Dark-Winged Fungus Gnat Adult
The Annoying Flies Around Your Houseplants are Called Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats may be small, but they can be a big problem for homeowners with indoor plants. These tiny flies are often found near overwatered houseplants and can become a nuisance when they fly around inside a home in large numbers. If you’ve ever noticed adult gnats buzzing around your live houseplants, near windows, or computer screens, you know how frustrating they can be.
What do Fungus Gnats Look Like?
Fungus gnats have dark bodies, long antennae, and slender legs, and are about 1/10 inch in size. They look like mosquitoes, but much smaller. Their larvae are even smaller, white with dark heads, and feed on things like fungi, algae, and organic matter. These larvae thrive in damp conditions and can harm the roots of plants, slowing down their growth.
Breeding and Feeding Habits of Fungus Gnats
While these pests can be a huge nuisance, don’t worry, Berner Pest Solutions can help you get rid of these annoying pests! Fungus gnats belong to the fly families Fungivoridae and Sciaridae and are usually weak fliers. They can often be found not far from their breeding source indoors, particularly near potted houseplants, where they run or rest on soil, foliage, or litter of plants. Females lay tiny eggs in moist organic debris or potting soil, and the larvae feed on organic mulch, leaf molds, grass clippings, compost, root hairs, and fungi. When mature, larvae pupate in damp places where they have been living.
Common houseplants like these Snake Plants & Pothos are most susceptible to fungus gnats if overwatered
How to Control Fungus Gnats: Prevention and Treatment
To control fungus gnats, your pest management company must understand their habits to help you gain control. Breeding sources must be located and dried out. The top two or three inches of soil should be raked to speed drying, which will dehydrate the larvae. For potted plants, thoroughly clean the overflow of saucers underneath pots, as the larvae will breed in these plates. The watering schedule for indoor plants must be controlled to prevent overwatering and the creation of excess moisture conditions. Allow the surface of potted plants to dry between watering, and don’t bring plants indoors that have infested soil. Placing plants near well-ventilated areas of your home or business, such as near a ceiling fan, can be beneficial in ensuring that the soil of your indoor plants does not remain damp.
Professional Pest Control in Lexington Kentucky.
If you’re unable to shake these annoying little flies from your houseplants, and you live in Lexington, Winchester, Nicholasville, Versailles or Georgetown, feel free to contact Berner Pest Solutions to request a quote today. We have the resources to not only provide you strategies for preventing fungus gnat larvae from developing, but also treatments that can knockdown the adult gnats present in your home, helping you to resolve your issue quickly. Not only are we pest people, we’re plant people, and with our help, you can keep your indoor plants healthy and pest-free!
