Expert: Tracy - 12/18/2007

Question
We have a lot of plants in our home.  All of a sudden we are getting these little flying bugs (the look like fruit flies but are actually coming out of the soil).  I'm not sure what to do about them.  Can you help.  It does seem to get worse when we water.  The other day I put water in a huge african viloet plant and they are driving us crazy in the kitchen, but they are in every room in the house that we have plants.  I would appreciate any help.  We have been told to spray with pepper spray and also to mix mild soap and water and spray the plants and soil.

Answer
Hi Doreen,
  The bugs that are driving you crazy are Fungus Gnats and they are very hard to get rid of.
Fungus Gnats are little flying insects often seen flying around plants. They usually stay near the surface of the soil or under the leaves of plants unless disturbed. The larvae are tiny and worm like and live in the soil. Fungus Gnats are more an annoyance than a threat to the health of the plants infested with them. Fungus Gnats are hard to get rid of. The key to controlling Fungus Gnats is to kill the larvae since adult Fungus Gnats have a short life span (2-3 days). The absolute best way to get rid of them is to release beneficial nematodes into the soil that will seek out and kill the Fungus Gnat larvae. Another, more practical way of controlling Fungus Gnat larvae is to drench the soil with a 2% solution of malathion. If you don't like using such a toxic chemical pesticide in the soil, there are a couple non toxic ways to control the larvae. One way is to place a slice of raw potato into the soil. The larvae will be attracted to the potato slice and will crawl inside of it. Simply throw the potato slice away and replace it with a fresh slice every day until there is no more sign of Fungus Gnat presence. A good way to get rid of the adult Fungus Gnats is to place a bowl or cup of water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid mixed into it next to your plants. The adults will be attracted to it. Change the soapy water everyday.
If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks
  Tracy