Mites and flies

[fatgarry]

My red foot has been pestered by mites in his food bowl which turn in to small flies or midges. I thought it was his sub strata so I changed it from soil to small bark but they still come back. Any ideas folks?

 

[Yvonne G]

If they're turning into gnats or flies, they're not mites, they're maggots. The only way to keep the flying stage from laying eggs (which hatch out more maggots) is to keep the rotten food and feces cleaned up.

 

[fatgarry]

If they're turning into gnats or flies, they're not mites, they're maggots. The only way to keep the flying stage from laying eggs (which hatch out more maggots) is to keep the rotten food and feces cleaned up.

The thing in his food bowl are minute and in their dozens. I clear up any mud he makes and his food bowl is cleaned daily?

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Can you post a photo?
1. If there are maggots and flies - maybe it's fruit flies infestation (flies usually have brown bodies with red-brown eyes).
2. If you don't see maggots but "bug-like" things in the bowl and flies - you may have springtails/soil or grain mites boom and fungus gnats infestation (flies are smaller and black bodied).

To get rid of flies you can use sticky traps, for example. Standing water in substrate or overwatered soil in live plants pots usually results in growing population of fungus gnats (let it dry just a bit).

 

[fatgarry]

 

[fatgarry]

I know they aren't great quality but it might help

 

[zovick]

I know they aren't great quality but it might help

From what I can see in the photos, it appears that you have springtails which not detrimental, but actually beneficial because they eat detritus.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

View attachment 388194View attachment 388195

As I can tell, you have springtails (white elongated bugs) and fungus gnats (small black flies) who feed on decaying organic matter and mold. These insects often appear together since they prefer similar environment and food sources. Sometimes springtails can outcompete fungus gnats, but more often both colonies are blooming.

So I would set some traps for the flies and keep substrate a little bit drier (no standing water, damp but not sogging wet).