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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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Fungus gnats
#23979905 - 01/03/17 08:21 PM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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So had some fly paper by my mini greenhouse. It has caught some fungus gnats. Turns out my roommate has brought home some plants that were infected. I've put a honey water trap by his plants. It has been collecting some. Now some gnats have gotten into my greenhouse.
I've put some honey water traps in there. I am thinking of putting olive oil on the inside of my greenhouse or coconut oil(undefined. Would be a soild at room temp busy sticky)
Any input would be nice
I'd order some nematodes and be breeding an army but average temperatures has been 15F and too low for nematodes http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/rearing_nematodes_do_it_yourself_guide
Edited by vatman (01/03/17 08:35 PM)
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MycoFlora
Farmer


Registered: 10/06/14
Posts: 309
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: vatman]
#23980041 - 01/03/17 09:15 PM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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I've tried a lot of things against fungus gnats. Sticky paper, soap and Apple cider vinegar in bowls works pretty well. But unfortunately the best defense against them is early prevention. Sometimes, especially with oysters I mix in a good amount of B.T. var. israelensis in with the sub after pasteurization sometimes sold under the name thuricide. It keeps their eggs from ever being hatched and really helps reduce the populations early.
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Quadman
Challenged


Registered: 04/23/16
Posts: 2,529
Loc: IL
Last seen: 22 days, 17 hours
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Haven't tried on fungus gnats. Fruit flies we used apple cider vinegar in a small bowl then stretch saran wrap tightly over the whole bowl then punch like 4 holes in the surface with a toothpick. They can find their way in but not out. Would catch 20 or 30 in a day.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: Quadman]
#23980916 - 01/04/17 09:45 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis
is nontoxic to humans?
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Quadman
Challenged


Registered: 04/23/16
Posts: 2,529
Loc: IL
Last seen: 22 days, 17 hours
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: vatman]
#23980921 - 01/04/17 09:46 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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It is a bacteria that the larva ingest and kills. Organic and perfectly safe for humans.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: Quadman]
#23980942 - 01/04/17 09:58 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Ahh neat, I thought the misquote dunks were toxic.
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Ferather
Mycological



Registered: 03/19/15
Posts: 6,325
Loc: United Kingdom
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: vatman]
#23980979 - 01/04/17 10:12 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 4 years, 11 months
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best prevention is cold temps. we have a lot of garbage mushrooms perpetually rotting on the floor with substrate, only clean it once or twice a week. so there are some flies, but as long as you keep temps below 60-65 , they don't seem to get out of hand. I reckon it slows down their reproductive cycle. That and not keeping substrate in there for more than a month.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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Edited by vatman (01/04/17 10:28 AM)
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RolledUhhp
Amateur Cultivator

Registered: 08/10/16
Posts: 246
Last seen: 3 years, 7 months
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: Quadman]
#23981083 - 01/04/17 10:59 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Quadman said: It is a bacteria that the larva ingest and kills. Organic and perfectly safe for humans.
Any info on pet safety? I'll look into it more myself when I'm off work.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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Something you might need to keep an Wye on for mold. It is corn bits coated with the bacteria. I might look into breeding my own like the nematodes.
Amazon reviews say it is pet safe
Edited by vatman (01/04/17 11:09 AM)
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Ferather
Mycological



Registered: 03/19/15
Posts: 6,325
Loc: United Kingdom
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: vatman]
#23981102 - 01/04/17 11:09 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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"Bt-i is a highly specific biological pesticide for use against mosquito, black fly and fungus gnat larvae. It may be applied safely to irrigation and roadside ditches, pastures, marshes and ponds, water gardens, flower pots, bird baths, rain gutters…any place there is standing water! Once ingested, Bt-i kills 95-100% of mosquito larvae within 24 hours. Highly effective because it kills these pests before they become biting adults. Will not harm people, pets, wildlife or fish. Mosquito Dunks are a commercial form of Bt-i." -- Source
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Ferather
Mycological



Registered: 03/19/15
Posts: 6,325
Loc: United Kingdom
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Consider it symbiotic and beneficial
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MycoFlora
Farmer


Registered: 10/06/14
Posts: 309
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: vatman]
#23981150 - 01/04/17 11:35 AM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
vatman said: Something you might need to keep an Wye on for mold. It is corn bits coated with the bacteria. I might look into breeding my own like the nematodes.
Amazon reviews say it is pet safe
It is not corn bits covered in bacteria. It is concentrated spore crystals in a liquid solution that become active when combined with water. There are a few different forms you can buy, but you want the liquid solution. You can even propagate bti, since you seem interested in doing that with the nematodes. It will not contaminate your sub if you are pastuerizing. I used to use my cement mixer to mix my spawn into my pasteurized sub and I would just spray it straight on the sub while it was mixing. I had great results. Fungus gnats/fruit flies are a huge problem here in the South.
Now if only there were an easy solution for fungus beetles
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Ferather
Mycological



Registered: 03/19/15
Posts: 6,325
Loc: United Kingdom
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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I agree, I did some light testing with symbiotic bacteria on King oyster. The conclusion I came to was to produce a defensive casing.
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RolledUhhp
Amateur Cultivator

Registered: 08/10/16
Posts: 246
Last seen: 3 years, 7 months
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Quote:
MycoFlora said:
Quote:
vatman said: Something you might need to keep an Wye on for mold. It is corn bits coated with the bacteria. I might look into breeding my own like the nematodes.
Amazon reviews say it is pet safe
It is not corn bits covered in bacteria. It is concentrated spore crystals in a liquid solution that become active when combined with water. There are a few different forms you can buy, but you want the liquid solution. You can even propagate bti, since you seem interested in doing that with the nematodes. It will not contaminate your sub if you are pastuerizing. I used to use my cement mixer to mix my spawn into my pasteurized sub and I would just spray it straight on the sub while it was mixing. I had great results. Fungus gnats/fruit flies are a huge problem here in the South.
Now if only there were an easy solution for fungus beetles
I just did a quick Google on fungus gnats. The short of it is they are mycological kryptonite.
The only solutions that come to mind right away are really inconvenient and probably equally as inefficient.
Anyone have any proven defenses?
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MycoFlora
Farmer


Registered: 10/06/14
Posts: 309
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Bti, completely screened and sealed grow room, fly paper, picking early before they sporulate. All of these things combined are very effective, but you will never keep 100% of the pests out.
I've considered implementing the whole leopard frog defense. Each frog will supposedly eat 100+ flies a day. But since you don't wash mushrooms before they get in your customers hands it would be hard to guarantee their level of cleanliness.
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pblcenmy1
str8 noob



Registered: 11/24/09
Posts: 221
Loc: Colo. Rockies
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
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Tobacco spray water or sprinkle a layer on any substrate.
-------------------- ~LoveLife~ Down 2 Earth, Up N Space!
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Ferather
Mycological



Registered: 03/19/15
Posts: 6,325
Loc: United Kingdom
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: drake89]
#23981352 - 01/04/17 12:44 PM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Well take Drakes advice, because both gnats and beetles are attracted to the same environment.
Quote:
drake89 said: best prevention is cold temps. we have a lot of garbage mushrooms perpetually rotting on the floor with substrate, only clean it once or twice a week. so there are some flies, but as long as you keep temps below 60-65 , they don't seem to get out of hand. I reckon it slows down their reproductive cycle. That and not keeping substrate in there for more than a month.
I would google their favored conditions, adjust and take the hit in speed.
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vatman
I'm Vatman


Registered: 04/17/14
Posts: 1,642
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Re: Fungus gnats [Re: vatman]
#23981356 - 01/04/17 12:46 PM (7 years, 1 month ago) |
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Bti is only allowed in a few States in the US.
https://m.lowes.com/pd/Mosquito-Dunks-6-Count-Tablets-Insecticide-Pesticide/3047384
This is not bti but still can be used as a control from what I can tell.
I'm going to put two in my 5 Gallon bucket today that has my ultrasonic mister. Rest I'm going to put in a spray (1/3 at a time) bottle and hit my blocks daily with it.
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