fruit flies and fungus gnats

13 years ago

Hi,

I am having quite a problem with what I think are both fruit flies and fungus gnats.

Both are small flies... some are slightly larger and reddish with big red eyes, which I think are fruit flies; others are smaller and black, which I think are fungus gnats.

I would ignore them except the worm bin is on my porch (I don't have a yard) and they manage to fly into the house when I open the door.

I've been trying some of the remedies I read about here (vinegar traps for fungus gnats; plastic containers with holes to trap the fruit flies; adding more bedding; covering with newspaper), all of which may reduce the number of flies, but I don't think they'll really solve the problem for good. I read about BT (bacillus thuringiensis) for fungus gnats; will that work on fruit flies too?

Any other suggestions?

thanks!

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Comments (6)

boreal_wormer
13 years ago
I've wondered if a bug zapper would work.
PeterK2
13 years ago
Thing is if they are not sealed inside the bin (not a tight seal), even if you kill them all flies from outside will get right back in and repopulate. I'm 18 floors up and when my bin's on the balcony it attracts flies (and yes that scares me :P )

Maybe do what you can to keep the numbers down and have some traps inside.
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Tom I keep all the cuttings and seed trays separate from mature plants. I treat everything nearby but only repot cuttings. Seed trays are watered with Bt whether they show signs of gnat infestation or not. If a tray of cuttings has a heavy infestation I repot, otherwise I just use the laced water. I posted previously about the different strains of Bt. As far as chemical controls I only use them when absolutely necessary and then only things like homemade preps containing alcohol, soap and now this Simple Green, never systemics. I've also used Neem which I don't think works well at all, Bt obviously. I also use miticides on Broad mites only, Forbid and Floramite. Spider mites can be tken care of with water.
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I have also managed my fruit fly problem with similar techniques - I do not have drainage holes (nor does my bed get wet enough to need them). and I cover the top of the bin with a fitted crib sheet tied in a knot at the corner to keep it tight, then I put the lid back on. No more flies! Before I put the crib sheet over the bin I put in a jar with some orange juice. Now, no flies at all! Yay! I love my bin!!! :) oh, and I stopped adding banannas to the bin, just in case. I love my worms so much I shred the big pieces for them. :)
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Nothing in your bin will hurt your worms (except on rare occasion). When you do see something seem to be prospering better than the worms, it is telling about the environment of your bin. Go to happydranch.com and click on their invertebrate page. Lots of good information there. I doubt you can see springtails but check out potworms. Keep a good 3" layer of shredded paper on top of your food at all times. The newspaper that is under your bin can be shredded and added to your bin also, or put in an outdoor compost pile.
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Fungus gnats can certainly be annoying and difficult to eradicate until you know how. I haven't used "Mosquito Bits", so cannot comment beyond saying that it sounds like Danielle317 has some experience with the buggies. I have tried folk remedies like bowls of water with dish soap and yellow food coloring added and tried the yellow double sticky tape. They worked some, but did not end the infestation. The local Cornell Cooperative Extension identified the winged beasts as "fungus gnats", also known as "fruit flies". They suggested a product called Gnatrol, specifically designed to combat fungus gnats. Gnatrol is easy to use and works well. After the soil has a chance to dry, a small amount of the concentrate is mixed with water, then the soil is drenched as the larvae lives across the surface of the soil down to about 3". (I generally use 5 ml [1 tsp] per 2 liters [2 quarts] of water.) Since it effects only the larvae, in order to get rid of everybody as they mature, the soil must dry between servings and the drench repeated once weekly for three weeks. PROVIDE NO OTHER WATER. Just to be sure, I throw in another week or two. By that time, there will be no more larvae left alive to grow into adults. This thread further discusses Gnatrol: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pests/msg0411022110590.html There is a link provided for an informative article at the Colorado State University. (I was unable to find the product locally, but readily found it online.) To prevent an infestation: * The gnats normally live in the soil outdoors where they can find yummy rotting organic material. They may try to enter through open windows when outdoor conditions prove unpleasant for them (too dry, too wet, too cold). Extra-fine mesh screens may help keep them out. * Examine produce before you buy it. If you see fruit flies (fungus gnats) flying around it, do not buy it. They may have already laid eggs in the flesh of the produce. The eggs are way too small to be seen with the naked eye. * As soon as you see the first gnat, ACT IMMEDIATELY! Water all your plants with Gnatrol x 3 weeks minimum. All the best luck!
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equinoxequinox
13 years ago
I thought houseflys were not supposed to go above 10 feet thus the hanging of meat high to age. The old wives tale must not be correct. Or maybe that is mosquitoes.

For Fungus gnats I suggest DDT. Fungus gnats are evil.

Hopefully what works for fruit flys will also work for fungus gnats.

We are going to try a multi pronged approach. We are going to hit them with everything we got all at once for the win.

While covering with bedding is a great idea... I have seen the little buggers hatch and pass on up out of that covering of bedding.

You may want to consider temporarily freezing and blending in no particular order their food.

Food can also be wrapped in newspaper or put into a bag with a rolled closed top. This is added to the bin.

A shear curtain type material can be put on top of the bin.

At night the computer screen attracts them. Or any window with light.

I am now used to a quick scan across the top of my wine glass before each sip. A quick dip of a finger tip targeted into the glass will find a drop of wine with the victim captured.

Maybe stop adding any food at all for a few weeks. Freeze it for later.

Fruit flys seem attracted to the top of pillars. Especially white pillars. A glass you never expect to drink out of with an inch of your finest wine, believe me they always go for the good stuff first, and a well mixed in drop of detergent place on top of the pillar will over the course of a month attract and drown an inch of fruit flys. Unfortunately they do not swarm in immediately.

It is fun to watch and very satisfying to see each fruit fly that goes for the big swim. Don't tell PETA.

Now that would be a science experiment. Do fruit flys go for the $50 bottle instead of the $5 of wine. :-) A new wine rating system.

On the other hand even the fruit flys are helping to do the work of composting and getting the material good and yummy for the worms. As long as their little bodies die inside the compost bucket the value stays in.
Shaul
13 years ago
Apple-cider vinegar traps for fruit flies and yellow-colored sticky fly paper (sheets or rolls), for fungus gnats.
ColesvilleEd
13 years ago
I'm in N. Cal and keep my worms in unglazed terra cotta planters. Helps to regulate heat and easy to make a fly-proof cover held on tight with bungee cords (like a drum). One of my planters got an infestation once, I just left the cover on a few weeks (stopped feeding and only watered with sprinkling can) and when I checked they were gone. Make sure you get a planter with a lip on it that will hold the bungee cords in place (you'd be surprised how many have that feature, classical look, how did the Romans know about bungee cords?).
seeker2be
13 years ago
I had that problem with fungus gnats especially bad for my bins inside the house. There were many gnats so I tried Gonat spray (cedar), more newspaper and finally food grade dioteneous earth. After 1 or 2 dustings of diatoneous earth over a month problem solved and no return of the gnats in 6 months. Apparently the "earth" acts like tiny razorblades and cuts them up though doesnt harm worms.

fruit flies and fungus gnats

Comments (6)

boreal_wormer

PeterK2

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