Fungus gnats – the little buggers that find your houseplants. They love to visit seedlings and can even infest your larger houseplants. They fly all over the house and drive gardeners crazy.
In this post I will look at how to get rid of fungus gnats on houseplants and discuss various ways to control them and revel the ones that works best.
We’ve all been there – you’re happily watering and tending to your lovely indoor plants when you notice some tiny flying insects buzzing around the soil. Upon closer inspection you realize they are fruit flies! Those tiny nuisance flies seem to appear out of nowhere and multiply at lightning speed. If you’ve noticed fruit flies hanging around the soil of your Amazon elephants ear plant, you’re not alone. These broad stunning plants with their huge green leaves are prone to fruit fly infestations. But don’t worry there are several effective methods to get rid of fruit flies on elephant ear plants for good.
Why Elephant Ear Plants Attract Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are attracted to moist organic matter and thrive in the rich, damp soil of potted plants. Their entire lifecycle from egg to larvae to mature fly happens in damp soil. Elephant ear plants provide the perfect breeding ground for fruit flies. The large, fleshy leaves need a lot of water and retain moisture well. The insects are drawn to lay their eggs in the moist potting mix. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae have a buffet of moist soil and organic matter to feed on. Within days you’ll notice fully grown flies buzzing in swarms over the soil.
While they don’t harm the plant itself, fruit flies are a nuisance and unpleasant to have swarming when caring for your elephants ear. The good news is that with some simple steps you can break their lifecycle and get rid of the infestation for good
Effective Ways to Eliminate Fruit Flies from Elephant Ear Plants
Isolate the Plant
Your first step is to move the infested elephant ear plant away from any other plants you have. Fruit flies can quickly spread to nearby pots. Set the elephant ear in an isolated spot while you tackle the issue. This also prevents more flies from laying eggs in the soil.
Remove the Top Layer of Soil
After isolating take the plant to a sink or bathtub. Gently remove the top 1-2 inches of soil which is where the flies lay their eggs. Discard this top layer of soil which contains eggs and larvae.
Spray Remaining Soil with Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an effective and safe way to kill any remaining eggs and larvae in the soil. Mix 3% hydrogen peroxide with water in a 1:4 ratio. Pour this diluted solution over the remaining soil and let it soak in. The bubbling action will kill larvae and eggs on contact.
Add New, Clean Soil
Refill the pot with fresh, clean potting mix to replace what you removed. Use a quality soil ideal for elephant ear plants. This gives your plant a clean slate to grow in, free of fruit fly eggs.
Use Yellow Sticky Traps
Place some yellow sticky traps or fly paper around the soil. The color attracts adult fruit flies, trapping them before they can lay more eggs. Keep traps in place for a couple weeks to catch any remaining flies.
Daily Hydrogen Peroxide Sprays
Keep up daily spraying of the hydrogen peroxide solution over the soil for at least 1-2 weeks. This will prevent any eggs you might have missed from maturing and hatching. Be sure to let the soil dry out slightly between treatments.
Prevent Fruit Flies from Returning
Once you’ve succeeded in eliminating your fruit fly infestation, there are some simple tricks to keep them from invading again:
- Allow soil to dry out slightly between waterings
- Add sand or small rocks to the soil mix to reduce moisture retention
- Sprinkle a thin layer of cinnamon or coffee grounds over the soil – flies dislike the smell
- Use yellow sticky traps continuously to catch flies before they breed
With a little diligence, you can keep those pesky fruit flies away from your beautiful elephant ear for good. Don’t let those tiny flies detract from enjoying this stunning plant. With the right techniques, you can have an elephant ear as lovely and fly-free as the day you brought it home.
Yellow Sticky Traps for Fungus Gnats
Place yellow sticky traps near plants, and right on the soil surface. Flies are attracted to them, stick, and die. You can buy these or make them yourself.
The DIY suggestions online include coating with Vaseline, honey, glue, and motor oil. I asked if these work in Facebook groups and the answer is no. There is a commercial product called Tangle-trap that might work when it is applied to yellow cards. The commercial products do work to control and monitor populations but they won’t get every last fly.
Yellow sticky cards have no effect on eggs, larvae or pupae, but over a 2-3 week period you will get rid of most of them, as new flies hatch out.
Identification of Fungus Gnat
People first notice fungus gnats because they fly around the plants and your head while you are tending the plants. The adult is a small, delicate, mosquito-like fly, about 1/8″ in size, with one pair of clear wings. They are not strong fliers and usually don’t venture too far from the plants.
You might also notice the larvae (or maggot) in the soil, but it is also quite small and usually stays underground. It has a black head and a whitish transparent body.
Simple DIY trick to getting rid of fruit flies in your house
FAQ
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