Fungus gnats typically overpopulate potting soil for house and container plants, and Summit Mosquito Bits, a biological control that kills mosquito larvae, is now certified for the control of these pests as well.
A biological larvacide known as BTI serves as the main component of Mosquito Bits (Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis). Both mosquito and fungus gnat larvae are fatal to BTI, a naturally occurring bacterium.
According to a news release, fungus gnats can infest potted plants and can be challenging to eradicate. In the potting soil of houseplants and container plants, fungus gnats lay their eggs, and the larvae reside in the moist potting soil. The fungus gnat maggots’ ability to consume plant roots during their larval stage allows them to harm plants. The fungus gnat maggots pupate after two to three weeks to become the small, black adult gnats that frequently fly off in a cloud of flies whenever a potted plant is moved.
Shake the granular Mosquito Bits onto the potting soil of houseplants and other container-grown plants to get rid of fungus gnats.
Prior to planting, Mosquito Bits can also be combined with potting soil. The BTI in the Mosquito Bits are released when the plants are moistened. The BTI is subsequently washed below the soil’s surface after additional watering. Larvae of fungus gnats consume the BTI and perish.
A quick and efficient method of eliminating sizable populations of mosquito larvae is also provided by the BTI in mosquito bits. Mosquito Bits granules, when applied to stagnant water where mosquitoes reproduce, cause a biological mosquito larvicide to be released at the water’s surface. Mosquito larvae that are hungry consume the Mosquito Bits when they settle in the water and perish.
According to a news release, Mosquito Bits are effective in virtually all standing water, including ponds and water gardens, rain barrels, roof gutters, bird baths, flower pots, and saucers. They can also be used in tree holes, unused swimming pools, used car tires, animal watering troughs, and anywhere else water gathers. In grassy or marshy locations where the mosquito population is dense and a speedy kill is required, mosquito bites are also useful.
Just scatter one teaspoon or one tablespoon of Mosquito Bits per 25 square feet of water’s surface. For seven to fourteen days, mosquito larvae will be killed by mosquito bits. For continuous mosquito control, further Mosquito Bit applications should be made at intervals of seven to fourteen days.
There are two sizes of Mosquito Bits: an 8-ounce shaker bottle and a 30-ounce jug.
Summit Responsible Solutions, the company behind Mosquito Dunks, also produces Mosquito Bits. The same bacteria, BTI, which is lethal to mosquito larvae and fungus gnat larvae but nontoxic to other living things, is present in both mosquito bits and mosquito dunks.
Are houseplants safe around mosquito bits?
Use BTI to kill fungus gnats naturally. Since fungus gnats and mosquitoes are closely related, BTI effectively kills fungus gnat larvae. A naturally occurring bacterium called BTI is lethal to both mosquito and fungus gnat larvae.
The bacteria known as BTI, or Bacillus thuringiensisisraelensis, is lethal to fungus gnat and mosquito larvae but non-lethal to other organisms. The bacterium is nature’s method of controlling mosquito and fungus gnat populations. Thankfully, though, BTI has no impact on other insects (such as bees and butterflies). It also doesn’t hurt people, pets, fish, birds, plants, or other creatures.
Top-selling Mosquito Bits, which are authorized for the control of fungus gnats, include the active substance BTI. Simply shake the granular Mosquito Bits onto the potting soil of houseplants to eradicate fungus gnat larvae. Use it on other container-grown plants as well, such as herbs and veggies.
Can I sprinkling fragments of a mosquito on soil?
Use 1/2 cup of Mosquito Bits granules per square foot of soil to control fungus gnats. Water as you normally would. The Bti will be released into the soil during watering, where it will be consumed by and kill the Fungus Gnat larvae. Repeat applications every three weeks to maintain control.
How can a mosquito bite be used to water plants?
To prevent those bothersome fungus gnats from flying around your house and producing thousands of eggs, you must control adult gnats.
Additionally, you need to manage the expanding larval population that is consuming the soil and roots of your plants (and eventually becoming those annoying adults).
Once the adults and larvae have been eliminated, you can take precautions to help prevent fungus gnats from returning in the future.
Each stage can be accomplished in a variety of ways. In order for you to select a strategy that will work for you, I’ll include the approaches that have worked for me as well as other approaches that houseplant specialists advise!
Consider the next three sections as three courses on a menu. For each course, pick something you enjoy to get rid of fungus gnats.
Option #1 Sticky Traps
Sticky traps capture adult fungus gnats by luring them in with their enticing aromas.
As the fungus gnats do not travel far from the plant, the sticky traps are positioned inside or close to the plant. If you have a lot of plants scattered throughout your house, you might need to purchase many traps.
Option #2 Diatomaceous earth
An organic powder called diatomaceous earth adheres to the gnats and renders them immobile.
For each plant, you incorporate it into the top inch of soil. The gnats are stopped from moving forward when they eat fungus, lay eggs, or emerge from the earth.
Option #3 Pumice stones
A porous material known as pumice stone can be acquired online or in the soil area of hardware and greenhouse stores. You can cover the top of your soil with a layer of pumice.
The adult gnats would then have to climb through this hard, uneven surface in order to lay their eggs and burrow into the earth. They dislike objects that scratch their bodies and avoid areas with pumice when possible.
Option #4 Vinegar Traps
A combination of water, dish soap, sugar, and apple cider vinegar is used to make vinegar traps. The fungus gnats are drawn to the liquid by the scent of the vinegar and sugar, but once inside, the soap keeps them from flying away.
Combine all of the components to make the trap.
5 cups of warm water, 1 tablespoon each of sugar and apple cider vinegar, and a few drops of dish soap.
You must set the trap close to the plants you want to draw fungus gnats from, and the liquid must be at least a quarter inch thick (I typically use approximately a half inch).
This can produce a lot of traps, depending on the size of the containers you utilize. I produced anything between 9 and 12 from a batch. I use empty baby food jars and scatter a number of them close to greenery. It has been incredibly successful!
WHAT I DO: Typically, I combine pumice stones and vinegar traps to regulate adults. The use of pumice stones slows the gnats’ egg-laying process, and vinegar traps are effective at catching a sizable number of adults. I do set the traps in numerous locations. There is a trap anywhere I have plants. There are multiple traps if the plants cover an area that is longer than a few feet. I believe that without doing this, the gnats won’t fly far enough to notice it.
Option #1 Beneficial nematodes
A microscopic organism known as a beneficial nematode feeds on the fungus gnat larvae. It is sent to you in a frozen, inactive condition that resembles powder. They do not endanger anyone.
- To prepare the soil to absorb the nematodes, irrigate your plants with a modest amount of water;
- According to the directions on the packaging, combine the powder with the necessary amount of water.
- Nematodes will start working as soon as you water your plants with them!
Option #2 Mosquito bits
When ingested, a bacterium found in mosquito bites is harmful to fungus gnat larvae.
One suggestion is to immerse mosquito bites in water (2 tablespoons of mosquito bits to a half-gallon of water). After that, you can water your plants once a week for three weeks with the water that has been bitten by mosquitoes.
Another suggestion is to sprinkle some mosquito pieces on the soil surface of the plant or incorporate the bits directly into the soil, which will allow the larva to eat the bits and finally control them.
Option #3 Hydrogen Peroxide
In a solution of 1 part 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to 4 parts water, hydrogen peroxide can also be employed. Use this solution to irrigate each plant when it need watering. For a brief period of time, the soil will bubble, killing the fungus gnats instantly. You may, without risk, repeat.
I make use of helpful nematodes. I like to use items that would naturally be present in dirt. The adults quit showing up after soaking all of the plants with beneficial nematodes after about a week. Unless I purchase a plant or soil that has eggs or an adult riding on it, I usually don’t see them again. The only drawback is that I have to get them online because I can’t find them locally.
Step 3: Preventing Fungus Gnats in the Future
WHAT I DO: The vast majority of the problems are resolved by letting almost all of my plants dry up entirely (which is what they need and prefer anyhow). In addition, I quarantine all new plants and keep an eye out for fungus gnats on them. Although I do pre-treat new plants for other pests (which I will address in a subsequent post) using a diluted neem oil and soap spray, I don’t think this is an effective way to reduce fungus gnats. As a result, I prefer to just monitor and treat as necessary using a hydrogen peroxide solution.
How soon after a mosquito bite do fungus gnats die?
The fungus gnat maggots pupate after two to three weeks to become the small, black adult gnats that frequently fly off in a cloud of flies whenever a potted plant is moved. A very quick and efficient method of eliminating sizable populations of mosquito larvae is also made possible by the BTI in mosquito bits.
How long should mosquito bites be soaked?
For every gallon of water, combine 4 tablespoons of MOSQUITO BITS. After 30 minutes of soaking, skim the floating granules off. (Granules can be put in a nylon stocking before being submerged in water.) Apply the treated water directly to the soil or growing media surface after stirring or shaking the water.
How long do mosquito bits take to work?
Dunks and mosquito bits are similar in size. They both derive from the same bacterium and operate similarly. They do, however, vary in terms of size and the length of time it takes for results to appear.
Mosquito dunks work slowly, releasing its Bti after a few hours. However, it has an impact on stagnant water for at least 30 days. That indicates that it takes that many days for a particular body of water to possibly become infested with larvae once more.
Bits, on the other hand, are designed to quickly—within a couple of minutes—remove mosquito larvae. But bits’ quick-release formulation has a cost because, unlike dunks, its effects only last 7 to 14 days before wearing off.
Do mosquito parts dissolve in water?
It is not merely effective to get rid of mosquitoes with pest control items like Mosquito Bits. They are also successful in eliminating fungus gnats. Most individuals believe their work is done once the adult flies have been dispatched. This is regrettably not the case. The entire life cycle of the gnat must be addressed, and the larvae and eggs must also be removed.
Mosquito Bits are designed to aid in the biological control of mosquito populations. Mosquito Bits are made up of corn cob grains that have been treated with a Bti-coated natural bacteria. Insects like mosquitoes and fungus gnats have their stomach lining disturbed by this, which is how it works.
The Bti bacteria in the soil will be consumed by the fungus gnat larvae, which will therefore perish before they can develop into adult flies. If the gnat infestation is widespread across a number of indoor plants, then this gnat control strategy can be highly effective. When using Mosquito Bits, one method is to let them dissolve in a bucket of water over night before applying the resulting treated water to the contaminated soil.
Typically, after around 24 hours, you should start to see benefits. Apply the treated water again once each week until the fungus gnat infestation is completely eradicated.
Can I combine insect bites and neem oil?
It’s finally summertime. Mosquitoes and black flies are attracted to the warmth and sunshine. I spent some time snuggling with young goats over the weekend, and I returned home covered in insect bites. Fortunately, I had some neem to stop the itching.
India is the home of the neem tree, or azadirachta indica. Its leaves are extremely medicinal and offer a variety of health advantages. Neem can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including eczema, diabetes, fever, skin ulcers, dandruff, gum disease, and appetite loss. It also contains antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects.
The bitterness of the leaves makes them suitable for use as an insect repellent, whether they are dried and ground into a powder or pressed into an oil. Even your garden can be sprayed with it to deter insects.
Neem oil can be applied to exposed skin as a repellent to stop becoming a free-for-all buffet for mosquitoes. You can also mix equal volumes of neem oil and tea tree oil.
Neem can be applied topically to treat insect bites. Here’s how to set it up and use it:
- Neem powder and a tiny amount of water should be combined (Banyan Botanicals is a fantastic resource).