Fruit Flies in Plants

[mlw50]

Yesterday I noticed a few FF's in the cage, and today when feeding Marty, it seems like there were more and they were concentrated around the soil on my schefflera. Any tips on how to eradicate them?

 

[Jimturner]

add some baby chams! hehe. ive had this problem too. fly strips seem to catch them. also ive read that dish soap mixed with water sprayed around the base of your plant will suffocate the larva

 

[holmesese]

Before you focus on getting rid of the ones that you have try and focus on getting rid of the source.....

Most often fruit flies in cham cages are associated with moist areas where feces, dead crickets,and/or any other decaying materials are found. This is where the fruit flies lay their eggs and where the maggots will begin to grow and feed.

Once the cage is good and clean, try taking a little bowl of sugar water and placing it near the cage. The fruit flies will be attracted to it and drown. If that doesn't work take a mason jar and make a funnel for the top of it, then place a banana in the jar. The funnel will act as a trap to keep the flies in when they for the banana.

Hope this helps!

 

[tkilgour]

You can also layer the bottom and top of the plant base with play sand. I use hydroton as a drainage base, then an inch of sand, the soil, then for the top layer another inch of sand. The flies can't get to the soil with the sand barrier.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Good chance these are not fruit flies, but rather Fungus Gnats.

 

[mlw50]

Sandra, how should I deal with the Fungus Gnats?

 

[tkilgour]

Sandra, how should I deal with the Fungus Gnats?

My method as mentioned above works for fungus gnats and that is probably what you have as sandra mentioned.

 

[DGray]

drat, gnats

You should bookmark Syn's FAQ: there are lots of approaches for fungus gnats discussed in the links.

 

[FredChameleon]

put an anole in the cage with the cham. they get along pretty well and the anole will eat the little stuff that the cham won't

 

[sandrachameleon]

Sandra, how should I deal with the Fungus Gnats?

Let the soil dry out between waterings.
Cover the soil with an inch of rocks.
Beneficial nemotodes.

 

[GoFast]

put an anole in the cage with the cham. they get along pretty well and the anole will eat the little stuff that the cham won't

uhmm.......no

 

[serenitystarlite]

put an anole in the cage with the cham. they get along pretty well and the anole will eat the little stuff that the cham won't

The anole will stress the chameleon out and/or the chameleon will just eat the anole. Don't put any other animals in with a chameleon.

I use Natural Chemistry De Flea Reptile Relief and spray around the base of the plants. This seems to work and is safe for reptiles, as it is a spray for the actual reptiles themselves. Clean the plant out first though

 

[mlw50]

Let the soil dry out between waterings.
Cover the soil with an inch of rocks.
Beneficial nemotodes.

I actually don't water the plant. I think it get's enough watering between the dripper and the misting. It is covered with river rocks. Perhaps gravel under the river rock? I did spray it with a dilute soap solution.