Long story short…
I came back home from a short overseas trip and noticed fungus gnats in the house. First it was one, then another…now I see a couple every time I'm in the kitchen area. Now, I suspect this has to do with my indoor plant as I see them flying around the soil when I water. I've tried the apple cider vinegar + dishwashing liquid trick and its killed maybe 20 in a day or two, but it's no an efficient method.
My question is, how should I deal with them? Anyone found a good solution or product to treat the plant? How do I get rid of the other ones flying around the house?
Please send help.
They probably are in the plant soil/medium as that's a source of fungus to eat + they lay eggs in soil which hatch larvae. The larvae will start chewing on plant roots if they run out of what they usually like to eat (fungus) which leads to plants looking malnourished mysteriously until you know it's gnats.
You need 2 things: yellow sticky insect traps which you can buy at Bunnings, eBay, Amazon etc.
and something to kill the larva. I use a product known as Mosquito Bits from Amazon but basically you're after this bacteria that produces an enzyme or the enzume itself, mosquito bits is the bacteria that makes the enzyme. It's the same stuff that kill mosquito larvae anyhow. You can also use dicotemous earth (spelt wrong) and spread a 1 inch layer across the top of the pot plant which will kill any larvae and prevent eggs being laid.
Once you have these items place the yellow sticky traps as close to the plant as possible preferably horizontally because gnats like flat surfaces more than hanging like anything else - also means you use one side. You can stick glad wrap on the dirty side when you use the other side.
And use the mosquito bits or DE or other mozzie larvae treatment on the pot plant soil by spreading it around.
When you go to bed leave a light on aimed at the yellow sticky trap with no other lights on to draw all gnats to it at night.
The lifecycle of fungus gnats is 10 days.