SpicySativa
Member
What's up fellow worm wranglers?
I'm about ready to harvest a batch of worm castings, but I've got a minor fungus gnat infestation in my bin. Do any of you have a tried and true method for dealing with fungus gnat larvae and eggs in harvested castings? I've been keeping the infestation "controlled" by using mosquito dunk water (lightly sprayed) and copious amounts of dry bedding (peat and paper), but they are still around...
Here's an approach I thought of... Think this might work?
-Stop feeding the bin for 2-3 weeks.
-Lay a big sheet of *"no see um" netting in a 5-gal bucket*
-Screen castings into the bucket (using 1/8" mesh) to remove most of the worms and unprocessed bedding
-Gather the edges of the netting and tie them off with a zip tie (essentially making a sac-o-castings-in-a-bucket).
-Secure another piece of "no see um" netting over the top of the bucket to prevent any fliers from reaching the moist material.
-Wait about 4 weeks for all worm cocoons to hatch. (maybe leave an apple core or something for them to munch on when they hatch).
-Re screen the castings to remove the newly hatched worms and reveal clean, finished, pest-free castings.
My theory is that in this time fungus gnats of *all stages will have had time to hatch, *pupate, and emerge as adults. The netting stretched tight over the castings will (hopefully) prevent the adults from mating, and thus break the life cycle once the adults die off.*
Am I making this way more complicated than it needs to be?*
Suggestions?
Thanks in advance.
I'm about ready to harvest a batch of worm castings, but I've got a minor fungus gnat infestation in my bin. Do any of you have a tried and true method for dealing with fungus gnat larvae and eggs in harvested castings? I've been keeping the infestation "controlled" by using mosquito dunk water (lightly sprayed) and copious amounts of dry bedding (peat and paper), but they are still around...
Here's an approach I thought of... Think this might work?
-Stop feeding the bin for 2-3 weeks.
-Lay a big sheet of *"no see um" netting in a 5-gal bucket*
-Screen castings into the bucket (using 1/8" mesh) to remove most of the worms and unprocessed bedding
-Gather the edges of the netting and tie them off with a zip tie (essentially making a sac-o-castings-in-a-bucket).
-Secure another piece of "no see um" netting over the top of the bucket to prevent any fliers from reaching the moist material.
-Wait about 4 weeks for all worm cocoons to hatch. (maybe leave an apple core or something for them to munch on when they hatch).
-Re screen the castings to remove the newly hatched worms and reveal clean, finished, pest-free castings.
My theory is that in this time fungus gnats of *all stages will have had time to hatch, *pupate, and emerge as adults. The netting stretched tight over the castings will (hopefully) prevent the adults from mating, and thus break the life cycle once the adults die off.*
Am I making this way more complicated than it needs to be?*
Suggestions?
Thanks in advance.