Put stop to fungus gnats

Every creature has its own little niche on this planet, but how good could something with a name like "fungus gnat" be -- to us humans, at least. Fungus gnats are those tiny, black flies you sometimes see near houseplants, flitting around the leaves or, nearby, pressed against window panes or dead on windowsills.

Those adult flies are a nuisance, but it is the juveniles, living in the soil, that are the real delinquents. These tiny, white maggots are often happy enough to munch away on organic debris and fungi in the soil, but sometimes they eat living plants.

The adults move briskly around looking for places to lay eggs -- preferably soggy soils rich in organic materials. This insect reproduces so quickly that its a wonder they have not overrun our homes.

Alas, the life of a fungus gnat is not easy. Outdoors, on plants growing in the ground, fungus-gnat populations rarely swell to bothersome proportions because, quoting Jonathan Swift, "... a flea/ Hath smaller fleas that on him prey/ And these have smaller fleas to bite 'em, and so proceed ad infinitum." Natural checks even are -- or can be -- at work on fungus gnats trying to get footholds in potted plants.

First, pay closer attention to watering. Soggy soil results in a population explosion of fungus gnats, and plant roots enjoy neither the soggy soil itself nor the gnats it breeds.

Once fungus gnats are flitting around in your face, it might take more than just careful watering to bring their numbers down. There is a bacteria, called BTI for short, as well as predatory nematodes and mites, that you can purchase to kill fungus gnats.

The next line of attack is trapping. Adult fungus gnats have a weakness for bright colors, especially yellow. Bright yellow cards coated with something sticky, such as Tangletrap, sometimes are effective. Alternatively, plant a trap crop. Wheat is a favorite with the insects, and a potful of wheat grass nestled among your houseplants looks nicer than a sticky yellow card.