The dreaded gnats...

[ehdee6]

What's worked and hasn't worked for you to rid these blasted pests?

I've tried...

1) drying the heck out of the soil between watering, until my plants are desperately sad;

2) added the yellow traps and 1-2 inches of sand over all of the surfaces;

3) pot poppers (nemetoteds);

4) Stratiolaelaps scimitus;

5) last week, I went and paid an insane amount of money for mosquito dunks. They're restricted where I live, and are 7$ a dunk, even bought in bulk! ... I told the seller I was trying to kill gnats specifically, they said 1/4 a puck to 5 gallons of water... I did that and now they're worse than ever!!? Still a big chunk of the puck is floating around too...

I've heard of mosquito dunks tea? Did I do it wrong? Do you break the chunk into smaller bits? Is Hot water or cold water better? Is it better to make it a power in a blender and pread it all over the soil?... ?

What have you successfully done to rid these terrible pests?

 

[LizardLurkin]

I'd like to learn myself. I have mosquito bits on the way.
Like obviously I can't just not water my plants for a long time to try to cull them, and I can't not mist for the sake of the chameleon.

 

[absolutbill]

Get a Katchy device - it sits outside the cage and has a light and a sticky pad on the bottom. If your gnat issue is bad, and your chameleons are in a separate room with a door wait for them to fall asleep at night, then open their cage doors and shut the main door to the room. The gnats will be attracted to the light and be able to leave the cage easier.

Another option is to re-pot all plants with ABG mix - it's a draining mix that your plants will thrive in, but because it drains it helps cut down on gnats. Good luck!

 

[jamest0o0]

Sundews worked better for my gnat problem than anything else. Cleared up clouds of them within a couple days, they were all drawn to them immediately. Seems that some people don’t have as much luck so my guess is that it depends on species.

 

[ehdee6]

Get a Katchy device.

I've been thinking about these! Especially around my computer screen while I'm working lol... I'll try one at my desk. I live in a rancher type house with an open area concept. While I can keep my chams at opposite ends of the house, these demons can fly! My tropical plant obsession may not help...

I should add, #6) adding clay rocks, sand, river rocks, and gardening gravel to the soil for drainage. They seem to be doing the worst right now because I have to water them more to keep the plants happy... ?

Sundews work... depends on species.

Which do you use? I've been looking into carnivore pants to add to my collection!

 

[jamest0o0]

Drosera capensis crush the soil gnats for me. Fast growers that spread as well. I have a pretty large plant collection and no signs of gnats. I keep sundews currently on my pet crab’s tank filled with plants and soil… occasionally a gnat pops out and goes straight to the sundews.

 

[MissSkittles]

https://carnivorousplantnursery.com/collections/sundews/products/drosera-capensis I think this is where I had bought some a few years ago. They were doing great until one of my cats knocked them down while trying to eat them. I have 2 Katchy’s which work great and trap flying insects I wasn’t even aware I had. In the past I’ve bought mantis ooths and hatched them out inside my enclosures. Last year the gnats got crazy and I had to resort to using mosquito bits and that eliminated all of the gnats (and left my bioactive clean up crew alive) and hung yellow sticky traps around the house. Do keep in mind that I have 5 double sized bioactive enclosures, so when I get gnats, it can get bad.

 

[PNW_Cham]

UGH! I had gnats sooooo bad last year. I moved all house plants temporarily outside but obviously couldn't move my cham's plants out so I resorted to watering his plants with mosquito bit tea and then hanging those sticky traps all over the house and all around the outside of his cage. I changed the sticky traps every couple days and also repotted all my houseplants (ugh). Took a few weeks but that finally worked and they are finally gone.

 

[jamest0o0]

https://carnivorousplantnursery.com/collections/sundews/products/drosera-capensis I think this is where I had bought some a few years ago. They were doing great until one of my cats knocked them down while trying to eat them. I have 2 Katchy’s which work great and trap flying insects I wasn’t even aware I had. In the past I’ve bought mantis ooths and hatched them out inside my enclosures. Last year the gnats got crazy and I had to resort to using mosquito bits and that eliminated all of the gnats (and left my bioactive clean up crew alive) and hung yellow sticky traps around the house. Do keep in mind that I have 5 double sized bioactive enclosures, so when I get gnats, it can get bad.

My gnat issue was so out of control in the Cham room that I had to wear a mask or I’d breath them in. It was a huge issue lmao. GF(now wife) was not chill about that.

#gnatcompetition

 

[MissSkittles]

My gnat issue was so out of control in the Cham room that I had to wear a mask or I’d breath them in. It was a huge issue lmao. GF(now wife) was not chill about that.

#gnatcompetition

You win! While I accidentally ate my share of the little (insert favorite curse word here) as they flew in my face or drink, I didn’t need a mask.

 

[ehdee6]

Is there a secret to the mosquito dunk tea? Do you crush the puck up with a hammer in a bag before adding it to the water? Is leaving it in the water longer than 24hrs better? Will hot water help or hinder?

I've found a local shop that sells Drosera capensis, so will be stopping in tomorrow for sure.

@jamest0o0 I think you win the gnat prize my friend, the trophy is your wife for tolerating the gnats.

 

[MissSkittles]

Is there a secret to the mosquito dunk tea? Do you crush the puck up with a hammer in a bag before adding it to the water? Is leaving it in the water longer than 24hrs better? Will hot water help or hinder?

I've found a local shop that sells Drosera capensis, so will be stopping in tomorrow for sure.

@jamest0o0 I think you win the gnat prize my friend, the trophy is your wife for tolerating the gnats.

While the bits are a little different than the dunks, I left them in the water overnight and another time I got diverted and they sat in the water for a couple of days.

 

[jamest0o0]

Is there a secret to the mosquito dunk tea? Do you crush the puck up with a hammer in a bag before adding it to the water? Is leaving it in the water longer than 24hrs better? Will hot water help or hinder?

I've found a local shop that sells Drosera capensis, so will be stopping in tomorrow for sure.

@jamest0o0 I think you win the gnat prize my friend, the trophy is your wife for tolerating the gnats.

Luckily it was a separate closed off room for my Cham’s, had it been the whole place I’d still be single

 

[ehdee6]

Update:

I replanted the plants that I noticed had the most gnat-ivity.

Added more sand to the tops of others that could fit it in.

Bought a fancy indoor bug zapper; that also startles my dog and I when a juicy one gets it!

As for the mosquito dunks... I ended up smashing up 4 with a hammer in a bag. The first one on its own and I added it to some lukewarm water for 24hr in a 5g container. I used that to water all my plants. I hadn't watered my plants in three weeks, so they were thirsty! But remember to give them a breather to absorb the water; you don't want overflow.

With the rest I added a tablespoon to the soil of each container (about 1 tablespoon per 1/2 gallon) I used to replant the really hard-done-by ones.

I then added about 1 tablespoon on top of the soil of my other plants. Including the ones in my cham cage.

The local shop was out of Drosera capensis, but I put an order in!

I've noticed a bit of a difference, but will change out the traps on the weekend to really see if it did anything.

Bonus recent pictures of Littlefoot and Mr. Jack. Littlefoot is puffed up, because I had just taken her out of the cage. But she's also starting her big girl diet of 6 feeders a day. Mr. Jack has a tendency to wander the top of his cage in the evenings, he's done this since I got him, thus the raised lights. I've tried adding more/less sticks and plants, but he always does this. His new XL cage came in today, so I'll start his permanent set up this weekend. His color is starting to show!

 

[MissSkittles]

starting her big girl diet of 6 feeders a day

I just need to clarify - is that 6 ‘regular’ sized feeders, or 6 smaller ones? Or do you mean you’re starting to wean her food quantity down? Sorry, but I’m overly protective/concerned about all of the beautiful little ladies, veiled especially. Btw, Littlefoot and Mr Jack are beauties.
I love your plant corner too. It’s just perfect! So much sunlight!

 

[ehdee6]

is that 6 ‘regular’ sized feeders, or 6 smaller ones?

6 regular size daily (or 10 smaller ones) along with a treat every other day. She's about 7 months old now. She weighed 115 grams two weeks ago.