Gnats

[fluffypanda17]

What's the best way of getting rid of them? I've tried the apple cider and dish soap and didn't catch any!

Anything would help.

Thanks!

 

[Moozillion]

I read that a good trap for flying insects is to put equal amounts of molasses and beer in a jar (no more than 1/4 of the jar- maybe even less). Then you make a paper cone, tape it together and snip off the pointed end, making a funnel. Set this in the mouth of the jar making sure the tip is NOT submerged in the molasses/beer mixture. The flying insects are attracted to the scent of the liquid and fly down through the cone and into the jar. But then they're trapped: they can fly around inside the jar but they can't figure out that they have to fly back out that little hole again to escape. Some drown but the ones who don't are contained. I haven't needed to try this, but I've seen similar sorts of things that worked pretty well.

 

[fluffypanda17]

I read that a good trap for flying insects is to put equal amounts of molasses and beer in a jar (no more than 1/4 of the jar- maybe even less). Then you make a paper cone, tape it together and snip off the pointed end, making a funnel. Set this in the mouth of the jar making sure the tip is NOT submerged in the molasses/beer mixture. The flying insects are attracted to the scent of the liquid and fly down through the cone and into the jar. But then they're trapped: they can fly around inside the jar but they can't figure out that they have to fly back out that little hole again to escape. Some drown but the ones who don't are contained. I haven't needed to try this, but I've seen similar sorts of things that worked pretty well.

Thank you very much! I've been trying something similar to this. The only difference are the contents. I need to get some beer and some molasses! Should be fun. Since im 16....

Jk I'll just ask my parents for some~

 

[Moozillion]

I read that a good trap for flying insects is to put equal amounts of molasses and beer in a jar (no more than 1/4 of the jar- maybe even less). Then you make a paper cone, tape it together and snip off the pointed end, making a funnel. Set this in the mouth of the jar making sure the tip is NOT submerged in the molasses/beer mixture. The flying insects are attracted to the scent of the liquid and fly down through the cone and into the jar. But then they're trapped: they can fly around inside the jar but they can't figure out that they have to fly back out that little hole again to escape. Some drown but the ones who don't are contained. I haven't needed to try this, but I've seen similar sorts of things that worked pretty well.

Thank you very much! I've been trying something similar to this. The only difference are the contents. I need to get some beer and some molasses! Should be fun. Since im 16....

Jk I'll just ask my parents for some~

Good luck!!! I hope it helps!!!

 

[Kasper2reds]

I find that using basic indoor fly traps work great, I hang one from the top of the enclosure so that it's high enough and out of reach for my reds, and I must admit it catches plenty of those annoying little gnats. I find them at Home Depot usually

 

[Yvonne G]

That's what I use too. They come in a very small tube and when you open it and pull out one end, you end up with a long strip of very sticky stuff that the gnats land on and can't get off of.

http://www.stockphotopro.com/photo_of/Flies/AMMK8N/Flies_caught_on_sticky

 

[fluffypanda17]

Thanks for all of the help guys! I've thrown all of these things in the list. I'll give an update once I see some results.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Hi,

The funnel trap with the beer molasses lure is great. The mild dish soap solution is meant to be sprayed right on the soil surface, it acts in two ways, it washes the insects waxy "sweat" off, and is also clogs their breathing mechanism. For sticky traps try a
"grow" store, they have a wide variety of sticky traps that are enclosed, so you don't get stuck with them.

Will

 

[fluffypanda17]

Do you think it would be ok to spray the substrate in a rf enclosure?

What is a "grow" store?

Thanks for all of the info.

 

[biochemnerd808]

I put half of a lemon nearby, and all the gnats go there (works for fruit flies, too!)

Check the substrate for tiny gnat larvae - you might have new hatching generations. Sometimes they lay in potting soil, too. Thankfully they don't live too long...

What's the best way of getting rid of them? I've tried the apple cider and dish soap and didn't catch any!

Anything would help.

Thanks!

 

[fluffypanda17]

Here's my little update.

The beer and molasses didn't catch any flies.

But I got fly tape and they have worked great! So the over all fly population has gone way down. But they're still breeding in the Redfoots tank. It's a planted 55 gal right now. Halfs covered completely. My plan is to completely clean it out and then replace the substrate with coco fiber or sphagnum. For humidity. But I don't want them to breed so I was thinking sphagnum would be better? Or could they breed in that (the flies)? Or is there a better substrate option. Right now I'm using a pea gravel drainage layer (the Redfoot can't get to it so dont worry about impaction) with a top layer of organic potting soil with peat. Mixed with coco fiber. And his cave has sphagnum in it. And when I re do it there won't be any plants. I want to keep it as fly proof as possible. And I want to make it completely enclosed so rouge flies can't come back in and breed again. There will also be fly tape hanging around to ensure no more breed~
Would my Redfoot be okay with no airflow? I could make a part of the lid screen and pop on a computer fan if I need to.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Do you think it would be ok to spray the substrate in a rf enclosure?

What is a "grow" store?

Thanks for all of the info.

A place that sales stuff for people who grow "Chinese tomatoes" indoors.

Colorado just legalized Chinese tomatoes, OK?

No, I don't.

Will

 

[Tortus]

I've found that using scent traps in the house (vinegar, wine, etc.) actually make the problem worse, since they attract gnats/fruit flies from outside. I put a small bowl of apple cider vinegar mixed with red wine on the counter and covered it with plastic wrap, then put a few small holes in the wrap. It caught a ton of fruit flies. But when I opened the back door there was literally a swarm of them there trying to get in.

So what I do now is set the traps outside on the back porch so more flies aren't trying to get inside. They also like to feed and possibly breed in drains, so I pour bleach down them every few days.

If you have a ton of them you can get one of those electric zappers that looks like a tennis racket. Just wave it through the air and you can hear them pop. You can also mix dish soap with water and put it in a spray bottle. When the soapy water hits an insect it suffocates since they breathe through their skin. Works on ants too.

 

[Moozillion]

Well, I'm sorry the molasses and beer didn't work- it seemed like a great idea when I read it. But I'm glad you found something that does work! I think your tort is very lucky to have such a great human companion!

 

[SDDTMama]

A place that sales stuff for people who grow "Chinese tomatoes" indoors.

Colorado just legalized Chinese tomatoes, OK?

No, I don't.

Will

ROFLMAO

Neither do I.

 

[fluffypanda17]

I've found that using scent traps in the house (vinegar, wine, etc.) actually make the problem worse, since they attract gnats/fruit flies from outside. I put a small bowl of apple cider vinegar mixed with red wine on the counter and covered it with plastic wrap, then put a few small holes in the wrap. It caught a ton of fruit flies. But when I opened the back door there was literally a swarm of them there trying to get in.

So what I do now is set the traps outside on the back porch so more flies aren't trying to get inside. They also like to feed and possibly breed in drains, so I pour bleach down them every few days.

If you have a ton of them you can get one of those electric zappers that looks like a tennis racket. Just wave it through the air and you can hear them pop. You can also mix dish soap with water and put it in a spray bottle. When the soapy water hits an insect it suffocates since they breathe through their skin. Works on ants too.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. When I clean out the tank I'll spray it down with soapy water so I'm not tracking more flies around whenever I'm taking the soil out.

Once I get rid of their breeding grounds I'll try to use your other advice to get rid of the left overs. I've been pouring down baking soda and white vinegar down the drains and it's seemed to work well.

---

Well, I'm sorry the molasses and beer didn't work- it seemed like a great idea when I read it. But I'm glad you found something that does work! I think your tort is very lucky to have such a great human companion!

Thanks for your advice anyway! But I I'd use nonalcoholic beer. If that made any difference at all...
And thanks! I'm trying my best.

 

[Edna]

Fluffy, if you have damp substrate you're going to have fungus flies (gnats). Getting rid of your current substrate won't get rid of the flies unless you plan to keep the new substrate dry. Even then, you could get the same effect by just letting your current substrate dry out.

 

[fluffypanda17]

I was not planning on having the substrate dry at all... So how can I keep them from coming and breeding?

 

[Edna]

You can't. Moist substrate is undergoing the natural process of decomposition. Fungus and fungus flies are part of that process. I have fungus flies in my indoor. Their numbers decline when I let the surface of the soil get a little more dry, increase if I'm watering it every day.
The fly strips you've been using seem like a great solution to me.

 

[fluffypanda17]

You can't. Moist substrate is undergoing the natural process of decomposition. Fungus and fungus flies are part of that process. I have fungus flies in my indoor. Their numbers decline when I let the surface of the soil get a little more dry, increase if I'm watering it every day.
The fly strips you've been using seem like a great solution to me.

Darn I was hoping for a permanent solution... Oh well. Thanks for your help!

---

So can the presence of gnats hurt a tortoise in any way?