Gnats in roach colony and isopod question

[ajs]

noticed a good number of gnats/fruit fly looking bugs in with my red runners and dubias.

Is there a good way to deal with these?

I need to transfer over some giant canyon isos to my dubias from my discoid colony, which I'm assuming would help (not sure how to resolve this in my reds) But, its hard for me to tell if they have proliferated enough for me to take 10 or so out since they seem to burrow and hide a lot of the time (I don't see many usually when I go in there to add food). Should 2 months have been long enough for me to safely transfer some?

 

[snitz427]

Ive put climbstopper (silicone) on some of my bins - the bonus is that the gnats land on it and get stuck. Its greatly cut down on them!

 

[kinyonga]

If they're phorid flies you have a problem.

 

[ajs]

If they're phorid flies you have a problem.

I don't think they look quite as hump-backed as pictures of phorid flies and I've been giving more apple cores and bananas lately so I'm guessing they're fruit flies.

Are there any other ways to tell them apart?

 

[kinyonga]

I believe fruit flies have red eyes band phorid flies don't.

 

[MissSkittles]

After reading this post, I started thinking about the seemingly never-ending tiny flies that are coming from my bathroom (have a Katchy working in there) and then paid close attention to when I fed my bugs. Have to assume the bathroom bugs are phorid flies, so ordered some stuff to treat my drains. Hoping that will be enough as I have my chams close to the bathroom. Will be a nightmare if I have to redo their enclosures as I just made 2/3 bioactive.
My bug colonies are in the garage. Could be fruit flies out there as they get fruit. Have ordered fruit fly traps for them. Climb Stopper is sold out of the one place I can find that sells it. @snitz427 do you think plain silicone grease would be the same?

 

[jamest0o0]

Very easy to tell phorids from fruit flies. The phorids will run quickly over surfaces. Fruit flies will take off flying immediately. Fruit flies are a nuisance, but are easy to manage. Unfortunately, it's usually phorids that show up in roach colonies. They can get nasty quick and even wipe out roach colonies indirectly from the stress if not dealt with. There's really no getting rid of them through traps or grease, the only option is strict cleaning. Removing all dead roach bodies especially. Isopods help in large numbers by eating the dead roaches(phorids favorite). If it is fruit flies, just keep any fruit/veggies out until they're gone. Roaches can go a while without food.

Feel free to message me with questions like this

 

[jamest0o0]

After reading this post, I started thinking about the seemingly never-ending tiny flies that are coming from my bathroom (have a Katchy working in there) and then paid close attention to when I fed my bugs. Have to assume the bathroom bugs are phorid flies, so ordered some stuff to treat my drains. Hoping that will be enough as I have my chams close to the bathroom. Will be a nightmare if I have to redo their enclosures as I just made 2/3 bioactive.
My bug colonies are in the garage. Could be fruit flies out there as they get fruit. Have ordered fruit fly traps for them. Climb Stopper is sold out of the one place I can find that sells it. @snitz427 do you think plain silicone grease would be the same?
View attachment 271139

There's different species of phorid, they are also called drain flies. I'd google methods for dealing with them, I've never had them in my drains personally.

 

[snitz427]

I get a lot of soil gnats on occasion from plants. Sticky traps help with them... but after hatching a few mantis ooths in the bio cages, I really havent noticed them in enclosures.

Im not familiar with phorids - not to say I havent seen or had them! I just assume Im dealing with soil gnats from the number of plants I have.

 

[jamest0o0]

I get a lot of soil gnats on occasion from plants. Sticky traps help with them... but after hatching a few mantis ooths in the bio cages, I really havent noticed them in enclosures.

Im not familiar with phorids - not to say I havent seen or had them! I just assume Im dealing with soil gnats from the number of plants I have.

Do you have any sundews yet? Once mine spread I could send ya some. They do well for those soil gnats.

Usually once phorids arrive it's a terrifying disaster until all their food sources are removed for a period of time. They're truly a disgusting pest, it seems like they blow up overnight and no amount of mesh seems to keep them out of bins.

 

[snitz427]

Do you have any sundews yet? Once mine spread I could send ya some. They do well for those soil gnats.

Usually once phorids arrive it's a terrifying disaster until all their food sources are removed for a period of time. They're truly a disgusting pest, it seems like they blow up overnight and no amount of mesh seems to keep them out of bins.

Carniv plants and succulents are my downfall. I had a cute little bog set up and killed them all in record time!

 

[jamest0o0]

Carniv plants and succulents are my downfall. I had a cute little bog set up and killed them all in record time!

Succulents struggle for me too. The sundews are easy though. Mine survived winter in my garage lol

 

[JoXie411]

Carniv plants and succulents are my downfall. I had a cute little bog set up and killed them all in record time!

That’s the opposite for me I kill tropicals and I’m good with succulents

 

[MissSkittles]

Duh! I’m thinking drain treatments, sticky and other traps. Yes! I need carnivorous plants! Where would I get some on line?

 

[kinyonga]

Phorid fly movement...

 

[kinyonga]

Phorid flies are very difficult to get rid of. They can also get into sealed Tupperware containers, past gaskets on the fridge, etc....so they can spread germs everywhere. Sorry for such food news.