What kinda bug?

Hello Again,
Well it's been just over a month now since a bunch of brug cuttings moved in with me and amazingly they're all still alive,lol.
I'll admit that I've been lurking here (you guys are so smart) and absorbing as much info as possible and I'm not as anxious about their care because they seem to be so strong in their will to live. Real toughies they are!
I do have a question about bugs though; I potted some cuttings a while ago and yesterday was disturbing the soil to check for moisture when an insect flew up out of it. After chasing this thing for a few mins and my arms flailing about, I managed to squish it (not to mention pulling a muscle in my shoulder). It seemed smaller than a fruit fly and was black and was hanging out at the base of the plant.
Any ideas on what it could be? If so, what do I need to use to control this problem?

BTW, the cuttings are putting on a ton of big well-shaped leaves and look healthy. I even think I see the beginnings of buds on a couple. I might see my first brug bloom yet!

Tks and Happy Holidays,
Erynne

Sounds like fungus gnats to me. You can put sand on the top of the soil and water your plants from below. They like to lay eggs in moist soil near the top of the pot. You can also water with something called Gnatrol or use the mosquite dunks or crumbles and soak in water and use that water for your plants. There is a product on the market that works very well, called Scanmask. It is available in the states, but I'm not sure about up north. These little critters are horrible at ruining seeds and new roots on seedlings. I hope you get rid of them. They used to drive me crazy at meal time (I had plants at the end of the kitchen table). They loved Jim's wine glass He probably drank a few that he didn't notice. Now that I use Scanmask, I don't have any problems with them.

ROFL! Poor Jim, hehe.

Fungas gnats eh? Sheesh, where do these things come from? I'll take your advice and try the sand idea. I googled fungas gnats and sure looks like 'em. Now to find Gnatrol or Scanmask or an equivalent up here in Ontario hopefully won't prove to difficult.

Thank You Brugie!!!!

Erynne

You're welcome. Anything that contains Bacillus thuringiensis will help with fungus gnats as it will kill the larva. Good Luck.

Shirley, I almost never see a FG since you turned me on to Gnatrol and scanmask last year. Good stuff.

I still have those devils, I bet I cleaned up hundreds on the window sill this morning, I constantly use the granuals Brugie mentioned but I still get them, but I have a hundred brugs including some extra seedlings in my plant room so I am not surprised, I also spray the dirt with Ortho insect spray. and I have stickys up everywhere which catches a lot, those Swiffy Carpet Flicks work great, I cut them in half and hang them all over the room.

On this or another forum I read the [cling free] softener pads you put in the dryer kills Fungas Gnats . Told the wife to save them for later .