Summary:
Do you love
to over-water your favorite plants? Keep it up and you will find yourself fighting fungus gnats. The mosquito-like funus gnat will occasionally become a nuisance from over-watered potted plants or flower boxes.
A reader asks: We have been bitten by gnats for weeks now. We have a lot of plants in a small office area. The "plant lady" put little yellow stickies in them to see if the plants might be the source. When she returned to check them she found fungus gnats and sprayed the plants. However, some employees found the gnats dead in their windows so they stopped her from spraying assuming that the gnats were coming from the mulch outside. I don't agree. Please advise.
Dear Reader: Fungus gnats occasionally become a nuisance indoors when adults emerge in large numbers from potted plants or flower boxes containing damp humus-rich soil. The adult fungus gnats are attracted to lights and are often first noticed at windows.
Fungus gnat larvae feed in soil that is high in organic matter. This gnats are capable of injuring the roots of various foliage plants. Affected plants will show symptoms of sudden wilting, poor growth, yellowing and foliage loss.
Over watering planters, water leaks and poor drainage can result in a buildup of fungus gnats. Allow soil to dry as much as possible without injuring the plants. This process will kill many of the fungus gnat maggots.
Remember that houseplants taken outside during warm weather may become infested with insects, so check them carefully before bringing them back indoors.
Although adult fungus gnats are killed easily with
pyrethrin sprays or aerosols labeled for "gnats" or "flying insects, I would suggest having the plant maintenance company do the treatments. They should be licensed for handling pesticides. You should not be applying pesticides in a public location without a license.
Now, the bad news. Fungus gnats do not bite people. They don't have the mouthparts that would enable them to bite. So, I haven't solved your problem yet. Keep investigating! It's got to be something in addition to the fungus gnats, so you'll need to keep putting out glue traps to try to trap the culprits.
Comments
Quila
14 Nov 2008, 23:33
Hi, I have this flying insect issue in my kitchen and bathroom mainly.
Lately, I have noticed that when I open my fridge these same little insects
are at the bottom of the fridge. I can't seem to get rid of them. I also
find them flying a lot in my washrooms near the sinks, showers, and tubs.
Please help. I have tried pouring bleach down the drains and that is not
helping.
Dr. Michael J. DiLauro
09 Jun 2009, 18:11
Rick,
I live in Davie, Fl and it's June and humid. I've noticed alot of gants
congregating on my sliding door screen.I've tried spray which makes them go
away for a couple of hours. What should I do, I'm at my wits end...
Dr. Michael
Layney
15 Aug 2009, 11:41
There is gnat problem with your plants but by the sound of it (e.g. people
getting bitten) you have a version of book lice due to the office
enviornment. I have worked in libraries and offices and i have got bitten
many times by this insect. Or what people percieve as "paper mites" which
is really small flakes of packaging or paper causing irritation to the
skin.
Marilyn
28 Aug 2009, 15:00
I recently had an infestation of fungus gnats-killed the adults and got rid
of the offending plant. I need to make sure that the remaining 3-4 plants
will not have eggs or larvae that will hatch. I was told that bacillus
thuringiensis israelensis would kill them but can only find huge amounts to
buy on the internet. Is this the only thing that will work? Is there a
home concoction that won't harm the plants but will kill the eggs and
larvae? One of thw plants dosen't look well-thanks for your help
cetressia
22 Sep 2009, 20:05
please can you tell me if fungus gnats bite. I was told that was what I
have in my home they are terrorizing my family. they bite us and we cant
see them we sprayed and the ones that was in the window seal we sent to a
lab. they said thats what they were. how can I get them out of my clothing
and my home please help me.
Kathye
05 Nov 2010, 09:53
I have these tiny flying bugs in my kitchen and bathroom. They just sit on
the walls and the will gather around the drain and on towels and washcloths
hanging in the bathroom. I need to know what they are and how to get rid of
them
Ask the Exterminator
05 Nov 2010, 14:53
Click on the "fly" category link on the left side of the page and learn
more about your drain fly problem.
Ann Lettis
13 Jun 2011, 22:32
We have a floral arrangement delivered each week to my office where it is
at the reception desk. Recently, although I have not seen any the woman who
is here early in the morning says that she is seeing fungus gnats. The
floral arrangement is in water, not in soil, and she claims these fungas
gnats only come out in the early morning! I doubt that but would like your
opinion as no one else in the office has seen them
Ask the Exterminator
14 Jun 2011, 13:56
Fungus gnat infestations can be tricky to locate. It may or may not be the
flowers that attract the gnats, but the breeding source may be more hidden.
If you cannot see where the accumulation of gnats is heavest, try looking
at some unusual places. With all the recent rain, perhaps there was a small
roof leak. If you have a drop ceiling and the top side of the ceiling tiles
got wet, that moisture laden ceiling tile could be supporting a gnat
infestation.
