#Tiny balls in potting soil how to

The gnats are feasting on the organic matter commonly found in soil, such as manure, guano, fertilizer, mulch, clippings, plant matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, etc. They may fly right out of the bag as soon as you open it, or you may start planting the soil and you’ll come across them buried within the mix. You may find fungus gnats in your newly opened bag of soil because they’re attracted to the micronutrients found in soil. Why are there gnats in my bag of potting soil? This is why you’ll find those tiny black flies in organic soil. Most of the pests that are found in sterile soil are there just to lay eggs and use it as a substrate rather than feed on it because there are no nutrients found. Sterilized soil is sterile, so there’s no organic matter that attracts nutrient-seeking bugs. Organic soil houses a lot more nutrients than attract a whole host of common garden pests like yard spiders and pill bugs. If the soil is not sterilized and is all-natural or organic, this just makes it even more attractive to gnats and other bugs commonly found in the soil like caterpillars and worms. And the adults can deposit eggs during any part of the soil’s production from the farm to the factory. The gnats are often hard to spot until they grow in numbers. This is why you may come across adult gnats or larvae when you rip open a bag of Miracle Grow or any other leading brand. And many soils will have a mix of these by default when you buy it from the store.

These decaying organics will provide plenty of food for fungus gnats. These gnats will feed on a variety of things found in potting mix, garden mix, potting soil, and garden soil: Because the soil contains many organic nutrients, the fungus gnats have plenty of food as they evolve into adult gnats.

This is why you may find a bunch of larvae when you open a new bag of potting soil or garden soil. What do fungus gnats eat?įungus gnats primarily eat the many nutrients found in soil. The overall life cycle depends on conditions in the environment and temperature as well as food availability. The larvae feed and develop for 14 days before pupating. The pupation lasts about 7 days.Įach egg takes about 3-6 days to hatch, depending on temperature. After pupation, it emerges as an adult from the soil surface. There are 4 different instars for the larvae until it turns into a pupa. The larvae are worms and will continue eating the plant root under the soil and destroy the plant. The adult fly will deposit eggs that give birth to larvae. The life cycle of a fungus gnat is simple.

The wings have noticeable muscles that span across the clear fiber. The head segment is darker than the rest of the body. There are 6 noticeable limbs with an extended abdomen. They’re about 2-9mm in length and have a translucent wingspan.

#Tiny balls in potting soil how to

Here are some other common names that people call these pests:Īppearance Fungus gnats in your soil? Here’s how to get rid of them.įungus gnats are easily noticeable with their long antennae and dark coloration. Or they can fly out of a new bag of potting soil you just bought! Other names Fungus gnats can start to infect soil that’s never had any gnat problems. They can be found in both outdoor plants and houseplants. They tend to hang around areas where there’s natural sunlight or artificial lighting like patio lights, desktop lights, lamps, etc You’ll often come across fungus gnats next to your doors, windows, or other areas of entry. They have two main life stages that are distinct:īoth are the exact same pest, but most people won’t know that they’re dealing with the same bug at all.

These gnats have a long pair of antennae and very thin legs that are nearly translucent. They can easily be seen against a white surface or leaf. What’s a fungus gnat? A black fungus gnat (By Erik Burton, CC BY 2.0)Ī fungus gnat is a tiny black fly that’s usually around ⅛” as an adult. Will repotting plants get rid of fungus gnats?.How do I get rid of fungus gnats in my house?.How does Dawn dish soap get rid of gnats?.How to get rid of gnats in houseplants using houseplants hydrogen peroxide.How do I get rid of fungus gnats in potting soil?.Will fungus gnats go away on their own?.Why are there gnats in my bag of potting soil?.