Have had this problem for about two months and have not been able to come up with a solution. Two hot shot no pest strips in an 8x8x8 room have had no effect. Weekly treatments of azamax and neem oil have had no effect. Peroxide had no effect. Wiping the side of the pots and completely washing all areas with bleach water weekly has had no effect They seem to come back two fold every time I think I have them wiped out. I do not think they are spider mites as I had an issue with them before, and a couple hot shot no pest strips really took care of the spider mites yet have no effect on these critters. They stick mostly to soil in colonies which makes me think that they are fungus gnat larvae, but I have no had a flying gnats in my grow since my very first round 9 months ago. There are no live ones on leaves or buds. There are a few of them on the lowest most buds and leaves, but they are for sure dead. No amount of watching, poking, or shaking has made one move so I'm sure they are dead. I'm at wits end here, please help!
Rotten bastards, arent they . Do this. It will work. Totally organic. Get some clean sand. Lay down a half to an inch layer of sand on toppa the soil, making sure to totally cover the soil - especially around the stalk. Leave it 3 days. It suffocates them and they end up being good food for the plant . Keep the pest strips in there also, but get blue ones. Gnats like blue and Aphids like yellow. Good luck Freak
I've been thinking that sand is going to be my next move. Can gnats reproduce before they are in their adult stage? Cause I haven't seen a flying gnat in months
Looks more like spidermites. Gnats rarely get to the leaves in larvae stage, thrips do. I wouldn't put sand on the surface as it also hinders air exchange.
What I tried for my outdoor plants was cinnamon they don't like it. I didn't notice any Ill affects on my plant from sprinkling it around it.
Sand is more aerated and porous than even soil. U are correct about 1 thing tho - theyre not Gnats. They are common soil mites. All they do is eat bits of decomposed food. Freak
Thanks for the advice freakbro. I picked up some play ground sand from the store so its clean. hydro shop wanted an arm and a leg for sand and anything other than this sandbox stuff is out of season lol You said all they do is eat little bits of food in the soil though? I was hoping i could blame my plants being stunted on these guys but if they dont eat roots or anything I guess they arn't causing it then
Ya. I missed the nice micro pics u took. Looks close to a Spidermite - very, but I can tell the subtle differences between the 2. Common soil mites or lice, as some call them, arent usually a problem for a pot plant unless its roots are exposed and in a bad state already. They wont initiate any attack unless the conditions are as above. Im suspecting u have a good soil, full of good stuff, and theyve found a free food stand. All this aside, I'd still eradicate them . Freak