I'm new to house plants (mostly just pothos) and I've recently seen a huge increase in what I think are gnats or fruit flies. I live in Arizona and usually buy my plants from Home Depot or Walmart, and I've never had pest issues before. However, after repotting with new soil, I've noticed these little flying bugs popping up a day or two later. They don't bother me, but they're a nuisance for my daughter, who can't stand them. Some of my plants are in water (like pothos), and others are in soil. How can I effectively get rid of these flying bugs? I have pets and prefer to avoid sprays since I'm concerned about their safety. I've seen those plug-in blue light sticky traps; do they actually work? Are there better solutions?
3 Answers
I've had good luck with little sticky gnat traps! I put a few around my plants, and they catch a lot of those pesky bugs. It's a simple solution that works.
Try mixing some Summit Mosquito and Gnat Barrier liquid with your regular watering—about 1-2 tablespoons per gallon. Plus, using Bonide granules on top of the soil during repotting and once a month can really help keep them at bay. It works so well that you might not even need sticky traps!
One effective method is to use carnivorous plants to catch the adult gnats. Also, treating the soil with mosquito bit tea every time you water can really help, but keep in mind it may take weeks or even a couple of months to see results.