nucci60

I have a few small bananas in my basement under grow lux tubes. I am getting little flies that live in the soil and do not want it to become a problem. Is there something safe I can use on the soil without damaging the 'nannas? the plants average four inch pots.

JoeReal

They shouldn't affect your bananas though. There could be something fruity that is rotting in there, and those molds if pathogenic can wreck havoc on your bananas, but not the fruit flies. But if you keep the bananas warm at about 70 deg F, they should be able to counter the molds.

bigdog

Those are probably fungus gnats. We use a substance called Gnatrol to treat them. It is a soil drench, and kills the larvae. I wouldn't worry too much about them though. The larvae eat roots, but don't seem to care for banana roots (maybe too large for their tiny mouths). People live under the false assumption sometimes that they eat the seeds, but they do not.

Tony O

Is this "Gnatrol" safe for earth worms, of does it kill them too?

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D'Andra

We sell earthworms so we are very careful when using anything! If you're talking about worms in the garden, this may be a little tough. If you raise worms in bins, it's easy.

take around 12 mature worms and the bedding they live in and put in a cup/tray...
Apply the product to the worms as you would to treat the area normally.
Wait at least 12 hours, 24 is better.
Dump the worms out on a tray and count them.
If all 12 are alive then it's probably okay. I say probably b/c time release of some products.
I personally wouldn't use anything around my worms.

If the gnats are a problem, you may try finding something they're attracted to (wet bread, tomato slices, melon rind...) and let them lay eggs on it. You throw the "bait" away every couple of days. This may help control the population of gnats. We use this method to control mites and white worms.

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bigdog

Hi, Tony! Gnatrol is completely safe for earthworms. It is specifically targeted to paralyze fungus gnat larvae, so they cannot eat, and die within 24 hours. The active ingredient is Bti (a bacteria). It is a very environmentally safe product. Kind of expensive though.

Westwood

I use Praying Mantis or Mantids ?

they work wonders and once big enough you can even show them Spiders Grins . I hate bugs especially the ones that bite me Tammy

garnetmoth

But Mantids are so cute, and stand upright so you just consider them your buddies?

I have an inordinate fondness for the lil guys myself. 2 years ago LOTS in the garden, this year I didnt see any :-(

Good to see you Westwood!

D'Andra

If Bigdog is right, the only thing that would be affected is the supply of food for your worms. If they are fed by nature...? Then they should be fine with the spray. Now, if fed by you? You may have to slightly raise the amount of feed and closely monitor the intake of your livestock.

I also thought of this while I emptied my drink tonight. The gnats may be drawn to sweet fermenting smells of wine or beer.

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Tony O

Thanks all. I may consider trying Gnatrol if I can afford it. The reason I asked is, I have earth worms in most of my larger potted plants, and some of my smaller ones too. The fungus gnats seem to always be around the smaller seedlings & cuttings. Those are what I was wanting to get rid of, but want to keep my earth worms safe.

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Westwood

Garnet BIG HUGS ... I love Mantids I dont consider them bugs cause they dont bite me LOL ..


Hey even now the flea population in my yard is way down from all those egg sacks last yr . Yippy.

IM going to try and get some nemotodes for the fleas though as well as other nasties . Tammy

Pithy_Cherub

They definitely are - I used to be a bartender many years ago, gnats are the bane of any drinking establishment. The sweeter the alcohol, the better they like it. In the summer, if we have an influx of gnats, I pour a little of whatever is handy into a shot glass & place it in the area where the gnats are concentrating. They will fly into it & a goodly number don't come out - don't know if they get stuck in the sticky or just get drunk & drown - but it does thin 'em out alot! Just empty, rinse & refill when it looks too yucky w/the dead gnats.

Scotch, sweet whiskeys, amaretto - sticky hooches work best.

\
Just throwng it out there - for info.

D'Andra

Just wanted to add a couple of things here.

1. My friend wanted to use our brewing equipment to make beer at our house. I said sure, but I wouldn't be able to help out much. He made the beer and put the carboy in a spare bathroom next to my earthworm breeding bins (yes I even have them in my house!). He then left. A few hours later, I put the baby to bed and went to clean up his mess. When I went in the bathroom I noticed he'd filled a 6gal carboy all the way up! When it started to ferment, it began pouring out of the airlock and onto the floor.
The gnats that stay in the breeding bins had left their happy home and were drowning on my floor! What a way to go!

2. My Grand Daddy was Irish, and here's what he would have told me about getting rid of the gnats:

Get a bottle of Whiskey. Pour out 6 shot glasses full. Put a newspaper on the table next to them. Light a cigar. Read the paper. Drink the 6 shots before finishing the cigar. Roll up the paper. Swat the stupid gnats, and STOP WASTING MY DAMNED WHISKEY!!!

I doubt this really helps but...

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Pithy_Cherub

Your GrandPappy would have a point, there! LOL!

The shot glasses in wierd spots like the bathroom or the pantry DO garner some side-ways looks - I don't enlighten unless asked. Keep 'em guessing!