Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have developed a huge swarm of little gnats in my AP system. They began, I am convinced, on a container of moist soil but seem to have spread to my grow beds.

These are not fruit flies. They are slower and slightly larger.

Any ideas on how to get rid of them?

Thanks.

Break out the macro lens mate, there's very little chance of getting a definitive answer without a pic, even a blurry one from a point and shoot.

yellow or blue sticky traps are the safest method of dealing with tiny flying pests.
read a post on another forum that you can make your own sticky traps using construction paper and a tanglefoot product. I wrote tanglefoot and this is the reply I received:

Thanks for writing and letting us know you want to use Tangle-Trap to make your own sticky traps.



Tangle-Trap Insect Trap Coating is used as an insect trapping adhesive used to make sticky traps for insect management and monitoring. It does not contain any insecticides. Because it is clear and odorless, it will not interfere with the use of color traps or pheromone attractants. Our trap coating provides excellent adhesion to surfaces and remains tacky through repeated wetting and drying cycles. The product will remain effective as long as conditions permit.



Tangle-Trap is available in 3 formulations: original paste, brushable and aerosol. The paste formulation is the purest grade, but the viscosity is high, requiring application with a spatula or other stiff object. The paste is suitable for all trapping needs and is the most cost-effective. It is also the easiest to ship. It can be shipped by air or ocean freight.



Brushable Tangle-Trap, having reduced viscosity, is easily applied with a paintbrush. It is ideally suited for contoured trap surfaces. Aerosol Tangle-Trap is suited for any trap surface, but is not recommended where a large number of traps are required since it is packaged in the smallest quantity per unit. Brushable Tangle-Trap and Aerosol Tangle-Trap can only be shipped by air or surface transportation as a hazardous material.



We do not have a distributor stocking Tangle-Trap in Kansas. Mail Order/Internet catalogs stocking this product include:



Ladd Research

800-451-3406

www.laddresearch.com



Great Lakes IPM

800-235-0285

www.greatlakesipm.com



Forestry Suppliers

800-752-8460

www.forestry-suppliers.com



We hope this information helps.

I've used the Tanglefoot sheets for flies and other smaller flying insects in my greenhouse. Amazingly, I've never had a ladybug on them - well unless you count when they catch my hair. But they do work wonders for limiting annoying flying insects in the gh.

As for where they came from... very possibly from the soil. Some soils actually have the eggs in them, especially if it was a potted plant. I had an outbreak about a year ago in a pot. We had just put in a bamboo floor in my home office and I came in one morning to find them EVERYWHERE. It was very disgusting but shortlived.

I think I may have the same little flying things. They are not attracted to yellow. They like white walls and dark green flowerpots. I'll put out some blue paper to see if they like that.

I used Tangle foot for one of my survey experiments but we didn't get very good results.

Or I should say we wern't happy with the results because we caught so many critters and once they were caught you couldn't get them out to identify them/and or release them.

Very messy, but effective.

white fly perhaps?

I believe that they are called 'fungus gnats'. At least that's the closest I can come in my searches. You are right Janet, they don't pay the slightest attention to yellow as far as I can see.

I got Tanglefoot today and am trying that. I'll see how that works.

Healingdeva, when you wrote: "But they do work wonders for limiting annoying flying insects in the gh" were you speaking of Ladybugs or the Tanglefoot traps?

The Tanglefoot seemed to eliminate the white fly I had in the gh along with some flies. Of course, with the AP system, I'd be looking for ways to get those flies in the fish tank.

The ladybugs help with aphids though this winter, it's been too cold for the ladybugs to really eat a lot and the aphids have just multiplied. Truth be told, since I started planning the AP system, I've just been letting things go since nothing is really growing anyway and I'll be pulling it out soon... perhaps tomorrow.

I think the gnats I have here are "drain flies" or "moth flies". It describes their flight as short hops, and mentions that they leave a powdery smudge when squished. It also sounds like there's no good way to get them out of an AP system. The articles I read talk about cleaning up sources of moisture. Uh oh.

I was thinking about introducing Bt and/or beneficial nematodes into the system. Those would work on fungus gnats anyway.

Shop Vac!

Yes, I'm going with the shop vac idea but that will only get some. I'm not kidding, there is a jungle swarm in my gb area.

Janet, I was also looking at the Bt solution but was not sure that would be safe for the fish. Is it? Would I just administer that to the growbeds?

Folks here have been using Bt on their plants, but in this case, it would need to be rinsed into the growbeds or applied via one of those mosquito dunks. I don't see that there would be any harm to it. It's just a beneficial bacteria.

On a side note, as we Ap'ists apply all these little cures to kill the pests, some will survive and breed a better bug that is impervious to our applications.
Call in reenforcements now! Two shop vacs.
Sometimes I just can't help myself, sorry.
I had an invasion last summer of white fly, caused by bringing in some affected peppers so I can sympathize with your problem.

"Fungus Gnats" there is a biological way to treat this pest they are called 'Hypoaspis' they are a tiny mite about 1mm long, they live in the soil, as adults and immatures they attack the gnat larve. they eat about 1-5 a day. anyway i used to use them at an old work along with many other biological ways of control check locally they might be available commercially.