Mystery Bug

emorrin · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: Mystery Bug

As hard as I have tried, I cannot get a good picture of this mysterious bug that I have roaming around in the soil in most of my indoor bonsais. Therefore, I will try to explain it the best I can and hopefully with luck, maybe someone may know what it is. Taking a stab in the dark here...

This bug is approximately 1 to 2 millimeters in length and is of a gray silverish color. It doesn't have wings and has a very slender shape. At first I thought it might be a spring tail but it doesn't jump when disturbed. It does have a spring tail or flea like appearance. It just wonders around and hides in the soil or under a rock when disturbed.

This bug appears to like moist places and can only be seen crawling around in the soil or hiding underneath the pots or humidity trays. I have never seen one crawling on any of my bonsais though. I do not think it is causing any damage to the roots since none of my bonsais look to be in distress.

I have been working on keeping its numbers down by periodically spraying the soil and under the pots/humidity trays (when I see them there) with pymethrin. I also spray down all bonsais, pots, soil, and all areas around it with a mixture of 1 teaspoon dawn dish soap, 1 teaspoon Neem oil, and 1 teaspoon rubbing alcohol on a monthly basis. I have also tried other remedies such as insecticide with orange peels and other natural insecticides. I have never totally eradicated them so far though.

Like I said, I do not think these bugs are causing any problems but are a nuisance I would like to get rid of.

Hopefully someone has a similar experience (crossing fingers)

yamadorinige · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:17 pm Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug

Sounds like it could be fungus gnats, which live in the and are harmless in small numbers.
You are treating them in the right manner, keep spraying with the detergent you will eventually eradicate them

emorrin · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug

yamadorinige,

While I do see a fungus gnat or two flying around once in a while, I am not sure that this is what they are. I spent quite a bit of time googling images of bugs but have never found an exact match as of yet. I could be wrong but if they were indeed fungus gnats, there would probably be allot more flying around once they reach the adult stage.

I have never really had any bug issues other than this. I had some aphids on my fukien tea once but that is about it. I don't like to spray everything down more than once a month since allot of my tropicals do not like it that much (i.e. shed allot of leaves). When I first started spraying, I did it on a weekly basis for almost two months hoping that would eradicate them. It didn't do the trick however. I believe these bugs hitched a ride with my very first ficus and I have had them ever since. I am not overly worried about them but really would love to find out what they are. It has been a mystery that I have yet to solve and it has been about a year now.

Dick · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 2:52 am Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug

If it is a fungus gnat, the soil will also have very tiny worm-like creatures in it. They are generally harmless, but can be a nusance.

emorrin · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:12 am Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug

Dick,

I did see a tiny worm like critter when I re potted my Japan Pepper a couple of weeks ago. It seems like the evidence is getting stronger that they are indeed fungus gnats. I still am surprised since I would think that I would see several of the adult fungus gnats flying around when I mist my plants. I only see one or two once in a while. I guess as long as I keep on doing my monthly maintenance of spraying all my plants with the neem oil, soap, and alcohol solution, I should be ok.

Dick · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:17 am Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug

That should keep them in check, but they can escape since they live in the soil and can evade the treatment. I might also propose that you get some tobacco and soak it. Then take the water fromt he soakingh and soak the entire pot in it. Nicotine ussually will do the trick. You don't need very many flying gnats to spread them from pot to pot.

emorrin · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:32 am Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug

Nicotine is the one thing I have yet to try. Does it matter if it is the butt end of an already smoked cigarette or should I use a new one? Of course, minus the filter. The next time I do my monthly maintenance, I will soak one overnight. I quit smoking over 10 years ago but have neighbors that do.

Dick · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:22 am Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug

Overnight is way too long. About 5-10 minutes should do the trick....no longer is needed.

emorrin · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:47 am Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug

I can now definitely say that the mystery bug is fungus gnat larva. I went longer than usual in doing my monthly neem oil/ dish soap spraying and now I have a bunch of fungus gnat flying around the house. This mystery is now considered resolved.

They say neem oil eradicates fungus gnats but I never seem to totally get rid of them. I have two questions:

1. Dick, Do you think it is safe to use neem oil, dish soap, alcohol, and nicotine in my spray. I currently use neem, soap, and alcohol but not nicotine. I bummed a cigarette off a neighbor so I now have nicotine. The question is when is too many ingredients actually harmful to the plants?

2. Does anyone have any other remedies to get rid of fungus gnats other than I mentioned above? I have already tried pymethrin and an orange peel based insecticide. I am wondering if maybe the fungus gnats I have are now tolerant of neem oil.

Thanks

TB420 · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 10:11 pm Post subject: Re: Mystery Bug