Fungus gnats and no Gnatrol

[abax]

Judging by the numerous yellow stickies, I'm getting fungus gnats and can't find Gnatrol
anywhere. Any ideas? Has it been outlawed? I've been reading about biological alternatives
and am not sure about the effectiveness with frequent watering. How about Orthene as a
substitute as it lasts quite a while in the potting medium? I suspect Orthene will kill just
about anything including larvae. Right or wrong?

 

[Ray]

Look for Summit Mosquito Bits or Dunks ant any Lowe’s or Home Depot. You can break up the dunks if you can’t find the bits.

Throw some in a bucket of water and wait a few days for the BTI to bloom, then water with it. The larvae will be dead soon enough.

 

[PeteM]

Do you have RO or low ppm water? I’ve found growing pings and sundews in trays in between rows of orchids very rewarding. More attractive than yellow sticky traps, they bloom, and you also get to watch all the nats get stuck.

 

[abax]

The plants look nice and useful too. Actually, I don't have any more room in
my greenhouse for more plants...full up. Ray, the Lowes here isn't enforcing
mask rules and I just don't go there. Even the employees aren't wearing
masks, except around their necks. What about the Orthene????

 

[Ray]

Orthene will kill the adults, but I don’t think it is effective against larvae or eggs - most pesticides aren’t.

There’s always mail order...

 

[swamprad]

Love the pings. Source for them?

 

[PeteM]

Love the pings. Source for them?

https://www.petflytrap.com/

 

[likespaphs]

there are beneficial nematodes out there that are fairly inexpensive and unbelievably effective

 

[abax]

I've been looking into biological controls. Haven't made a decision
about their use in my greenhouse. Is Gnatrol not available anywhere?

 

[PeteM]

I see it on amazon. A 16 pound pail for $500! Honestly, I’ve never heard of this before, interesting product. Sounds like it has proven useful to you. I added it to my cart to test and it looks like It can be ordered and shipped to Maryland. So it must not be heavily banned yet. MD has a near the front of the herd.. and passed a few laws regulating systemics and I am unable to order certain products to be shipped to my address.

Gnatrol WDG Biological Larvicide for Fungus Gnats Larvae (OMRI Listed) - 16 pound pail https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005533V8K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fab_OfaCFbQARSSAJ

 

[SouthPark]

I purchased Mosquito Dunks ------ purchased via mail order from USA a year or more ago. Still waiting for my chance to use and try some! I think I will try some this summer. They apparently won't harm orchids. I think I'll just break up one of those 'tablets' of Mosquito Dunks, and water some into the media.

 

[cnycharles]

If you’ve used gnatrol before, then you’ve used biological controls already since they are beneficial nematodes. I did a simple google search, saw a result of ‘gnatrol home depot’ and saw a number of ways to find gnatrol. I also saw a number of home controls to control fungus gnats, including cinnamon and hydrogen peroxide. Do an internet search, you may not even need gnatrol...

 

[Ray]

Mosquito dunks are a biological control too, only a bacterium, in that case.

 

[southernbelle]

Orthene will kill the adults, but I don’t think it is effective against larvae or eggs - most pesticides aren’t.

There’s always mail order...


Since Orthene is systemic, I believe it would have residual effect in the plant to kill anything that matures and feeds, however, I’m not aware fungus gnats feed. I thought they are only a nuisance.

 

[cnycharles]

Fungus gnat and shore fly larvae can chew on things at times. If you have new rootlets that are soft enough to chew, they will

 

[southernbelle]

Get the buggers!! Now I use glue traps, I’ll look into it.

 

[abax]

I saw the $500 Gnatrol on Amazon. I bought a couple of lbs. some
years ago and gave what I didn't use away. I'll check out the Home
Depot website. Lowes doesn't have it.

 

[abax]

Found Gnatrol on ebay after following Charles' advice. Thank you Charles!
Several sizes available.

 

[Jenny St. Michel]

I’ve been using mosquito dunks for about a year now and haven’t had any issues since. Works great. I do what Ray basically said and crumble them up let sit in water overnight and water the plants. I get little chunks that stay on the top of the media so I believe it keeps working for a long time.