Pests/Fleas (or what)?

Hi, haven't been on here for ages but I'd be very grateful for some info re insects that seem to enjoy living on the surface of the soil in my pot plants. They are minute & can only be spotted when the top of the soil is disrupted, ie by water or if just rubbed, which induces them to jump about. What amazes me is that I'd only seen them on houseplants until I cleared some leaves from a patio pot containing an acer & noticed them there too. When I say minute, I mean about the size of a cat flea, plus they don't seem to be damaging the plants. Also, re the indoor plants, they seem to prefer those where the soil has gone a little mouldy on top. Any ideas anyone - have checked out various sites but as I can't really class them as pests, difficult to know where to look.

 

Booklice (Thrips) ((I think although strongy wil know for definate)), basicly the compost is too damp. Spray lightly with provado ultimate bug killer then stick a layer of pea gravel on top. Water a bit less.

 

Hello, Japes, and welcome to GC.

Pro is one of our "professionals" here and I do not disagree with what he says.

However, you are referring to pot plants and houseplants. May I just suggest you try a few drops of washing up liquid in a spray bottle with water and spray on the plants and soil? This works wonders with whitefly/greenfly and, more importantly ants ... kills them dead within a minute. It can also be safely used on kitchen countertops.

Enjoy the forum.

 

The word "springtails" comes to mind, dont know why, just came from the depths of my memory.

 

:D

 

I think Pete is right sounds like springtails they don't actually fly and are harmless to plants,Thrips are a different beast there are about 3000 species of them in the uk alone and they will feed on plants in which case Pros remedy is the right way to go

 

Hello all,

Sorry to be late again...catching up here I couldn't believe it! The thing with little flies on houseplants was something I've been worrying about for about the last year. Didn't notice anything until i saw the little flies (and they are flies cos they fly :confused: ) lying on the windowsill -dead.

Only have a few houseplants & the living room ones are both 'calathea' (i think that's how you spell it). but the one by the window is the culprit i think.

Does that mean I've overwatered it? It is growing like crazy & i don't really know if it is supposed to be a hanging plant or not. keep it propped with cane at the moment.

Anyway, will the soap liquid with water sprayed on it stop them? I have a spray with that in (for other things) so could i just use that?

These flies don't live anywhere else do they, like in carpets? I'm a bit paranoid about that. Can have dirt - can have a mess, can't have insects .

Thanks for any advice, once again. One day i'll be able to do it (give advice on here, she lives in hope :D )

Cheers

 

Japes you now say they have wings and fly that being the case they are probably fungus gnats in which case like pro said it's because the compost is too wet,they live in the compost and their tiny larvae will feed on the roots, you can put a layer of dry sand on the top of your pots and water your plants from the bottom, they will spread from pot to pot so treat all the pots, perfectly harmless to carpets. The chemical treatment use a spray with Imidacloprid
Pyrethroids or Pyrethrin in it.

 

Hi Japes

Glad you brought up this thread as I have long been wondering what these little pests are. I thought at one time that they had arrived with a bag of compost I had bought. They also seem to be particularly attracted to a basil plant my wife keeps on our utility room window sill. She puts it outside for an hour when it is a bit frosty and that seems to kill them off.
Thanks everyone, for the variety of tips to sort them out.

 

Hi again everyone & thanks for the input. Walnut, I think it was another poster that added these "things" have wings, however having just checked again I would say yes, they may have wings because if it wasn't for the glint of the light on the back of them when they move they'd be invisible to the human eye. The main thing is, when I say small I mean a 5th the size of a thunderbug & everything I've read about seems to be larger than that. The only other features, which I mentioned previously, are the ability to jump (I wouldn't call it flying) and the fact that they're also on the surface of a pot that's been outside through winter. Anyway, my main concern was fleas so I'm just relieved nobody's raised that prospect!

 

Hedge trimmer, surely the frost kills the basil as well as the bugs, dont it?

I think springtails are white and jump, fungus gnats are black and fly, the larvae of fungus gnats are a small worm, whitish in colour, that moves slowly through the compost surface.
Both can be probably avioded by letting the compost dry out a bit between waterings, the addition of washing up liquid will "wet" the compost and stop drying out to some extent, and might make the problem worse. maybe, I think.

 

Could it be Flea Beetle? I`ve never heard of them in pots before, but all rules of gardening seem to be suspended nowadays.

 

Pete ther are some 300 species of springtails in britain some black some white, unlikely to be flea beatle David these seriously damage the plants, Japes without a picture try looking at this site you may be able to pin it down, rest assured it's not fleas.
http://www.buglife.org.uk/discoverbugs/knowledge/typesofinvertebratesbyhabitat/terrestrial/springtails.htm

 

Walnut/Pete - many thanks, think you've cracked it as the link describes their 'jumping' perfectly plus they fit the bill with the smaller size (so small it would be impossible to film) & don't mind the cold. Since they don't seem to cause any probs I guess I can just leave them be.

I now have another query as regards a tropaeolum speciosum - the flame flower - I'm trying to find something interesting that will grow on (& up) the north side of a south-facing fence - soil is damp & chalky & up to now all we've managed is ferns, plus a few spuds that didn't do too badly. From what I've read, this climber might work?

 

It might work Japes but you've not picked the easiest of growers.
Its never worked for me anyway.
I've had a couple of goes over the years.