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Any houseplant experts here? (1 Viewer)

Dave Gorman

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 22, 1999
Messages
538
My houseplants are being colonized by small flying insects. It started out with a couple of little flyers in one of my philodendrons. I figured it was no big deal, just a couple of strays that would lose interest and die off. Now they've increased and started to colonize a couple of my other plants!

They're considerably smaller than a housefly, but larger than a flea. They seem to live in the top of the soil and wander around the plant. When I water, they get provoked and fly around the plant.

Does anyone have any idea what they might be or what I can do about them?
 

StephenA

Screenwriter
Joined
Nov 30, 2001
Messages
1,512
Sounds kind of like a fruit fly, but I'm no expert. Try calling a nursery or Home Depot and see what they think you should do.
 

Leila Dougan

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 27, 2002
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1,352
We've got a few plants in our office at work and we had the same problem. Ugh, those bugs really suck!

My boss went out and bought insecticidal soap (comes in a spray bottle) and after a few uses, the bugs are gone. We also don't water the plant as much, making sure there is no "swamp" in there.
 

Peter-PP

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Messages
228
What you have are pesty gnats. Use insecticidal soap as Leila suggested. You can also use yellow sticky tapes to trap them (they are attracted to bright yellow colors). Grow carnivorous plants like sundew or venus fly traps. Flies, gnats and other pests are their favorite food. Gnats are attracted to wet sloppy soil, so don't water as much.
 

Dave Gorman

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 22, 1999
Messages
538
Thanks for the info! I'll look for some insecticidal soap, and a venus flytrap sounds good! I've never had one of those!
 

Stacey_V

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 2, 2000
Messages
164
Dave, as mentioned above, cut back on the watering. Allow your plants to dry out a bit more prior to watering. Any standing water in the pot base should be discarded after watering. I had the same thing happen to me, and it was a pain to get rid of these gnats. Nothing worse than eating dinner and having 3 or 4 buzzing around your head!



:angry:
 

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