Sciarid Fly Killer Nematodes 15 sqm

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The Sciaridae are a family of flies, commonly known as dark-winged fungus gnats. Commonly found in moist environments, they are known to be a pest of mushroom farms and are commonly found in household plant pots. This is one of the least studied of the large Diptera families, probably due to the small size of these insects and the similarity among species. [2] Sciaridae practice paternal genome elimination, whereby the male passes on only the genetic material of his mother to his offspring. The functional result of this is similar to haplodiploidy, but via a very different mechanism. [7] Evolution [ edit ] Featherston, R.; Jones, T. M.; Elgar, M. A. (2013). "Female resistance behaviour and progeny sex ratio in two Bradysia species (Diptera: Sciaridae) with paternal genome elimination". Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 26 (5): 919–928. doi: 10.1111/jeb.12117. PMID 23621366. S2CID 37504934.

Adult females lay about 200 transparent eggs (each about 1mm; 1⁄ 32" long) into moist soil. After about one week, the larvae hatch. About 90% of the larvae are female. Up to 2,500 per m² (230 per sq. ft.) can be found. Several species, especially Sciara militaris, can be found to migrate in processions of up to 10 metres, containing thousands of individuals. These processions occur from May to June in central Europe. Occurrences have been reported e.g. in Southern Poland, the Polish name of the phenomenon is "pleń". The larvae there pupate from July to August. They are distributed through wind and drifting, for example on dead wood, and are often introduced by humans, by means of transported humus or similar. Bennison, J. (2007 and 2008). Protected herbs, ornamentals and celery: development of an on-nursery rearing system for Atheta coriaria for reduced cost biological control of sciarid and shore flies. Annual reports for HDC project PC 239. Adult sciarids are very mobile. They lay their eggs within moist soil top layers of soil which is commonly found in house plants and young plant propagation settings. The larvae are generalist feeders moving through moist soil and feed on new plant root growth or the stems of seedlings and young plants. Adding some dish soap to a spray bottle and spraying the top of the soil can help kill off the gnats. Homemade fungus gnat traps

Chemical control (protected herbs)

Control using nematodes as a drench and then try to keep the surface of the compost as dry as possible (stand trays/ pots in water and soak from the bottom up rather than watering from the top). Seedlings and cuttings are most affected by this and so are a major problem for herbs, greenhouses and nurseries. Fungus gnats (or sciarid flies) are the little flying bugs around your plant. They look like small, pale flies with translucent wings that are slow fliers and don’t make an audible buzzing sound. In addition to commercially-available biological control agents, several natural enemies of sciarid flies often occur on herb nurseries, particularly where IPM is used. They can sometimes occur in sufficient numbers to play an important role in controlling the pest:

The Fungus Fly, also known as the Sciarid Fly, can cause severe damage to many plants including house plants and plants being propagated. These tiny flies will lay eggs in compost or soil, from which larvae develop. T he larvae often feed on young plants and seedlings at propagation and are a very common pest in house plants. Damp conditions and organic plant matter will provide an ideal breeding ground for the larvae, which will feed on plant roots causing damping off and seedling collapse. The larvae, at large numbers, can also spread soil-borne diseases such as Pythium. Once the larvae develop into adults they become nuisance pests, forming small clouds of flies when disturbed. What Are Fungus Fly Killer Nematodes & How Can They Help? Ebrahim, Ayman (2010-06-01). "An illustrated Key to the larval stages of dipterous families in Egypt". Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences. A, Entomology. 3 (1): 145–172. doi: 10.21608/eajbsa.2010.15251. ISSN 2090-0813. The adult beetle is 3 – 4 mm long, dark brown and shiny, with beaded antennae, short wings and an upturned rear end. The adults are very active and can run and fly but often remain hidden within the growing media and under pots or trays. The young larvae are small and white , while the older larvae reach 3 – 4 mm in length and are brownish-yellow . D . coriaria is recommended for use in t he early stages of infestation. St ratiolaelaps scimitus ( Hypoaspis miles) and Macrocheles robustulus are ground-dwelling predatory mites commonly used for sciarid fly control and can be very effective. Adult females of both species are up to 0.8 mm long, off-white , with a pale brown shield covering most of the upper surface of the body. Water your plants less. Many a houseplant is watered more than it actually needs. Try watering it less and see how it responds.The whole lifecycle is about 28 days, but the adult fungus gnats live only around 7 days. Where do fungus gnats come from? Using neem oil to kill gnats is a popular ‘natural’ method in the US, where it is approved. However, neem oil isn’t currently approved for use in the UK.