Gnat attack :(

[EclipseFour20]

eclipse, you just add the bits to your medium and let the waterings melt down the bits? I might have to give this a shot next cycle. its a lot cheaper than the capt jacks spinosad.

Yep...I incorporate Bits two different ways:
1. I add Bits to my dry fertility and mix it in the medium at transplant time; for 3-5 gallon containers I add 15ml of Bits...7.5ml for all the smaller containers.
2. Top dressing. After transplant and watering, I sprinkle 7.5/15ml of Bits on the soil surface.

As the Bits dissolve/break-down, they release BTI over time, as in "time release". Dunks/Gnatrol do not--they become effective when wet and work only for a few days, max.

Also, those two-sided yellow cards (BASF makes the best IMHO) work too...one per container (it will identify heavy infested plants that may require bigger guns). I prop the card vertically between the plant's main stalk and green plant stake--first side is for veg, second side is for flower; I pay $32 for a 50 card pack.

For the infested plants...I use a simple "soil critter spray"--

30 ml Riptide (pyrethrin+pbo)
30 ml Neem Oil
240 ml Fossil Shell Flour (food grade Diatomaceous Earth)
1 gallon water

Best to use a canning jar to mix the ingredients with 2/3 filled with water...and shake like your are making a Martini (James Bond style--shaken never stirred). After 15-30 seconds of shaking all ingredients will be emulsified--pour in 1 gallon container, add water to 1 gallon mark, stir and finally pour the solution in a good quality spray bottle (I like the "chemical" quality spray bottles at Home Depot, never clogs).

Shake continuously and I spray a goodly amount on the soil surface of each plant; be careful to not overspray--as the DE will dry as a white dust (think Christmas morning snow). Great to use around the house, pet friendly, and cleans easy with water.

Many Modes of Actions in this spray, pyrethrin and pbo cocktail increases the effectiveness of pyrethrin without increasing the amount of pyrethrin required (pyrethrin half-life is measured in hours--not days/weeks). The DE diatoms absorb the cocktail and help spread it evenly...and once dry--it shreds away soil critters. The final and 3rd Mode of Action is Neem Oil...it too will be absorbed by the diatoms and remain effective as the diatoms dry out.

BTW, Riptide is a water based pesticide (no oil) designed for ULV misters/sprayers that are used around animals and food products, and is about half the price of Evergreen Pyrethrin. Just over $100 for half gallon here---http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/riptide-50-pyrethrin-ulv-p-216.html

 

[Former Guest]

good to know about the bits and dunks differences!! probably why some people report varied results possibly?? I really like the sns product but it's $5 per gallon

 

[magiccannabus]

Thanks for all the replies. I may have to pick up some sort of BTI product. Would the bacteria hurt centipedes?

So far the plant I put a bunch of centipedes in with has much healthier looking new growth and is starting to mature more properly now. Its kind of a floppy strain though so I'm not 100% happy with how it's growing for non-gnat reasons. My two Northern Lights girls that remain are thriving like always. They are tough and incredibly solid plants. I put some centipedes in with them too, but I am starting to have trouble finding more of them in the compost pile. If I give it some time more will come there to feed on all the little bugs. So far I am very impressed. They didn't save any of my smaller plants, but they were pretty far gone pretty quickly. As long as I don't let them get too dehydrated, centipedes like this can live 3-5 years and will definitely reproduce. They seem very at home in my mulch.

 

[thatonedude]

don't know but it may kill the centipedes. but they are not benifecial other than to eat the fungus gnat larva. and are not doing a very good job it seems.

 

[thatonedude]

if they are doing a good job in the one pot then introduce them to all the pots. and skip the bt treatment

 

[thatonedude]

I have house centipedes in my basement. sometimes for entertainment I wil catch one and put it in a jar with a wolf spider which I have an abundance of in my yard, into a jar together and whatch them fight to the death. its about 50/50 which one wins.

that sounds bad. is it illegal to fight arthropods yet? I know you cant fight dogs or roosters

 

[thatonedude]

actually most of the time they don't fight, the centipede just waits out the spider and then eats it. the spider cant climb the glass wall but the centipede can

 

[thatonedude]

when they do fight though its quite interesting to watch. both are master hunters. I guess it would be a lot like watching a leapord and a mountain lion fight

 

[Mikell]

^Serious?

 

[EclipseFour20]

good to know about the bits and dunks differences!! probably why some people report varied results possibly?? ...

I believe the problem is timing--here is another post from a different thread that might be useful.

Let me clear up some confusion and help explain by why Gnatrol is ineffective on controlling Root Aphids.

The active ingredient in Gnatrol/Mosquito Bits/Mosquito Dunks is bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) with a Mode of Action of a "mid-gut membrane disruptor" on young larvae. Fungus Gnats go through a larvae stage--but Root Aphids do not--they molt.

First--here is the Fungus Gnat lifecycle...

BTI is most effective against the young first instar larvae, which at the 4 o'clock position in the above pic. The bacteria must be ingested by the larva, after which a toxic protein crystal is released into the insect's gut. Larvae stop feeding and die.

Fungus gnats life cycle is 20-28 days and as you can see, BTI is effective only 2-3 of those days--primary reason why BTI must be applied at the "right time"--or it is a waste of money.

Root Aphids are a completely different breed and have been known to develop a resistance of sorts to many chemical pesticides (hence why some never get rid of them after repeated applications--while others get rid of them after a single application).

Hope this helps!

The goal is to get have the BTI colonized prior to the gnat larvae advancing to the first instar stage...which is why I add the Bits at transplant time. By the time the soil is infected and gnats are at the first instar stage, the BTI has already colonized and active in the soil...especially in the top few inches of the soil (where most of the gnat larvae thrive).

 

[Mikell]

As the Bits dissolve/break-down, they release BTI over time, as in "time release". Dunks/Gnatrol do not--they become effective when wet and work only for a few days, max.

The exact opposite is true, which is why I use Dunks, though I don't think I've even seen Bits around locally.

From the company


Gnatrol WDG and LQ (which I don't even think exists anymore) look similar to Bits.

 

[EclipseFour20]

The exact opposite is true, which is why I use Dunks, though I don't think I've even seen Bits around locally.

From the company


Gnatrol WDG and LQ (which I don't even think exists anymore) look similar to Bits.

I guess the problem is timing...how do you know when the gnats are in the first instar stage? If all your gnats are exactly the same age and if you know exactly how old they are, then immediate release of BTI would be desirable at a strategic time.

Problem is in the real world--most of us have gnats at ALL stages of the life cycle...and IMHO, making weekly applications of BTI applications in this instance is a waste of money. I don't add Bits to my water or Bacteria Brew--I just add it to the soil and let the soil moisture activate the BTI...and that is what Summit Chemical recommends.

Source: http://www.summitchemical.com/2012/05/biological-mosquito-control-also-kills-fungus-gnats/

"Summit Mosquito Bits®, a popular biological control that kills mosquito larvae, is now also approved for the control of fungus gnats.
The active ingredient in Mosquito Bits® is a biological larvacide called BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis). BTI is a naturally occurring bacterium that’s deadly to both mosquito larvae and fungus gnat larvae.
Fungus gnats can infest potted plants, and the insects can be difficult to control. Fungus gnats lay their eggs in the potting soil of houseplants and container plants, and the larvae live in the moist potting mix. In the larval stage, the fungus gnat maggots can cause plant damage by eating plant roots. After about two to three weeks, the fungus gnat maggots pupate to become the tiny black adult gnats that often take flight in a cloud of insects when a potted plant is moved.
To control fungus gnats, simply shake the granular Mosquito Bits® onto the potting soil in houseplants and other container-grown plants. Mosquito Bits® can also be mixed with potting soil prior to planting. When the plants are watered, the BTI in the Mosquito Bits® will be released. After subsequent watering, the BTI is washed below the soil surface. Fungus gnat larvae feed on the BTI and die.
The BTI in Mosquito Bits® also provides an extremely fast and effective way to quickly kill large populations of mosquito larvae. When spread on standing water where mosquitoes breed, Mosquito Bits® granules release a biological mosquito larvicide at the water’s surface. As the Mosquito Bits® settle in the water, hungry mosquito larvae eat the Bits and die.
Mosquito Bits® can be used in virtually all standing water, including ponds and water gardens, rain barrels, roof gutters, bird baths, flower pots and saucers, tree holes, unused swimming pools, old automobile tires, animal watering troughs and wherever water collects. Mosquito Bits® are also effective in grassy or marshy areas and where the mosquito.
population is extremely dense and a quick kill is needed.
Just sprinkle one teaspoon of Mosquito Bits per 25 square feet of water surface area or one tablespoon per 75 square feet. Mosquito Bits® will kill mosquito larvae for seven to 14 days. Additional applications of Mosquito Bits should be made in seven- to 14-day intervals for continued mosquito control.
Mosquito Bits® are made by Summit Responsible Solutions®, which also makes the popular Mosquito Dunks® product. Mosquito Bits® and Mosquito Dunks® both contain the same active ingredient (BTI).
An eight-ounce package of Mosquito Bits® sells for the suggested retail price of $9.99. The large 30-ounce package of Mosquito Bits® sells for $17.99.
Mosquito Bits® and Mosquito Dunks® are available at home centers, hardware stores, garden centers and www.summitresponsiblesolutions.com."

And, there you go!

 

[Photosynthesis]

I tried Bits, and Aquabac, but they never really ever went away.

I have recently had a custom product manufactured which contains

Verticillium lecanii
Bacillus subtilis
Metarhizium anispliae
Beauveria bassiana

in a 100% soluble powder, and haven't had a problem since. Weekly applications will keep just about anything away. It has been one of the best products I have ever used.

 

[Mikell]

Interesting concotion Photo, mind naming the supplier?

I had success myself with Dunks, topdressing under mulch and leaving them in the rez for three weeks.

I guess the problem is timing...how do you know when the gnats are in the first instar stage? If all your gnats are exactly the same age and if you know exactly how old they are, then immediate release of BTI would be desirable at a strategic time.

Problem is in the real world--most of us have gnats at ALL stages of the life cycle...and IMHO, making weekly applications of BTI applications in this instance is a waste of money. I don't add Bits to my water or Bacteria Brew--I just add it to the soil and let the soil moisture activate the BTI...and that is what Summit Chemical recommends....

....And, there you go!

Right.... the suggested repeated application of Bits weekly-biweekly is for just that reasoning.


Well the link you quoted was informing, the Bits work almost exactly like Dunks in media. They should adjust their literature so one does not contradict the other. "Immediate release" doesn't really jive with a one to two week period.

 

[EclipseFour20]

Yep, the two products are effective in controlling gnats--but in different ways. I too used to use Dunks, but after doing some research and comparing BTI products, I think the Bits are the way to go for soil applications (easier to measure/dispense, no crumbling, and a 30 oz jug goes a long way). And for those that buy "big", they also package Bits in a 5 gallon bucket that sells around $100 or so.

BTW, bacteria--besides becoming potential food for fungi--can generate the equivalent NPK of 10-1-3 or so. Besides having a few extra colonies of bacteria in one's soil is good diversity.

 

[siftedunity]

i hate gnats with a passion. i get the numbers very low but that's about it. they are always there

 

[Grass Lands]

Ecological Labs BMC Liquid Mosquito Control-1 oz

http://www.pondworld.com/ecological-labs-bmc-liquid-mosquito-control-1-oz-st-bmc1.aspx

Best stuff I've used to knock down gnats...I use 10 drops per 25 gallons of water.

This will kill the larva and you will need to use yellow sticky traps to catch the breeders...

 

[Jhhnn]

One of the things I like about gnatrol is that it comes with specific instructions, rather than vague application suggestions. No guessing. I'm always leery of overdosing the plants with anything, so I split the difference between the suggested rates for heavy vs light infestations, followed the directions. I hung new fly strips with the third application & trapped zero flyers through the end of the grow using 1 tsp/gal/week.

It was overwhelmingly effective.

The 500G package is ~1qt, or 750+ teaspoons.

 

[rik78]

I got a bag of soil and it came full of FG, and I got rid of them in less than 3 weeks

DE as a top dressing on every container, also in the drain holes
Ozono, 15min everyday in same room as the plants are
Foliar sprays of ACT and Nettle's tea
Spacing the waterings, letting the soil dry nearly completly

 

[Grass Lands]

Y'all are working to damn hard at getting rid of these gnats...

I'm telling ya this is all ya need and some sticky traps...a lot less work...use once every four weeks and say good bye to the gnats...

Ecological Labs BMC Liquid Mosquito Control-1 oz

http://www.pondworld.com/ecological-...z-st-bmc1.aspx

This is basically a BT designed for mosquito larva, but it does wonders on gnats as well...