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Greetings everyone. Recently, I had ordered a 4-tiered minigreenhouse for my CPs. Here in Ohio, the temperatures has been dropping (we had our first snow this past thursday). I got this greenhouse and set it up in my basement with lighting on a timer and shallow trays of water on the shelves to help keep up the humidity. I have a small collection of neps (Judith Finn, Ventrata, and Ventricosa), a purple pitcher plant, and a sundew (drosera binata).

While giving them a mist today, I noticed some "gnats" flying around. I don't think they are gnats (fruit flies), but they are of similar size and appear a little thinner. They seem to be living in/on the potting soil. Do you know if this is something I should be concerned? Should I let it go or get rid of them? Should I use some sort of fly-paper to get rid of them or some more droseras?
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Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dwight
 
If I were you I would get a mexican butterwort, maybe P. moranensis, because it seems like the perfect oppertunity.
 
"gnat" does not refer to a fruit fly. gnats are wayyyy smaller
 
do you think that they may be fungus gnats?
 
I'm not sure if they are fungus gnats...I don't know my gnats too well.
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I've layed some sticky tape around the plants, but haven't had any luck in capturing any. I did find some of the gnats (I think the same type) caught in the plastic cover of my grow lights. I apologize for the low quality of the photos, my camera isn't the best at extreme closeups. Hopefully they are good enough to be identified. Can anyone ID them? Should the plants be treated or is it something that I can let it go?

Thanks,
Dwight
 
Thats a fungus gnat. Treat plants with an insecticide. A soil drech type is best. Do NOT spray anything on the leaves of anything in the Droseraceae, they usually do not recover.
 
I've been reading up on the fungus gnats. A few of the sites mentioned or removing the top layer of soil and replacing it with clean potting sand for about an inch thick. I have nepenthes, droseras, and purple pitcher plants. Would this work with these plants? I personally would like to stay away from insecticides and only use it as a last resort.

Thanks,
Dwight
 
Hi Dwight, if you have some sundews, place them in or around the affected plants. I find that dews work better for me than pings.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (BigCarnivourKid @ Oct. 15 2006,7:58)]Hi Dwight, if you have some sundews, place them in or around the affected plants. I find that dews work better for me than pings.
That's what I like to hear. An excuse to buy more droseras. My wife will be thrilled.
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Will adding a layer of sand (about 1") affect any of the plants? My initial thought would be "no" since I believe sand is mostly an inert material, but I could be wrong. Any advice?

Thanks,
Dwight
 
  • #10
shoudl be fine as long as its washed horticultural grade sand
 
  • #11
The only problem I have had is after a while it tends to form a crust when it dries and if you top water, it washes it around and eventually you get a bit of peat mixed in with it. It works good for eliminating gnats and smothering carpet moss though. I use a fine grit sand for a top dressing in some of my pots.
 
  • #12
Well I had the same problem and all my plants are in my room so I did'nt want to use insecticde. So I put a bunch of sundews around the plants and planted butterworts in with the neps. So far it's worked fine for me.
 
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