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» How to get rid of black midges. Why they appeared and how to get rid of midges in indoor flowers. Reasons for the appearance of small midges in flowers

How to get rid of black midges. Why they appeared and how to get rid of midges in indoor flowers. Reasons for the appearance of small midges in flowers

It's hard to imagine an apartment without indoor plants on the windowsills or shelves.

But along with the pleasure of communicating with our green friends and colossal positive emotions comes the need to care for them and periodically save them from all sorts of things.

Perhaps the most common phenomenon is midges in indoor flowers, hovering over potted plants, as well as small insects jumping on the surface of the soil in a pot.

In the first case, these are sciarids or, as they are also called, fungus gnats. In the second case - fools or earthen fleas.

The main reason for the appearance of these small insects, as a rule, is constant waterlogging of the soil when watering indoor plants.

Other reasons include the following:

  • contaminated soil. You can bring these pests home in a pot when purchasing a new plant or just a bag of potting soil;
  • moisture-retentive soil. Presence in the ground large quantity ingredients that can retain moisture during irrigation - high-moor or low-lying peat, coconut chips, sphagnum moss, vermiculite;
  • the presence of unrotted soil in the soil remains of leaf or pine humus. In combination with excessive watering in a pot with such soil, the most favorable environment for the reproduction of pest larvae appears;
  • open window. Flying fungus gnats can fly into a room from the street and, finding wet soil, happily settle in your flower pots.

Sciarids (fungus gnats)

Sciarids are small black midges that fly annoyingly over pots, and when very large cluster- throughout the room.

Adult flying sciarids do not harm indoor plants.

They only cause great irritation to the apartment owners due to its annoyingness and constant entry into cups of tea or water.

But fungus gnat larvae, if there are large numbers of them, can damage the delicate roots of plants.

Also, fungus gnat larvae deteriorate the quality of soil in pots, making it denser and less breathable.

In the ground they can be distinguished as small translucent whitish worms with a black dot on the “head”, usually 2-5 mm in size.

Podura (ground fleas)

Poduras or springtails are wingless jumping insects.

They can be seen in large quantities on the surface of the soil of a “flooded” plant, as well as on the lower surface of a pot or in a wet tray. To live and reproduce, podurs prefer places with high humidity.

They do not cause any particular harm to plants, but with a strong increase in numbers, they can damage the roots. Podura can cause the greatest damage to seedlings or very young Saintpaulias.

Externally, Poduras have a color ranging from white to yellowish-brown and completely small sizes– on average 0.2-1 mm.

A distinctive feature of poduras is their speed and lightning-fast jumps when trying to touch them.

How to deal with midges in indoor plants

There are many methods to combat these small, annoying and irritating insects - from folk to chemical. Moreover, all of them are almost equally suitable for getting rid of fungus gnats and idiots.

To the most common traditional methods relate:

  1. spilling potting soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or a low concentration solution of tar soap;
  2. application to upper layer soil of wood ash, tobacco, cut cloves of garlic or orange peel;
  3. introducing sulfur heads from ordinary matches into the top layer of soil.

Problems with midges in indoor flowers include:

  • complete replacement of soil in a flower pot;
  • partial replacement of the top layer of soil;
  • reduction of watering, drying and frequent loosening of the soil surface;
  • the use of sticky tapes and fumigators to kill flying insects;
  • - most radical method in the destruction of midges in indoor flowers. Spilling the soil mixture in pots with insecticide solutions or adding them to the top layer of soil will also help in combating pests.

It is advisable to choose drugs that are safer for the environment and carry out processing with mandatory use individual funds protection:

  1. “Inta-vir”, “Aktara”, “Fitoverm”, “Agravertin”, “Fufanon”, “Grom-2”, “Mukhoed” - insecticides wide range actions have hazard class 3. Relatively safe and approved for use at home;
  2. “Actellik” is a highly toxic drug, a toxic chemical, has a hazard class of 2. Prohibited for use in residential areas due to high volatility and toxicity.

There are also special aerosol sprays against flying insects - “Bona Forte” (Bona Forte). Aerosol is a contact insecticide that has an immediate paralyzing effect on insects.

The substance included in the spray is practically non-addictive to insects, has a rapid decomposition phase and does not cause harm to humans and the environment.

As a preventive measure, you can use humic biofertilizer “Green Shield against soil (fungus) mosquitoes” therapeutic effect– this is nutrition and protection of plant immunity while simultaneously protecting against fungus gnats with the help of essential oils.

The simplest, easiest and cheapest way to get rid of sciarids and suburs is a combination complete replacement soil from treating all surfaces with simple dichlorvos from flying and crawling insects.

Treatment is carried out by lightly spraying the product onto the surface of walls, shelves or window sills near indoor flowers, as well as onto the surface of the soil in the pot, the bottom of the pot and into the tray.

As a result of all these actions, flying insects are destroyed and most of the larvae in the ground are removed.

The larvae remaining in an earthen coma on the roots of plants gradually die on their own from contact with the dichlorvos-treated soil layer.

But still, the most best results In the fight against these tiny pests, compliance with correct agricultural techniques when growing plants brings benefits.

Elimination of waterlogging, choice optimal soil, timely transplantation, ensuring the right conditions Keeping indoor plants is the best way to prevent these small and harmful insects from appearing on our pets.

Indoor plants have always been popular in all countries. Beautiful flowers in pots, neatly placed on a windowsill or special shelves, not only bring joy to their appearance, but also saturate the air in the room with oxygen. But sometimes growing indoor plants can bring some inconvenience. Very often, midges settle in flower pots. These small and annoying insects can significantly worsen not only your mood, but also the health of your flower garden. How to get rid of midges in indoor flowers, what methods exist?

Where do midges come from and are they harmful?

Midges in indoor flowers, how to get rid of them - before answering this question, it’s worth finding out where they come from and how harmful are these insects?. By themselves, these “creatures” do not cause great harm to the plants themselves, but they are practically safe for humans. But the fact is that the fly hatches from eggs that are laid in the ground where the flower grows. Larvae living in the soil can damage the root system.

Where the front sight comes from is a complex question. These insects are very small and easily penetrate into any room, even when tightly closed. closed windows and doors. And if at least a few individuals get into an apartment or house where there is a pot with a flower, then they will begin to reproduce at high speed. Especially if they were created for this purpose favorable conditions. Flies appear quickly, but removing them can be very difficult.

Getting rid of insects

Midges have appeared in flower pots, how to get rid of them - this question may arise for many lovers of house plants. These insects have been accompanying humanity for many centuries. Over such a long period of time, people have invented hundreds of ways to get rid of such an unpleasant neighborhood. Let's just name the most popular and effective of them:

In addition to these methods, there are many others, less labor-intensive, but not as effective. For example, you can take zest of any citrus fruit and stick pieces of it around the perimeter of the pot. You can place peeled and cut garlic cloves in the same way.

If you do not trust a folk remedy, then you can use chemicals. Today there are many solutions and powders on sale that help get rid of insects. But here you have to be careful. When purchasing a product, carefully read the instructions for use. Otherwise, along with the insects in the flower pots, you can also get rid of the indoor plants themselves.

Preventive actions

As you know, prevention is always easier to do than to deal with the problem in the future. The same applies to the fight against midges in flower pots. Here you should follow some recommendations from experts, and then the problem of how to remove insects will not arise.

If you don’t want to be tormented by the question of midges in flowers, how to get rid of them, then follow the following simple rules:

By following these simple rules, you will avoid the appearance of midges in flower pots.

Conclusion

How to get rid of midges in flowers is a question that plagues many lovers of indoor plants. These insects do not cause much harm to humans, but their presence can be very annoying. You can get rid of the presence of midges different ways. Treatment with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or soap, the use of garlic, tobacco or citrus fruit zest are all effective and long-used methods. But all these methods of getting rid of midges in pots will take you a lot of time. Therefore, it is better to avoid such a situation. To do this, you should follow a number of recommendations, and your flowers and your nerves will not be threatened by small and annoying midges.

The process of growing flowers requires a lot of free time, attentiveness and, of course, the love of the owners. However, even if all the conditions for their prosperous existence are observed, there is no way to protect flowers from harmful insects.

There are two main types of domestic fruit flies. The first of them is white midges. They appear at the end of winter - beginning of spring. This is due to the fact that moisture in the ground, due to low temperatures, remains longer than usual, giving the species excellent conditions for survival. White midges enter the house through open window and settle in home plantings. Their larvae take strength from the root system of the flower, which means they can greatly harm our greenery. It is not so easy to notice the porods: their bodies (white-gray or white-yellow) reach a length of 0.2 to 1 mm. Gives out midges very much active life: they quickly move from leaf to leaf and create a kind of moving cloud around the dying plant.

Harm the earth and “add it” to your favorite greenery voracious pests You can even use folk remedies that call for using tea leaves and rotten leaves as fertilizer. Sciarids can also get into the house with poor-quality soil.

Interesting! Not all indoor flowers are susceptible to midge attacks. Scientists were able to find out that the plants preferred by breeds should have small soft leaves. Their “diet” includes begonias, fuchsias and other “fresh” plantings. Black midges prefer flowers with dense leaves, such as ficus, azaleas and violets. Pots of geranium, which has a strong and pungent odor, never receive “guests”.

Tips to help get rid of flower gnats:

Ways to get rid of pests

Folk remedies from midges in pots:

  • Sprinkle the ground around the infected flower with wood ash (which, by the way, is an excellent fertilizer). Insects will almost immediately leave the besieged area;
  • If there are midges in the flowers, you can cut the zest of orange, lemon or grapefruit into small strips and spread it around the plant: the citrus smell will repel the midges;
  • water the indoor greens with a weak soap solution or a solution of potassium permanganate. Be careful: if the concentration of solutions is too high, the flowers will die;
  • You can stick several matches into the ground near the plantings, “head” down, and water it with water. After a day, you need to check: if the sulfur has disappeared, install new matches. A week of such manipulations and the midge in your home greens will die;

  • Cut four cloves of garlic into small pieces and place them on the ground under the flowers. Don't forget to water. You can also chop garlic, pour a liter of boiling water, leave for one day and spray the infected area with the resulting solution. The procedure must be repeated two to three times;
  • Buy anti-cockroach chalk at any hardware store, grind a small part of it and add it to the flower soil. Chalk is safe for plants, but harmful to insects;
  • Another time-tested remedy is flypaper. By attaching it next to the “green corner”, you will “lure” adult midges from the foliage, not giving them the opportunity to leave another offspring and spoil root system plants.

If these methods were not able to destroy the annoying midges, then it’s time to take up arms more seriously.

We fight midges with chemicals

Dichlorvos is universal remedy from harmful insects, which instantly kills them by corroding the tissue membranes. The drug also has a negative effect on indoor plants, so if you overdo it, you can kill both the midge and the flower with “one shot.”

Now, knowing what to do if there are midges in a flower, you can save your “green pet” without any problems.

Preventive measures against insects

When the causes of pests have been clarified and ways of eliminating them have been determined, it is advisable to raise the issue of prevention. How to protect your home from midges and protect flowers from damage to the root system?

Midges appear in pots with indoor flowers for a reason: excess moisture in soil or poor quality soil. You definitely need to get rid of midges, because they themselves are not harmful to the flower, but their larvae can destroy the plants.

To prevent the spread of midge larvae, infected plants are separated from healthy ones. The best option There will be preventive treatment of all indoor plants, because it is difficult to monitor the infection process.

Prevention

It is easier to prevent the appearance of midges than to fight them later.

To prevent small midges from appearing in indoor flowers, you need to:

  • Water the flowers according to the season so that the soil in the pots is not very wet;
  • Make sure that the flowerpots have good drainage, then the organic residues will not turn sour;
  • Periodically loosen the soil. This procedure will allow the roots to be enriched with oxygen and prevent the process of soil rotting;
  • It is necessary to install nets on windows used for ventilation to prevent fungus gnats from flying in and settling in flower pots;
  • Do not get carried away with experiments regarding “tea”, “meat”, “coffee” water for irrigation. You can create your favorite environment for the flower midge;
  • Periodically disinfect the soil to kill deposited pest larvae. For disinfection, use a weak (slightly pinkish) solution of potassium permanganate (water once a week for a month) or a soap solution (20 g of laundry soap diluted in 1 liter of warm water);
  • Water flowers only with soft water. How to soften? To do this, you need to either boil it, or leave it to settle, freeze, then defrost and bring to room temperature, acidify with peat.

Your plants scatter in all directions small insects and you don't know what to do with them? Don’t despair, in this article we will tell you how to get rid of midges from indoor plants.

First, let's figure out why indoor plants midges start to appear, because only by eliminating the cause can you completely get rid of the annoying ones.

The following types of pests may appear in your flowerpots:

  • White midges or springtails. These insects appear either on the surface of the soil or on the lower part of the plant. They can be found in winter or in the first half of spring. If you water your indoor plants too much, springtails may choose your flowerpots to take up residence.
  • Black midges or sciarids. They lay their larvae in the ground, which in turn damage the root of the sprout. Initially, the growth of the plant will slow down, which will ultimately lead to death.

How to get rid of insects

We found out what kind of midges grow in the soil of indoor plants. It's time to learn how to remove midges from flowers. This can be done both with the help of special preparations and folk remedies. We'll discuss both options so you have a choice. Before you begin controlling flower flies, isolate the affected plant to prevent it from infecting other flowers.

Chemicals

We will discuss the most effective chemicals from midges. They need to treat not only those plants where midges have infested, but also all the flowers that stood nearby. Water the soil once with a solution of “Aktary”, “Fitoverma”, “Tanreka”. Also, many gardeners recommend poisoning pests with fly-eater granules; just read the instructions carefully before use.

It is better to remove the affected plants from the soil, wash the roots, and disinfect the soil in the pots. In winter, the larvae from the flies will die if the soil is taken outside for a while. Hang in places where midges fly sticky tapes to destroy adults. If flies fly around the apartment in a swarm, then they are fought with the help of aerosols, such as Dichlorvos.

It would be good to treat the edge of the pot with chalk to prevent cockroaches. You can also sprinkle this product on the ground. Water the diseased plant so that the larvae die from drought and black flies do not appear again.

Folk remedies

Those who don’t really like chemicals should know how else you can get rid of annoying pests. Folk remedies are easy to prepare at home, and most importantly, they are non-toxic. The first thing you can do if midges appear in indoor flowers is to prepare a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate and pour it over the diseased plant.

If uninvited guests begin to appear in the flowers, you don’t have to immediately run to the store for chemicals; prepare a garlic infusion. Finely chop a head of garlic and pour a liter of boiling water over it. Let the solution sit for 4 hours, then water the soil and spray the plant itself.

Don’t know how to quickly and cheaply remove midges from indoor plants? We'll tell you. You need to make a soap solution and treat the stem and leaves with it for some time. Do flowers often harbor midges? Sprinkle the surface of the soil with ash. Fragrant dill sprigs will help get rid of flies and their larvae in flowers.

Prevention

How to remove midges from indoor flowers is clear. But what can you do to prevent them from starting? Apply preventive measures. As we have already figured out, midges appear in indoor flowers if the soil is too wet. Therefore, analyze the frequency of watering.

For example, in winter and spring time indoor flowers are needed less often than in summer. Flies love dampness, so do not create favorable conditions for them. In order not to get rid of annoying pests in flowers later, take care of. It allows the green space to receive a sufficient amount of water, but at the same time protects the soil from acidification. Midges will not appear on indoor plants if you constantly loosen the soil.

There is no guarantee that flies will never fly to indoor flowers. Therefore, constantly inspect your green pets. You should be alarmed by the appearance white plaque on the stem. Be careful if the shade of the leaves has changed or they have become dull. When the first signs of infestation appear, immediate pest control should begin.

Each plant that stood next to the infected one should be treated at least once. Remember that we are fighting an insidious enemy who is doing everything possible to avoid detection. Only those indoor flowers harbor flies that remain unattended for a long time.

From this video you will learn how to eliminate midges on indoor plants.