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What are these pests?

roma.schwiOFBwII1croma.schwiOFBwII1c Posts: 3
in Problem solving
There are loads of them, they don't seem to jump nor fly. They have taken over all of my indoor plants it seems :(

Links to videos: 

http://imgur.com/a/FygvlpU

https://imgur.com/a/CiZz7lM

(Please don't delete, I don't know how to upload videos!)


Posts

  • FlinsterFlinster Posts: 883
    I'm no expert but I think they are just Scarid flies. They are pretty harmless and often found on damp/wet composts. Look them up and see if they sound right.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Hi @roma.schwiOFBwII1c  and welcome!

    I think they're sciarid flies aka fungus gnats.  The adults do no damage to plants or to you; the larvae live in damp compost with a high organic content, and feed mostly on dead matter (including dead roots).  They like the soil wet, so make sure you're not over-watering your plants, and the gnats will be discouraged.  If they're a real nuisance you can get a biological control for them - available on the Net I think.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • clarke.bruntclarke.brunt Posts: 215
    Sciarid fly was all I could think of too, though they should have wings, and at least be capable of flight. I spotted a larva earlier today (white 'maggot', black at one end) - in a pot of recently germinated cactus seedlings in the propagator. I prefer not to sterilise the soil, but (as I've not seen any adult flies) it could only have come with compost, or the water-butt water.

    The larvae can be a bit of a menace for cactus seedlings - rather slow growing and the larvae are partial to eating out the inside of the 'blob' seedlings. Anything that grows faster will probably keep ahead of their damage.
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