What bugs do I have?

T

trollsmasher

Member
They are small black and seem to resemble fungus gnats. However, I'm not sure they behave like fungus gnats. They seem to live on top of the coco medium and buzz around the plant when I water and then go back into the medium. I've spend hours staring at the roots searching for aphids and have come up with nothing. I've made apple cider vinegar and red wine traps and have not caught a single one. I've also left sliced potatoes on top of the coco to see if larvae would chew on them.... nothing. Any help?
 
Shaggn

Shaggn

Well-Known Member
Springtails?? If so they are harmless. I had them and completed a gro without issue. Won't be aphids, they like the sap especially from the new shoots, not the roots.
 
T

trollsmasher

Member
def not springtails. They are black and resemble fungus gnats or winged root aphids. It is possible to have root aphids and not beable to see them on the roots?
 
Venus55

Venus55

Well-Known Member
trollsmasher said:
They are small black and seem to resemble fungus gnats. However, I'm not sure they behave like fungus gnats. They seem to live on top of the coco medium and buzz around the plant when I water and then go back into the medium. I've spend hours staring at the roots searching for aphids and have come up with nothing. I've made apple cider vinegar and red wine traps and have not caught a single one. I've also left sliced potatoes on top of the coco to see if larvae would chew on them.... nothing. Any help?
Click to expand...
What u described is exactly how fungus gnats behave.
 
Venus55

Venus55

Well-Known Member
Where have u got the sticky traps? They’re not very effective hanging above the plant like the directions say to do. Ur better off sticking them to a skewer and sticking in the medium or even laying them flat on the medium. I think I read the site ur talking about that also says to put the vinegar or red wine in a deep bowl. Ur better off using a bottle with a small neck and sticking a small funnel in the top of it so once they go in they can’t get out. This is what I use4C64E264-5E6F-4634-8E86-78383AA9C765.jpeg
Or even keeping the lid for the bottle and making a hole in the middle of it.
 
Greenhouse;save

Greenhouse;save

Well-Known Member
I've used the s/traps with good effect.......can't understand why their not hitting them.....ANY winged insect should be drawn to them......
 
B

Beachwalker

Well-Known Member
Venus55 said:
Where have u got the sticky traps? They’re not very effective hanging above the plant like the directions say to do. Ur better off sticking them to a skewer and sticking in the medium or even laying them flat on the medium. I think I read the site ur talking about that also says to put the vinegar or red wine in a deep bowl. Ur better off using a bottle with a small neck and sticking a small funnel in the top of it so once they go in they can’t get out. This is what I useView attachment 4309095
Or even keeping the lid for the bottle and making a hole in the middle of it.
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^ agree, you should put them right on top of the soil or hang them from a low branch right above the medium for best results.

Great tip on the vinegar, thanks
 
Venus55

Venus55

Well-Known Member
Greenhouse;save said:
I've used the s/traps with good effect.......can't understand why their not hitting them.....ANY winged insect should be drawn to them......
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Again depends where u put them. Also need to keep in mind sticky cards are used mainly as an indicator more than to combat the problem (if there is one). More just a heads up on what’s there. Op will know once he places them correctly.
 
B

Beachwalker

Well-Known Member
If they turn out to be fungus gnats I keep them down with a 9" high velocity fan on the floor left always on that greatly helps and eventually nearly eliminates them by severely limiting their movement; used in conjunction with yellow stickys they are kept down to just a few here & there, via the indicator strips, good luck
 
Kushash

Kushash

Well-Known Member
trollsmasher said:
They are small black and seem to resemble fungus gnats. However, I'm not sure they behave like fungus gnats. They seem to live on top of the coco medium and buzz around the plant when I water and then go back into the medium. I've spend hours staring at the roots searching for aphids and have come up with nothing. I've made apple cider vinegar and red wine traps and have not caught a single one. I've also left sliced potatoes on top of the coco to see if larvae would chew on them.... nothing. Any help?
Click to expand...
I think they might be fruit flies.
Google: difference between fungus gnats and fruit flies
 
Chris Edward

Chris Edward

Well-Known Member
Do you have a way of taking a photo of them?

Are they doing any damage to the plants, especially the leaves?

Are they leaving poop dots on things like your light hood or fixture?

How long have you had them?

to the naked eye do they look like this?


Just trying to narrow it down...
 
D'sNuts

D'sNuts

Well-Known Member
I use a bowl of vinegar with a dab of dish soap.
They cant fly away when the soap covers their wings.

I like the funnel traps idea, seems cleaner, less obtrusive.
 
Greenhouse;save

Greenhouse;save

Well-Known Member
If it is gnats you'll need a solution(liquid) to rid the larvae from the soil........I used gnat off with success in as little as 2 weeks.......using all 3 methods suggested to u ,yellow strips (they seem to like yellow )a constant fan and something similar to G off should see your probs asswell as the gnats disappear. .....even if its not gnats but anouther flying insect ,the steps suggested should still work......best of luck
 
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