Sciarid Fly Nematodes Fungus Gnat Compost Fly Organic Natural Killer Treatment Treats 12.sqm

Product Information

Fungus gnat larvae mostly eat things in the soil like algae, fungi, dead roots and organic matter. However, they can also feed on live roots, damaging your plant. This can cause deformed growth or death. Steinernema feltiae is the species recommended for sciarid fly control and is commonly used on protected ornamentals where it can be very effective. Steinernema carpocapsae (recommended for shore fly control – see below) will also kill sciarid fly larvae, however S. feltiae is more effective . The nematode suspension is applied in water as a growing media drench. The nematodes move through the growing media to find a sciarid fly larva and enter the body, where they multiply and release symbiotic bacteria that kill it. The dead sciarid fly larva rapidly decomposes, releasing the nematode juveniles that have multiplied inside the body, and these can then move to find and infect other larvae .

Save your houseplants and seedlings from Sciarid fly/ Fungus gnats and larvae damage with our parasitic nematodes. Control using nematodes as a drench and then try to keep the surface of the compost as dry as possible (stand trays/ pots in water and soak from the bottom up rather than watering from the top). Fungus Fly Killer contains Steinernema feltiae nematodes for the effective biological control of Fungus / Sciarid Fly. The nematodes enter the larvae via a natural opening, like the mouth, and feed on the contents of the larvae. A natural bacterium is produced by the nematodes inside the larvae, which kills it. Infected larvae will be completely broken down by the nematodes. The nematodes also reproduce inside the larvae, releasing more nematodes into the surrounding area. When Should I Apply The Nematodes? Fungus Fly are attracted to organic matter and compost. They especially thrive in wet soil or compost, so overwatering plants can encourage infestations and bolster their populations. Ensuring not to overwater is therefore the first step to take in reducing their numbers.Adult fungus gnats live for about 7 days. In this time each female lays a staggering 150 eggs in the soil of your plant. After about 5 days, these eggs hatch into larvae. These larvae are the ones that can cause root damage and live up to 14 days. They then form pupae to transform into the adult fly form, which takes about 5 days. How long do gnats live? Again to prevent egg laying, try removing the top inch or so of soil and replacing it with gravel or sand. Adult fungus gnats only live on liquids, and don’t actually do any damage to plants. Their presence is just very irritating.

Although fungus gnats are largely unavoidable, there are some techniques you can try to prevent them: Mix the concentrate solution and extra water for one minute to distribute the nematodes evenly in the solution. Apply immediately after mixed. You just apply to moist soil when the soil temperature is above 5ºC and ensure the soil does not dry out for at least two weeks after applying. The nematodes can travel through the moist soil and locate the fungus gnat larvae. They then burrow inside and reproduce, killing the larvae and creating more nematodes to hunt down more larvae until none are left. Once the larvae are gone, the nematodes have no prey and naturally die out. The predators need moist growing media, soil or substrate and temperatures above 15°C. They are supplied in tubs with a peat and vermiculite carrier for sprinkling onto pots, trays, benches and floors. They are very active and can be seen running on the growing media surface or under pots and trays. Both species will also eat other prey in the growing media , such as thrips larvae and pupae and are generally regarded by growers as also giving some reduction of shore flies. However, Machrocheles robustulus is not recommended for shore fly control.

How to identify fungus gnats

Hypoaspis mites are a great solution, they are hard working, crawling over the compost to find their prey. They are fine in dryer conditions don't need lots of compost to live in. They can work well as a preventative measure to stop new outbreaks as they have a reputation of living for quite a long time without food (when they have been previously fed). Maybe even giving you protection for a few months. The adult gnats don’t and mostly live off water; the larvae mostly eat organic matter, algae and fungi in the soil, but can also eat roots, especially in seedlings and if there is no other food source. Gnat lifecycle

Fungus Fly are primarily a nuisance pest but can damage plants if allowed to build up in large numbers. The larvae of the flies sit in compost, or soil, and feed on plant roots. This can weaken plants and, in severe cases, kill young plants. Fungus Fly can also spread a number of plant diseases. There are thousands of different Scaridae species, but they look broadly similar and it’s nearly impossible to see the above detail with the human eye. The nematodes come complete with instructions, they are just mixed with water and then applied using a watering can or nematode applicator. Pour and apply the solution into the Houseplant pots, seed trays, or containers, directly into the growing media / compost, using all the solution between the treated pots.Normally one application of Fungus Fly Killer is sufficient to kill most Fungus Fly larvae but large infestations may require further treatments. Predatory Mites Sciarid Zoot Off Granules – Stop Sciarid Flies laying their eggs in your pots / containers / seed trays by adding a layer of Sciarid Zoot Off to the surface of your compost – layer should be at least 1cm deep. It can be spread around established plants or applied after seeds have been sown and the seedlings will germinate through the dressing. This new granular product is made from dried, crushed olive pommace (the dried left-overs from making organic olive oil) with an added volcanic mineral. Sciarid Zoot Off is made out of natural / non-toxic ingredients, is attractive in appearance, fragrant, biodegradable, safe to use and is totally safe for pets and wildlife. Available in 1.7kg bags, each bag will cover 1.2 sqm. How it works :- Long yellow roller traps will catch more adult sciarid and shore flies than standard-sized traps but should be used with care in IPM programmes as they will not control the pests in their own right and will also catch flying beneficial insects . Soil or compost temperatures should be above 10℃ for the nematodes to be active. How Do I Apply The Nematodes? Codling Moth - The Codling Moth Caterpillar is small and white with a brown head. It burrows into the fruit of apples and pears in mid to late summer. By the time the fruit is ripe they have finished feeding and drop on to the bark of the tree and the soil immediately underneath to overwinter ready for the moths to emerge in the late spring.

Killing fungus gnats off for good is difficult since each female lays around 150 eggs in their short lifetime. Fungus gnat numbers grow exponentially, and once set in can be hard to eradicate completely. Traps Use in combination with Sciarid Nematodes – use nematodes to treat Sciarid Flies already present and then top with Sciarid Zoot Off to protect the plants from future infestations. Fungus gnats are actually attracted to soil, rather than plants, so they can infect all plant types. Alternatively, consider purchasing our new 'A Gardener's Guide To Biological Control' book, written by Dragonfli founder, and expert, Julian Ives. The book is available here.

References

Sciarid fly (also known as compost fly) or Fungus Gnats are a common pest of greenhouse plants in the spring. Setting traps may be able to eradicate a very small infestation, and will certainly reduce numbers, perhaps to an acceptable level.