Hey guys I have a 1.5 week old baby seedling that I'm growing in my closet. I noticed a few small flies (killed them) then the next day I noticed a bunch of tiny white bugs in the soil and a few one a leaf. I concluded that they are fungus gnat larvae but I'm not 100% sure since idk if larvae ever go on leaves. I did research and fungus gnats can only survive in very wet and humid environment so I realized I've been overwatering and not ventilating properly. I'm going away for one night and will be back in about 24 hours but I hope permanent damage isn't done in that time. One leaf has been brown and dwindling from the start so I'm scared I've had this problem for a week and didn't notice. I lowered the humidity and increased airflow (added a fan that crosses the soul). I hope this gives my plant a better chance at best of this infestation. When I get back to my plant in 24 hours I'll probably go to my local grow store where they said they have captain jacks dead bug brew and he said that should solve my issue whether it's fungus gnats or fungus gnats + something else (he said the larvae don't go on leaves but there were 2 crawling white dots on a leaf last night. My plant is only 3/4ths an inch tall. Will Jack's brew harm it at such a young age? Will these bugs destroy my plant overnight? I have no idea! Let me know By the way you have to look really closely below the tiny green leaf in front is a tiny brown one
Thrips larvae will crawl around in the soil and for sure all over the leaves. I use sticky traps to catch the adults and you'll know for sure at that point what they are. Gnats are far less damaging than thrips but will affect growth. Overwatering for sure will be a pest problem. Spinosad for the thrips, diatoaceous earth in the soil for gnats. I never buy my base soil from an outdoor location.
Oh btw there's no bugs to see in the pic I just wanted anyone who responds to have perspective on the size of my plant