Controlling Fungus Gnats, Get Rid Of These Bugs From Your Indoor Plants

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Fungus gnats are tiny bugs which appear black or grey in color and have clear, translucent wings. These insects can attack all kinds of plants especially indoor plants and cause a lot of damage. Though the larvae usually feed on the dead organic matter like leaves and roots, sometimes these eat tender and new roots causing extensive damage to the plant. It is important to look at your plants closely every time you water them so that you can detect the presence of these bugs right at the beginning. Controlling fungus gnats need not be a very difficult job. Here are a few tips to help you in keeping these creatures at bay.

The best place to look for gnats is on the soil surface. These tend to get active and move around every time you water or shake the plant. The maggots have white colored bodies and are about a quarter inch big with black heads. If you cannot notice any on the surface, look slightly beneath as it tends to crawl underneath when you water. Since these bugs mainly feed on dead organic matter, it is important that you remove any fallen or dead leaves, roots etc. soon without leaving it to rot inside the pot.

If you have lots of indoor plants or a green house, then you can lure these gnats by planting wheat in pots. This attracts the female bugs which come and lay eggs in the soil; once the eggs are laid, compost the entire soil along with the plant to get rid of these bugs forever. Another method for controlling fungus gnats is to place yellow sticky tapes near the infested pot which attracts the adult ones. You can make these sticky tapes yourself at home by spreading a layer of tanglefoot on stiff yellow paper and placing these near the pots. Organic solution of Bacillus thuringiensis can also be used to can kill these larvae. This solution is extremely safe for your plants and also for children and pets.

Organic pesticide like Prethrin which is made from chrysanthemums works best in killing maggots and adult gnats. It is best to use simple and non-toxic methods to get rid of these bugs which are safe for the plants as well as for the people living in the household. Controlling fungus gnats is essential to ensure that your plants thrive well and also to keep your home clean and safe.


About the Author:
Controlling fungus gnats by natural and organic means is essential to protect your indoor plants from damage. There are many methods that you can adopt to keep these bugs at bay and ensure that your plants stay green and healthy. To learn more about such organic methods, visiting the website www.cxhydroponics.com can be quite helpful.



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