H2o2 and Gnats?

I used Murhpy's Oil soap, Lemon Lysol and VF-11 in my water when I watered my african violets. That seems to have done the trick. After two days I do not have any more of the pesky creatures flying around. But just to make sure that I keep them gone, ever so often I am going to add hydrogen peroxide to my water. It is good for the soil too.

Jesse

The continuing saga: ok, the next morning. Every plant got a piece of potato and when I look, I don't see anything out of the ordinary. So what do larvae look like anyway? The soil has so many bits of this and that--dark soil, other stuff in the potting mix. Why can't the buggers make it easy and be fuchsia or periwinkle blue so I can see the enemy! bye ruby

Check out this site for more info, or just type in Funfus Gnat under the images tab for Google.


http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/entfacts/fldcrops/ef114.htm

Lovethydog and others--thanks a lot. I am going to just wait a few days until it is time to water and then use the HP solution. If that is not successful I will buy products from Planel Natural. Trying to save a little money so hope the HP works. I think I am catching it in the earliest stages as there have not even been a dozen gnats and I am really on the lookout for them. Really appreciate all the help I get here, on this thread and the entire DG website. Bye. ruby

Oh Becky!!
Can I just thank you for THAT lovely pic first thing in the morning?!! LOL Think I'll pass on the oatmeal today...

ughhh.. thank goodness I didn't have breakfast.....

Seriously...that's them, alright......but quite a bit smaller, of course.
Lots of those ugly little alienesque critters were floating in that soap solution I'd soaked my plants in a few years back......disgusting!!!

I noticed a marked decline in the nasties the morning after the HP treatment...

hahahhahaaaa! I couldn't pass on that Chantell! I knew you would be so greatful for that early morning education. ahahhaa. You should make it your wallpaper on your pc! hahaha

yeah...keep talking Becky...just wait till I get that camera I want...I'll give you wallpaper alright...LOL

hahahhaaa ok, fine. I will be nice.

Ah Becky...no worries...it's all good...just teasin' back at ya!!

I was interested to see this thread because I've developed a pretty bad gnat problem too and couldn't get rid of them! Now, I'm trying some Bacillus thuringensis - bacteria that are supposed to be toxic to the larvae. It comes as thick brown liquid that you mix into water and use as a soil drench, and apply weekly x 3 weeks so that you get the ones that were not in the right growth phase initially. I just put in the first round this weekend - we'll see what happens!

Puh-lez let us know!!!

Yes, definitely let us know.

Does the Bacillus thuringensis have any odor?

I have a few gnats here and there, but I *cannot* figure out which plants they're coming from?!

I have the yellow sticky traps on the ones that I was certain had gnats in the fall. Those have worked really well for me.

Chantell.....how's your gnat population now after the treatment you gave your plants?

Nan,
Whatever plant requires more watering then the rest there will be home base for the knats....ugh!! I keep a Birds Nest Fern in my bathroom...made perfect sense to me....and obviously the winged critters from hell!!! I did the peroxide thing...repeatedly, then finally COVERED the soil w/the builders sand I use in my C & S soil. There seems to be less of them...much less. The sticky pad (down to only one) is not nearly covered as in the past...the experiment continues...stay tuned next week...same day, same time...same bat channel.....
Anyone see Batman and Robin on Good Morning Amercia today? How about Kenny Rogers? Yeah, what does this have to do w/knats you may ask? My answer: absolutely nothing. Anyone else prefer Kenny's eye wrinkles better from back in the day...did he have an eye job or what? Very sad! :(

lol!!
Sorry, I didn't see any of the above....and haven't seen Kenny lately, but I agree that he looked pretty darn good 'back in the day', eye wrinkles an all!

See, Chantell.....I have (ahem) *a lot* of plants that require more watering than the rest......so I can't figure out where those li'l brats are coming from!!

ewww - Nan, sorry 'bout your luck...LOL I have a lot that don't require a lot of water...so it's fairly easy in my house - not to mention when the swarm rises from the depths it kinda gave me the "clue" ya know? LOL Heck, just peroxide all of them then. :)

Ok, I have a Gnat story you guys! I thought I had cured my creature issue with the ScanMask since I havent seen one in about a week. So I thought it was safe to plant some seeds in those jiffy pellets. I came home today and opened the little nursery when out fluttered an evil Gnat. He even had red horns and was wearing a black cape. OH MY GAWD! I was so mad that little demon was creating his own nursery. I screamed several obscenities while chasing him throughout my kitchen. Long story short, never did kill the beast so he's still free in my house spawing demon seeds. The ScanMask does work though. hahha!

Becky,
Ok...now I've got the kids asking me why I'm snorting...thank God no knats got sucked in via "snort-inhale" I was going to be starting some seed in the next few days...grrr...now I'm wondering if I should. I don't want to be setting up an open house for Knat Condos...ya know?
Chantell

LOL!
I thought I had killed every last one of my little devils... all was looking good.
So here I sit in front of the computer in the semi dark, when all of a sudden what is bouncing off the screen like Tigger on steroids????
I muttered a few choice words and poked that little snot DEAD! of course the smudge I let sit on the screen to show the rest of his buddies what their fate would be if they showed their little faces!!!! Its kinda gross so in a minute when I go upstairs I'll get the windex and clean it but for now, its like driving with the snow only half cleared of the windshield.... I look like one of the kids I see driving while leaning almost all the way over in the passenger seat to look cool...

Let's start a book on these? Maybe: "Chicken Soup for the Knat hater's soul" "War and Knats" "Knat Homicide for Dummies" "Polter-knat" -they're baaa-aack, "Everything you wanted to know about Knats...but were afraid to ask," "Do Smash the Small Stuff", "The De-Knatsee Code" Feel free to add suggestions for titles...

How about commericals: "Just Smash it" "Do the Deed" "Got Gnats?" "Kill them...TODAY" "Mmmm, Mmmm...Dead"

And to think I could be doing something constructive....nah...this is way more fun!!!

Flailing around trying to kill gnats, poking and slapping, jumping and swinging with no success looks so much like a dance the kids would be into, we should call it something catchy and sell the moves to dance instructors, or gear it twords teens like "slam dancing" in a "mosh pit" we could all get rich and buy more plants and more stuff to kill gnats!

This message was edited Mar 21, 2006 10:43 PM

Oh...like your idea even more!!!

have you ever noticed the odd looks your family gives you while your running around swining at things only you can see and saying things only you would understand and why would you be so angry?
I had a hard time convincing my daughter that there realy were bugs flying around and when they lay eggs in my plants the babies that hatch would eat the roots and kill all my babies...
My little boys think I'm soo funny...
My husband wishes I care that much about him...
the cat wishes I would get her a treat instead of ruining her nap...
I'm so close to tossing every indoor plant its not even funny...
I even lost my Brug seedlings to those dirty, nasty little good for nothing, rotten bugs! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

The "Tribe" aka my teenagers don't think I'm nuts b/c they've witnessed "THE SWARM" If you could see my 14 year old son hovering over his cereal bowl thinking the knats are going to dive bomb his Captain Crunch. LOL Now THAT'S funny!!! Ok...kinda gross! Everyone is tired of getting their elbows and/or hair got in the sticky traps...LOL!! I've only had mint casualties here...luckily I have a lot of C & S...so they don't get any moist nesting areas in them. I've been keeping close watch on the Begonias here on the main floor. It's mostly, as I've said, my Birds Nest Fern located upstairs in MY bathroom....grrrrr!!!

I was searching for a natural remedy to control the biggest Gnat of all (pictured) from chewing up all my drip system lines. You see, Whenever he smells something with the slightest odor (I had tea tree oil on my hand) he will raise his lips as if smiling and starts backing away. The tea Tree oil does work on the drip lines but only for about a week and its just too expensive to keep applying so I started looking for an alternative stink! Which is when I found this recipe:

Gardener's Friend Garlic Spray Recipe
Anti-fungal, anti-bacterial...and also an insect repellent. This is an organic recipe.

3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 liter water
1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap

1 litre Change size or US/metric
Change to: litre US Metric

12 hours 12 hrs prep

1.Combine the garlic and vegetable oil and leave to soak overnight.

2.Strain and add to the water along with the liquid soap.

3. Spray regularly.

Now, for all you destructive hound / beast owners with a very sensitive snout, hopefully this will work for you! Enjoy and get pics to share please!!

Becky - great smile...do you choose Crest White Strips on him? LOL

Awwwww!!!!
No wonder thoust commandeth 'love thy dog'!!! lol!!

You're right...he looks like he's growling!
I love his coat...is that what's called 'brindle'?

Thanks for the recipe.....I may try it sometime!

Dena & Chantell....you girls get 'sillly' at night! Ü

Becky - is he a "pit" mix? Cute baby!!!

Nan - yeah, I know...pityful isn't it...but I have no life!!! LOL Just figured I'd amuse my own self. Ha! :)

LOL!!! No....you've gotta amuse yourself once in a while.....good 'clean' fun, even if there are gnats involved!

Gag - grrrr....REA-LLY don't like them thangs!

This message was edited Mar 22, 2006 12:21 PM

Hi Guys! Yes he is a Brindle but not sure what breed he is but the Dr. thinks he is Pit / Plot Hound. He has the eye shape of a Pit and the Body and Brain of a typical hounder. My husband picked him out at our local animal shelter for my b-day 1 1/2 yrs ago. He was only 6 months old then (still acts that age today) See the baby pic below. At this very moment he is running full speed (about 85 MPH) through the house chasing nothing. Could be the Gnats but I doubt it. Yes Nan, I love telling my husband " Forget the neighbors, Love Thy Dog"! I could go on and on about my dogs but right now I'm off to make Dr. Ruths Better then Sex Cheescake. MMMMMM Yum!
Enjoy your day girls and we'll giggle later.
P.S Here's a Baby Gavin when he was first brought Home! The 1st one was him at the shelter.

Oh almost forgot, see th couch in the bottem pic? Well that very nice 900. couch is now sitting at the land fill cause that sweet, cute baby Gavin ate it! Yes, thats right came home from work to a living room full (literally) with couch stuffing and him sitting in the middle of it wagging his tail! Now that's a GGGGRRRRRRRR.

Here's my "baby" - Amber...the 90 lb "lap" dog...LOL

Here's my "baby" - Amber...the 90 lb "lap" dog...LOL
Edit to say: either the website, my computer , or I are having challenges w/each other...aren't cha' glad you can see the same post twice?

This message was edited Mar 22, 2006 1:29 PM

OMGOsh!! Now, I love my dogs, but I think he'd have gone back to the shelter if he *ate my couch*!!!...DH would see to that!


Amber looks quite 'huggable' too, Chantell!!...Llooks a lot like our Luke....I'll try to get photos of Harley and Luke tonight.....Harley cowers when he sees a camera, but Luke's a regular old 'camera ham'!


(Hope Dena doesn't mind our Hijacking her thread....from gnats to fur-friends!)

I didn't trust any of mine out of their crates when I wasn't home until they were at least 4 yrs old. Had an Akita "back in the day" before I knew about crates...OMG...the damage he did. Yikes Becky...the whole coach? "Can't believe I ate the whole thing"

Nan - Gnats / Dogs same thing! hahahhaa He really didnt eat any of the couch, just shredded the cushions beyond repair. I'm not a big fan of crating dogs only cause I used to work in a shelter and there was too much abuse! But believe me, after that episode, we did the next best thing, we locked him in the back section of our house. Oh what a brat he was, when he still found stuff to destroy, like bringing bags of potting soil in through the doggie door and shaking it everywhere. Oh wait, like bringing thru the dog door a full container of Osmocote and flipping in the air until hitting the ground causing lil beeds to go all over the room. That was fun-Had to quick call the vet only to be told to call the Manufacturer (no harm was done, or was it?) and them tell me not to worry. I should be given an award for the messes I've had to clean up after him. But all in all he's my babes. I love your baby Amber Chantell. She has a very pretty girl face. I bet she's a brat to though. They all are! hahhaa Yeah Nan, get us some pics tonight of your beasts.

A snow storm of Osmocote eh? LOL I can only imagine. Amber's fav thing to do is going in search of ANYthing edible and dining on it ON MY bed!!! I've since put up baby gates!! When I had to throw away a very nice down comforter that had a carmel packet all over it, I was so NOT a happy camper!! Crates are good when used correctly. Unfortunately too many don't know the right way of using them. Amber rarely is in her's any more...she chooses when she needs quiet from the puppy (yeah - right...puppy is 2 yrs old now) and will go up there to lay down for a bit. "Baby" the pup only tried to climb in w/her once. Thought there would be blood...whew...everyone was ok...pup had a fast pulse for a bit but other then that - was fine.

I added some hydrogen peroxide to my mixture of lemon lysol, Murphy's Oil soap, and VF-11. I watered all of my plants, including my succulents and cacti yeserday. And so far I have not seen any fungus gnats. I am watching all of my plants very closely to see if they still have the fungus gnats. I am hoping that by adding the peroxide that I have killed all of them. I will keep you all posted.

Jesse