
How to recognize fungus gnats
Fungus gnats, or soil flies, belong to a separate family (Sciaridae) inside the mosquito group. Fungus gnats are very common and sometimes become pests in young plants or mushroom growings. Adult fungus gnats usually stand out as ‘dancing’ black flies hovering over the potting soil. Contaminations usually occur through fresh potting soil, which houses larvae or eggs. Fungus gnat larvae eat plant roots.
The different fungus gnat species are difficult to distinguish. Adult insects are 1-5 mm long, black-gray mosquitos with long legs. Fungus gnats have translucent wings with a characteristic U pattern. The larvae reach 5-12 mm in size and have a remarkable black head and no legs. Their body is white translucent. Pupae are 2-5 mm long and start white but turn yellow or brown.


Fungus gnat damage
Larvae of fungus gnats consume rotting plant material and roots of young plants. They prefer humid conditions and can cause large damage in plant nurseries. In addition, larvae can spread mites, nematodes, viruses and fungal spores which take advantage of the feeding damage to enter the plant. The death of (young) plants is usually very local, because larvae are not very mobile.

Fungus gnat life cycle
Fungus gnat host plants
How to control fungus gnats
There are three products available which can be used to control fungus gnats. The product ENTONEM contains nematodes which enter and consume fungus gnat larvae. ENTONEM can easily be used in many situations to treat the soil before or during growing young plants. ENTOMITE-M and MACRO-MITE are predatory mites that specialize in hunting larvae of many soil-dwelling insects.
YELLOW STICKY TRAPS can be hung to monitor and partially catch fungus gnats.

Our products against fungus gnats
ENTONEM
Effective against
- Fungus gnats
- Beetle larvae
- Thrips pupae
STICKY TRAPS
Effective against
- Whiteflies, aphids, thrips and fungus gnats
MACRO-MITE
Effective against
- Fungus gnats
- Several thrips
- European pepper moth
ENTOMITE-M
Effective against
- Fungus gnats
- Several thrips
- European pepper moth