Calling all insect pros

[Ramrod]

Woke up this morning to hundreds of these flies on the window ledges. They are very very very tiny and don't know where they are coming from. The windows where they are collecting are near the cham enclosure so could it be something in there? Sorry for the quality of the photo.they are so small I can't really get a Close up. Any ideas?

 

[coastal_chameleon]

is there a plant near ? I had this problem with an old ficus plant I used for my chames .
they live in the soil .

 

[snitz427]

Are they fruit flies / gnats? Very common in potting soil and plants, especially if the top of soil is always moist. I tend to get them when I get new plants.

Carniv plants help but I also use yellow sticky traps (make sure they are no where even close to where your chams are). I hang the sticky traps on the windows if we have a gnat outbreak, or from the ceiling. If its in the enclosures I dont worry about them... they seem to sort themselves out.

I seem to get them in new plants and also get them in the isopod bins.

 

[The Wild One]

im guessing fruit flies or gnats

 

[Ramrod]

is there a plant near ? I had this problem with an old ficus plant I used for my chames .
they live in the soil .

Well the chams enclosure is right next to it and there are live plants in there. My enclosure is 1/4" wire so it would be very easy for them to fly through it but these plants have been there for quite awhile without problems. These plants are mainly ferns and kept damp. These things are smaller than the head of a pin. I'm on a search and destroy mission.LOL

 

[jamest0o0]

If veryy tiny and fly when you get near(rather than run) they are likely a type of soil/fungus gnat. Sundews are the best option for these, other carnivs do well, but sundews top every other method. Trust me on this. I've fought my wars against these lol.

If they run a lot and don't like to fly as much, then they are phorid, usually more likely to be found in bug bins feeding on old food and dead feeders though. These guys aren't attracted to the carnivs as much, but also unlikely that these are your problem unless something is rotten in your enclosure.

Then could be fruit flies, slower and larger. Easy to get rid of by removing their food source(usually fruit lol).

Lastly, if you have bromeliads, they will sometimes have a type of fly that leaves their larvae in the cups. They look like small house flies. Probably not the case here, but figured I'd throw it out there.

 

[Ramrod]

If veryy tiny and fly when you get near(rather than run) they are likely a type of soil/fungus gnat. Sundews are the best option for these, other carnivs do well, but sundews top every other method. Trust me on this. I've fought my wars against these lol.

If they run a lot and don't like to fly as much, then they are phorid, usually more likely to be found in bug bins feeding on old food and dead feeders though. These guys aren't attracted to the carnivs as much, but also unlikely that these are your problem unless something is rotten in your enclosure.

Then could be fruit flies, slower and larger. Easy to get rid of by removing their food source(usually fruit lol).

Lastly, if you have bromeliads, they will sometimes have a type of fly that leaves their larvae in the cups. They look like small house flies. Probably not the case here, but figured I'd throw it out there.

Thanks for the reply,knew I could count on you for an answer. They are very tiny and like to fly until they get hit with windex then it's game over. Will these continue to reproduce? I have had the same setup for a year without change and no gnats till now.
Another question is there one species of sundew favored over all others?

 

[jamest0o0]

Thanks for the reply,knew I could count on you for an answer. They are very tiny and like to fly until they get hit with windex then it's game over. Will these continue to reproduce? I have had the same setup for a year without change and no gnats till now.
Another question is there one species of sundew favored over all others?

Most likely soil gnats then. They must have got introduced somehow. Very common. I like drosera capensis, extremely easy. Sunny window or a nice powerful light, sit in a saucer of distilled or rainwater. Just don't use tap or any water heavy in minerals. Generally they are pretty hard to kill and will spread in good conditions.

 

[Ramrod]

Most likely soil gnats then. They must have got introduced somehow. Very common. I like drosera capensis, extremely easy. Sunny window or a nice powerful light, sit in a saucer of distilled or rainwater. Just don't use tap or any water heavy in minerals. Generally they are pretty hard to kill and will spread in good conditions.

Thanks again, I will try and find one and give it a shot. Any way to treat the existing soil without putting the cham in danger?

 

[jamest0o0]

Thanks again, I will try and find one and give it a shot. Any way to treat the existing soil without putting the cham in danger?

I'm sure there's different methods, but I've never tried treating with anything. Mostly people just let the soil dry out, but with a cham that's difficult/impossible to do.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

Thanks again, I will try and find one and give it a shot. Any way to treat the existing soil without putting the cham in danger?

If I'm not mistaken, isopods will eat the fungi gnat larvae. If not them,thenmaybe its red wigglers. I know I came across the answer to this recently as I have them in my GBR bin. I personally just leave the bin outside and let it dry out for a few days to get rid of them... unfortunately that's not really an option for you. There are also some supposedly "pet safe" insecticides that will kill fruit flies and soil gnats, but I don't have their names handy. If I can find the info I'll add it in.

Best of luck.

 

[Ramrod]

If I'm not mistaken, isopods will eat the fungi gnat larvae. If not them,thenmaybe its red wigglers. I know I came across the answer to this recently as I have them in my GBR bin. I personally just leave the bin outside and let it dry out for a few days to get rid of them... unfortunately that's not really an option for you. There are also some supposedly "pet safe" insecticides that will kill fruit flies and soil gnats, but I don't have their names handy. If I can find the info I'll add it in.

Best of luck.

Thanks, that info would be handy to have. I'm still racking my brain trying to figure out how they got introduced in the enclosure

 

[Ramrod]

Think I found some ideas from the" enclosures and supplies "forum under pygmy enclosures/flies gnats in terrarium.
If anyone else is having the same problem