Anyone know what insect this is?
- Thread starter Revilgaz
- Start date
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
Yep. Gnats. The damage is being down below the surface by their young eating the fine growing tips of your plant's root hairs. Get some yellow stick traps to catch the adults to slow down the infestation and give you an idea how bad it's getting by how many get caught. Stick the traps right in the dirt as that's where the adults emerge from.
Also remove any bags of soil from the grow area and if your plants are in trays or pans water from the bottom so as to keep the top couple of inches of the soil dry so any new eggs being laid won't hatch. They will however remain dormant and hatch when they get wet. The gnats often come from bags of infected soil. It might have been sterilized where it was made but the little buggers lay eggs in any tiny holes in the bags while they wait for you to buy them and you take the vermin home with you. I always use my scope to inspect any new bags for bugs before they get used.
Mosquito dunks are effective to soak the soil with to kill the larva and a layer of diatomaceous earth that covers the surface well about 1/2 deep will prevent the laying of eggs or the emergence of adults. Water from the bottom so as not to disturb the blanket of DE.
Also remove any bags of soil from the grow area and if your plants are in trays or pans water from the bottom so as to keep the top couple of inches of the soil dry so any new eggs being laid won't hatch. They will however remain dormant and hatch when they get wet. The gnats often come from bags of infected soil. It might have been sterilized where it was made but the little buggers lay eggs in any tiny holes in the bags while they wait for you to buy them and you take the vermin home with you. I always use my scope to inspect any new bags for bugs before they get used.
Mosquito dunks are effective to soak the soil with to kill the larva and a layer of diatomaceous earth that covers the surface well about 1/2 deep will prevent the laying of eggs or the emergence of adults. Water from the bottom so as not to disturb the blanket of DE.
backtracker
Well-Known Member
predatory nematodes will work http://naturescontrol.com/thrip.html#pn
Orlando737
Well-Known Member
Take the advice given above....
I got those bastards from new soil, and it killed a very promising selection.
I freeze any new sack in my deep freezer for a week or so, let it de-frost for a day or two and I've never had them again, Seems to kill the gnats & any larvae stone cold.
Touching wood....
Good luck
I got those bastards from new soil, and it killed a very promising selection.
I freeze any new sack in my deep freezer for a week or so, let it de-frost for a day or two and I've never had them again, Seems to kill the gnats & any larvae stone cold.
Touching wood....
Good luck