Lots of little flies!

[Lindasjackson]

There are some little flies in Eustis’s enclosure. I’ve been noticing them for a couple of weeks or a little longer. When I took a couple of his plants out the other day to clean his enclosure they were in the dirt of the plant. What could they be? They’re really tiny, not fruit flies, they’re actually smaller than them.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Soil/fungus gnats.
Soil gnats (Google)
Soil gnats (Archives)

 

[MissSkittles]

It’s something many of us battle with. You can try sundew plants (drosera capensis) or a Katchy.
I wonder if diatomaceous earth would be safe to use. @jamest0o0 what do you know?

 

[MissSkittles]

I don’t think it’s the season to get mantis ooths, but if you put one in your enclosure the baby mantids will take care of the gnats. Then Eustis will take care of the mantids.

 

[jamest0o0]

It’s something many of us battle with. You can try sundew plants (drosera capensis) or a Katchy.
I wonder if diatomaceous earth would be safe to use. @jamest0o0 what do you know?

Well you know sundews have worked amazing for me, but I know you didn't have so much luck(i suspect it is the species of the gnat, some are attracted to them immediately, others aren't as interested). I don't know if I'd use DE, a katchy or plant would prob be my go to on top of good draining soil.

 

[ERKleRose]

I put Mosquito Bits in my plants' soil, really helps

 

[Flick boy]

Hi Linda. Yeah I had quite a few earlier in the year so I put Venus fly trap in the room which to be honest isn't a great job if you've lots of flies , so yes I also put drosera a type of sundew in the room near my enclosure ( not in it ) and the problem was sorted pretty quickly ( All situations vary)

 

[jamest0o0]

Hi Linda. Yeah I had quite a few earlier in the year so I put Venus fly trap in the room which to be honest isn't a great job if you've lots of flies , so yes I also put drosera a type of sundew in the room near my enclosure ( not in it ) and the problem was sorted pretty quickly ( All situations vary)

Yeah venus fly traps are pretty useless, they're just cool. They don't even usually eat flies in the wild, usually crawling insects and small frogs/lizards.

Drosera capensis sundews are amazing with the soil and fungus gnats that are attracted to them. I'd see them pretty much come right out of the soil, leave the cage, and fly over to the sundews.

 

[Snuits]

I put Mosquito Bits in my plants' soil, really helps

Do you mix it in the soil or place on top?

 

[JamesEB]

You could use Hypoaspis miles, they won't kill the flying ones, but they will eat the eggs and larvae of fungus flies.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Mosquito bits??

 

[Lindasjackson]

I was just worried if these little gnats would hurt anything. They don’t really bother me.

 

[JamesEB]

I was just worried if these little gnats would hurt anything. They don’t really bother me.

From what I've been told, they can't harm your plants or chameleon; they're just annoying in large numbers. I have them in my setup.

 

[Lindasjackson]

From what I've been told, they can't harm your plants or chameleon; they're just annoying in large numbers. I have them in my setup.

Thanks you! I don’t have an over abundance, just a few here and there and they are in his cage so they don’t bother me.

 

[jamest0o0]

Yup harmless

 

[ERKleRose]

Do you mix it in the soil or place on top?

Placed on top. As the plant gets watered, the bacterium that kills the fungus gnats, mosquitos, and larvae of both spreads through the soil, killing them. It's safe for animals, pets, people, fish, etc. too!

 

[Ruthless]

You could be over watering and definitely not enough air flow. Wet soil + stagnant air will bring these little fungus gnats. I learned this information years back from a Mistking rep at a show he suggested I install a small pc fan above the cage to encourage air flow. Within a week or so no more gnats.

 

[Snuits]

Placed on top. As the plant gets watered, the bacterium that kills the fungus gnats, mosquitos, and larvae of both spreads through the soil, killing them. It's safe for animals, pets, people, fish, etc. too!

Okay thank you so much ♡

 

[Lindasjackson]

What’s mosquito bits?

 

[ERKleRose]

It's an insecticide that only affects mosquitos and fungus gnats, killing them and their larvae off