Getting rid of gnats/fruit flies

[CryptKeeper]

So idk if it’s gnats, fruit flies or what but since I went bioactive it’s gone down but still see them
Inside the enclosure. I guess it’s inevitable with moist dirt and heat lights etc. anything you guys do to limit these? I know the potted plants that get super soaked attract them and I found a post here where someone experimented with different homemade soils and found coconut husk and play sand worked wonders. I mixed them and some bioactive soil for my plants and seems to work good so far. I mainly see these annoying flies down at the bottom.

Wish I could put some frogs down there lol. Any sort of carnivorous plant that would be good in these conditions? Or any other ideas? They drive me nuts especially bc they get out all the time when I open his enclosure.

 

[MissSkittles]

This is a common problem and one which I’m in a seemingly never ending battle against. All but a few of my reptile enclosures are bioactive and I have extra plants too. I’m even finding a population of them in the garage with my roach bins (also bioactive) and hanging out with my crickets. I have 2 Katchys https://www.amazon.com/fruit-fly-tr...-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1 sticky traps all over, natural (cider vinegar) traps scattered around and have even resorted to mosquito bits to water the plants with. With all of my efforts, their population was reduced enough so they are no longer flying into my mouth or in my face. The main problem with eliminating them completely is the majority of my interventions only trap the adults and except for the mosquito bits, nothing is killing their larvae that is in the soil. There are mites that will kill them, but they will also kill your springtails. https://www.arbico-organics.com/pro...trnMVE3qDWLVDtWr5Xyvo0dKErkaHT3-ndRo_eIvqjqhu For plants, you could try a drosera capensis sundew, but on the outside of the enclosure. Carnivorous plants have different needs.

 

[CryptKeeper]

Ugh yeah that’s horrible. I mean it’s not at the point of them flying into my mouth haha. Maybe I’ll put some traps on outside on enclosure and look into some plants that kill/eat them for outside etc. and I 100% don’t want to kill my springtails.

I read there’s some other microorganisms that eat them, some sort of worms or millipede/mites that eat their larvae. Not sure about the springtails with them though. I’ll keep you posted.

If you have potted plants in your enclosure that get them as well I suggest trying a substrate of a 50/50 mix of coco husk and play sand. There’s a thread here about it https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/cushcameleon/131-custom-plant-soils.html

 

[CryptKeeper]

This is a common problem and one which I’m in a seemingly never ending battle against. All but a few of my reptile enclosures are bioactive and I have extra plants too. I’m even finding a population of them in the garage with my roach bins (also bioactive) and hanging out with my crickets. I have 2 Katchys https://www.amazon.com/fruit-fly-traps-for-indoors-mosquito-trap-bug-zapper/dp/B07B6RZP4H/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2YNX1B6ZJD3FA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U1YdQus3BlBGkakJUYpXPhNb3eLATDiANF132K2QvTXrmKGh0BgGgPZLtL7GyEA3v3nQhv6wsAJSNPeMz_k1WESJgJobyVetN_6DYFBT0NNxDKnVQ81BEkl-Z8PFaWGLLS94-YKuwLcaGeYzCarvNkGjqPMriHiLe01Pz5avytZv1y82UVMRSgv646sgGS143x5zo-YW1dfFqmJLasht9fD81r_nsIwaZIScPYvHyUH4azRDsBqzu-X76uvsOvgxxljsrEFzKcZdAA9EMGUnit8weWaguftWCxxZNNChjlk.nnPMttVa_TJvVvu7J1S3q6KXf7bnI7FacOn3pjd7BEQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=katchy+indoor+insect+trap&qid=1726203996&sprefix=Katch,aps,111&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1 sticky traps all over, natural (cider vinegar) traps scattered around and have even resorted to mosquito bits to water the plants with. With all of my efforts, their population was reduced enough so they are no longer flying into my mouth or in my face. The main problem with eliminating them completely is the majority of my interventions only trap the adults and except for the mosquito bits, nothing is killing their larvae that is in the soil. There are mites that will kill them, but they will also kill your springtails. https://www.arbico-organics.com/pro...trnMVE3qDWLVDtWr5Xyvo0dKErkaHT3-ndRo_eIvqjqhu For plants, you could try a drosera capensis sundew, but on the outside of the enclosure. Carnivorous plants have different needs.

So the mosquito bits are safe to use and won’t harm the isopods or springtails?

 

[CryptKeeper]

This is a common problem and one which I’m in a seemingly never ending battle against. All but a few of my reptile enclosures are bioactive and I have extra plants too. I’m even finding a population of them in the garage with my roach bins (also bioactive) and hanging out with my crickets. I have 2 Katchys https://www.amazon.com/fruit-fly-traps-for-indoors-mosquito-trap-bug-zapper/dp/B07B6RZP4H/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2YNX1B6ZJD3FA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U1YdQus3BlBGkakJUYpXPhNb3eLATDiANF132K2QvTXrmKGh0BgGgPZLtL7GyEA3v3nQhv6wsAJSNPeMz_k1WESJgJobyVetN_6DYFBT0NNxDKnVQ81BEkl-Z8PFaWGLLS94-YKuwLcaGeYzCarvNkGjqPMriHiLe01Pz5avytZv1y82UVMRSgv646sgGS143x5zo-YW1dfFqmJLasht9fD81r_nsIwaZIScPYvHyUH4azRDsBqzu-X76uvsOvgxxljsrEFzKcZdAA9EMGUnit8weWaguftWCxxZNNChjlk.nnPMttVa_TJvVvu7J1S3q6KXf7bnI7FacOn3pjd7BEQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=katchy+indoor+insect+trap&qid=1726203996&sprefix=Katch,aps,111&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1 sticky traps all over, natural (cider vinegar) traps scattered around and have even resorted to mosquito bits to water the plants with. With all of my efforts, their population was reduced enough so they are no longer flying into my mouth or in my face. The main problem with eliminating them completely is the majority of my interventions only trap the adults and except for the mosquito bits, nothing is killing their larvae that is in the soil. There are mites that will kill them, but they will also kill your springtails. https://www.arbico-organics.com/pro...trnMVE3qDWLVDtWr5Xyvo0dKErkaHT3-ndRo_eIvqjqhu For plants, you could try a drosera capensis sundew, but on the outside of the enclosure. Carnivorous plants have different needs.

Bc I don’t have too many since my soil has only been in there for about 2.5 weeks maybe less.

 

[CryptKeeper]

This is a common problem and one which I’m in a seemingly never ending battle against. All but a few of my reptile enclosures are bioactive and I have extra plants too. I’m even finding a population of them in the garage with my roach bins (also bioactive) and hanging out with my crickets. I have 2 Katchys https://www.amazon.com/fruit-fly-traps-for-indoors-mosquito-trap-bug-zapper/dp/B07B6RZP4H/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2YNX1B6ZJD3FA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U1YdQus3BlBGkakJUYpXPhNb3eLATDiANF132K2QvTXrmKGh0BgGgPZLtL7GyEA3v3nQhv6wsAJSNPeMz_k1WESJgJobyVetN_6DYFBT0NNxDKnVQ81BEkl-Z8PFaWGLLS94-YKuwLcaGeYzCarvNkGjqPMriHiLe01Pz5avytZv1y82UVMRSgv646sgGS143x5zo-YW1dfFqmJLasht9fD81r_nsIwaZIScPYvHyUH4azRDsBqzu-X76uvsOvgxxljsrEFzKcZdAA9EMGUnit8weWaguftWCxxZNNChjlk.nnPMttVa_TJvVvu7J1S3q6KXf7bnI7FacOn3pjd7BEQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=katchy+indoor+insect+trap&qid=1726203996&sprefix=Katch,aps,111&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1 sticky traps all over, natural (cider vinegar) traps scattered around and have even resorted to mosquito bits to water the plants with. With all of my efforts, their population was reduced enough so they are no longer flying into my mouth or in my face. The main problem with eliminating them completely is the majority of my interventions only trap the adults and except for the mosquito bits, nothing is killing their larvae that is in the soil. There are mites that will kill them, but they will also kill your springtails. https://www.arbico-organics.com/pro...trnMVE3qDWLVDtWr5Xyvo0dKErkaHT3-ndRo_eIvqjqhu For plants, you could try a drosera capensis sundew, but on the outside of the enclosure. Carnivorous plants have different needs.

I read putting them in a water bottle and spraying the soil is the best way to use it. But again not sure how it effects the CUC

 

[jamest0o0]

In my Cham room(all bioactives) I had them so bad I couldn’t open my mouth without breathing them in. It’s generally fungus gnats that come in on soils. A few drosera capensis (did most of the work) and even butterworts and pitchers eliminated them and grew so much from it. They did such a good job that I was wanting more to show up just to feed my plants. The gnats were drawn to them like moths to a light. It does seem like certain flies aren’t as attracted. Like fruit flies didn’t go to my carnivorous plants as often, but they shouldn’t be an issue unless you have food sitting out.

I tried buckets of vinegar traps, sticky pads, etc and didn’t have much success with them. Idk if I did something wrong or if the infestation I had was just too much.

 

[CryptKeeper]

In my Cham room(all bioactives) I had them so bad I couldn’t open my mouth without breathing them in. It’s generally fungus gnats that come in on soils. A few drosera capensis (did most of the work) and even butterworts and pitchers eliminated them and grew so much from it. They did such a good job that I was wanting more to show up just to feed my plants. The gnats were drawn to them like moths to a light. It does seem like certain flies aren’t as attracted. Like fruit flies didn’t go to my carnivorous plants as often, but they shouldn’t be an issue unless you have good sitting out.

I tried buckets of vinegar traps, sticky pads, etc and didn’t have much success with them. Idk if I did something wrong or if the infestation I had was just too much.

That is wild haha I just bought some mosquito bits and if things get bad I’ll get the drosera capensis but again I only have a couple flying around since it’s so new. The old enclosure had a lot more from the potted plants.

 

[MissSkittles]

In my Cham room(all bioactives) I had them so bad I couldn’t open my mouth without breathing them in. It’s generally fungus gnats that come in on soils. A few drosera capensis (did most of the work) and even butterworts and pitchers eliminated them and grew so much from it. They did such a good job that I was wanting more to show up just to feed my plants. The gnats were drawn to them like moths to a light. It does seem like certain flies aren’t as attracted. Like fruit flies didn’t go to my carnivorous plants as often, but they shouldn’t be an issue unless you have food sitting out.

I tried buckets of vinegar traps, sticky pads, etc and didn’t have much success with them. Idk if I did something wrong or if the infestation I had was just too much.

I’ll have to get some more sundews. The ones I had never were able to rebound after the cat tried to eat them and knocked them out of their pots.

 

[CryptKeeper]

I’ll have to get some more sundews. The ones I had never were able to rebound after the cat tried to eat them and knocked them out of their pots.

Haha omg

 

[jamest0o0]

I’ll have to get some more sundews. The ones I had never were able to rebound after the cat tried to eat them and knocked them out of their pots.

I feel like they’re pretty hardy, but have trouble recovering when something traumatic happens. My neighbor just gave me some over the winter and they’ve been flowering and starting to spread.

 

[CryptKeeper]

So I kept thinking I was finding pot worms in my plants and substrates. Turns out it was the fungus gnat larvae lmao well now I know.