Is anyone else having issues with flies and gnats??

Something I've noticed about living here is the abundance of flies and sand gnats. (See how I'm trying to stay positive by referring to them as "abundant"? LOL) This year, however, they are buzzing around our yard in truly insane numbers, since I started my SFG boxes. I already had one maggot infestation in one of my boxes last month, during which the roots were munched right off my plants. I started over, but I'm not sure I can go through that again.

Sooo...I thought I'd see if anyone else in this zone has the same problem with flies? How do you manage them without going crazy? Is it always this way with SFG in this region? Any advice for a newbie would be great. Thanks!!

Im in the PNW and have noticed more flies.....i was thinking its because im using compost tea for the first time on my plants up and around the house as well as in the garden.....i pritz them also with the compost tea......i have no idea if that is why or not.....or if there is just more bugs this year

hugs
rose

I was wondering about the compost, if that's attracting all these flies. If so, then how does everyone keep the maggots out of their SFGs? I'm really enjoying gardening, but I'm afraid if this is going to be a major issue I'll have to get rid of my boxes. We're in military housing so neighbors are very close. If they start complaining then Housing may make me take them down. =(

I too am having issues with the wee 's this year. Lucky for me the ones that have moved into my MM are shore flies which live in or on algae growth or on very wet, decomposing organic matter and these are common in growing areas where conditions are damp. Shore fly larvae do not tend to feed on root systems.

You may have fungus gnats. Fungus gnats are a more serious pest because they can cause so many crop problems by weakening the root system of a large number of plants.


Or you may have carrot flies

It is important to ID the type of fly then it will be easier to out line a control plan

Shannon1 - Some of the flies are just common house flies. We have a major influx of them every summer here, but they seem much worse this year. Also I saw some really skinny looking ones and some green ones. I'll try to get some pictures and post them. Thanks for your reply!

Lurach, I've noticed in the past few days a huge increase in the amount of flies. I can't even go outside with out feeling like they are all over my face. This is not only around my boxes, it's all over the place. I have never seen them this bad this time of year. What I have noticed is, each year, one kind of bug will become more of a nusance than it was last year. Last year, we had a big problem with ticks. They were every where. I'm wondering if the flies won't be the bug of this year. Also, I don't compost (yet).

I don't know if it works for all kinds of flies, but my Mother had tons around her house last summer and found planting basil took care of it.

Thank you Cynergist. I have planted some and will now plant it all over the place. Can't hurt, I love basil.

We bought a fly trap at Home Depot (six bucks, little plastic container with a green top) and we have a 1/2 inch layer of flies now laying in the morgue/crypt. Try one or two of those. They smell but it's better than a swarm.

jkahn2eb wrote:We bought a fly trap at Home Depot (six bucks, little plastic container with a green top) and we have a 1/2 inch layer of flies now laying in the morgue/crypt. Try one or two of those. They smell but it's better than a swarm.

I have little tiny flies around one box. The kind that sucks nectar out of the plants. The two boxes that don't have a problem I worked really hard with companion planting (did someone say basil? lol) but the third I did not. I added onion to the corners of each square of all three boxes, except around beans and peas, they apparently don't like each other. Long story short, the corner with no onions or other companion plants has the flies. I will be trying that container jkahn2eb is suggesting this year. Next year I will be working harder on companion planting, it really seems to help.

They are super annoying!! I hope we all get these under control, glad I'm not alone and good luck to everyone!

krazikandiland wrote:

jkahn2eb wrote:We bought a fly trap at Home Depot (six bucks, little plastic container with a green top) and we have a 1/2 inch layer of flies now laying in the morgue/crypt. Try one or two of those. They smell but it's better than a swarm.

I have little tiny flies around one box. The kind that sucks nectar out of the plants. The two boxes that don't have a problem I worked really hard with companion planting (did someone say basil? lol) but the third I did not. I added onion to the corners of each square of all three boxes, except around beans and peas, they apparently don't like each other. Long story short, the corner with no onions or other companion plants has the flies. I will be trying that container jkahn2eb is suggesting this year. Next year I will be working harder on companion planting, it really seems to help.

They are super annoying!! I hope we all get these under control, glad I'm not alone and good luck to everyone!

Great tip Krazi

stripesmom wrote: I love basil.

Soooooooo do I. Basil and sage are my favourite herbs

It's wavering here between being bitten by gnats, being scorched then being bitten again. Why can't they just flippin' well bite each other!

I know what you mean.

Pics would be helpful to identify which flying bugs you have an abundance of.

Living near a river has a downside. It hardly seems worth my time fitting a lid on the rain barrels to stop mozzies getting in to breed when they can fly here. They rarely come into the house but I was woken up at 5am this morning after being bitten. I'll dab some olbas oil or citronella oil on a tissue and put that on the bedside tables. Citronella candles for use outside are supposed to help. For raised beds it maybe cheaper to try drops of citronella lamp oil on a spent teabag.

Flowering herbs near the door attracts bees and I'll be suggesting we don't paint the new door gentian blue because they apparently find it an attractive colour and they end up in the kitchen getting agitated until I open the window. It may be a myth but I heard that kitchens painted pale blue put off house flies. They sell decorative door fly screens in Spain but cheap ugly ones here. Of the aphids Whitefly can be a problem on indoor plants, Greenfly suck the sap of mainly outdoor plants but I squish them or knock them off with a jet of water and Nasturtiums attract blackfly here, they seem to think it is the best thing on the planet. Lacewings and hoverflies are a gardeners friends because their offspring devour aphids.

I keep my active compost and fresh waste bins covered. I also close bags after use and have never found maggots in them. In beds "white maggots" may be the larvae of beetles.

So if you can post pics of the insects we can sort out what is what. I'll pass you back to folks from your area though for insects that are peculiar to your area.

The Cynergist wrote:I don't know if it works for all kinds of flies,
but my Mother had tons around her house last summer and found planting
basil took care of it.

The Hubby and I read that about basil. I have 3 basil plants (1 in one
of my boxes, and 2 planted with my tomatoes), but they don't seem to be
keeping the flies at bay. =( Perhaps I need to plant some more.

Krazikandiland - I'm definitely going to be looking more into companion
planting for next year. I got a late start this year and was in a hurry
to get my plants/seeds into boxes.

Barkie - I took pictures just before
being called out of town last week...really good macros (at least for me). Unfortunately, my laptop had to go into the shop and I won't get it back for another 2 weeks. And apparently I didn't manage to transfer that folder onto the external when I was backing up. Grrrr!

Lurach wrote:Perhaps I need to plant some more.

Hmm. . . maybe. But then maybe basil doesn't work for all kinds of flies. My Mum's problem was the regular house fly. They used to swarm her front door, but after planting about 3 basil plants in front of her house, they vanished.

Lurach

hear are a couple of pages with info that might help.
I have used a couple of Ideas from them.

Natural Insect Pest Control

Companion Planting

Cynergist - I'll try planting basil around the doors. Flies keep getting in the house, so anything that'll keep them out is worth a try.

Hoggar - Thanks for the info!

I found my pictures, so here are the three types of flies I'm seeing in my gardens:

Fly #1


Fly #2 - This is the one I'm calling a regular housefly, and it is the most prevalent in my garden/house.


Fly #3