Do tiny insects fly up into your face every time you water your houseplants? Then you’ll want to know how to get rid of fungus gnats naturally. This type of gnat doesn’t bite, but they do lay eggs in damp potting soil. Show
Luckily, there are multiple natural methods for how to get rid of fungus gnats in houseplants. The below procedures can be used in the home as well as for outdoor container plants, but they’re primarily targeted at indoor fungus gnat treatment. What are fungus gnats?Fungus gnats are tiny flying bugs belonging to a few insect families (namely Sciaridae, aka dark-winged fungus gnats). They eat plant matter, mulch, compost, and—true to their name—fungus. All of these materials can be found outdoors, but these dietary needs can be found even more reliably in potting soil for houseplants. Their attraction to potting mix’s warmth and moisture makes fungus gnats particularly problematic indoor pests. Adult female fungus gnats lay their eggs in organic, moisture-rich environments like potting mix, which hatch into larvae in a matter of days at room temperature. In addition to feeding on fungi and organic matter in potting soil, these larvae might also chow down on houseplants’ roots. Within two weeks, they develop into pupae and finally adult fungus gnats, at which point they emerge from the soil to begin the cycle of egg-laying anew. What do fungus gnats look like?At 1/16 to 1/8 inch in length, fungus gnats are puny and easy to miss in small numbers. Adults look like miniature mosquitos and are dark in color, while 1/4-inch-long larvae resemble tiny worms with white or translucent bodies and black heads. Even smaller, dormant eggs are yellow to white in color, potentially making fungus gnat eggs in soil visible when taking a closer look at the contrasting surface of affected potting mix. Advertisement To determine what type of gnats you have, keep in mind that fungus gnats swarm around houseplants. Fruit flies, drain flies, and fungus gnats are often mistaken for one another. However, it’s easy to figure out which type of insect you have by considering the locations in which you find them: Flea-sized fruit flies target fruits and vegetables, miniscule moth-like drain flies gather near sinks, and fungus gnats are generally found on and around houseplants. 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. How to Get Rid of Fungus GnatsWhen bringing any new houseplant home, keep it in a different room from your other plants for at least a few weeks while ascertaining if it conceals unwelcome visitors. Once you’ve spotted insects on a plant, remove that container a safe distance away from your other plants. How do you know whether those insects are fungus gnats, or some other type of bug? Here’s an easy test: Placing a 1/4-inch slice of raw potato on the soil surface. After a few days, check the underside of that potato for tiny black-capped fungus gnat “worms” (larvae). If you find any, try any or all of the following solutions to get rid of fungus gnats in plants. The staff at Bob Vila always recommends trying eco-friendly, nontoxic methods before applying any pesticides, which can have harmful side effects. Sticky Trapsistockphoto.com Yellow sticky traps that look something like sticky Post-it notes are among the easiest-to-use gnat traps, and they’re an effective fungus gnat killer. Their glue coating captures adult and pupae alike, and the traps come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Gardeners can also buy fungus gnat traps in stake form, which look like miniature trees with sticky leaves. Advertisement SUPPLIES |