide brimmed jar or bowl (it doesn’t need to be a huge bowl, a small jam jar or dip bowl would work perfectly) with apple cider vinegar, cider or beer To prepare the trap, mix all ingredients: .5 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, a few drops of dish soap.