# Help little Gnats?



## DnKslr (May 10, 2004)

I've noticed recently since the weather has been nice, the little bugs all coming to life. I have seen this little gnat like fly in my chameleons  cage and also in a few of my T's tanks. They don't do anything but fly around and bounce off the glass. If there is a plant in the tank they will sit on the leaves but still appear to do nothing. I watched one of my Ts for a couple of hours the other night and the gnat never got close to the T. I've seen these gnats hanging around my house plants too (just about every year) but this is the first time I 've ever seen them get in one of tanks and they seem to like the higher humidity set up.
How can I get rid of these gnats without endangering my T? I'm fairly sure they won't harm the T but I don't like the look of gnats flying around in the tank.
I've thought of trying fly paper but I can see that might be a disaster waiting to happen if the T decides to go "check" what's hanging in its home. :8o 
Any ideas are greatly appreciated


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## luther (May 10, 2004)

They sound like phorid flies.  They're a bane of humid tanks.  The easiest way to get rid of them is to clean out the substrate (where they lay eggs) and replace it with a fresh, dry substrate.  You can spread vaseline on the inside of a film canister and tape that to the tank's side to catch them.  Do not use fly paper because of the toxic chemicals.

Phorid flies seem to appear out of nowhere, just like mites.  There are many different species, mostly harmless.  Some species can lay eggs on the tarantula and the grubs will eat the poor thing alive.

I think the best solution is to reduce humidity and replace the substrate.  You could pick yourself up a little ghost mantis too.  Mine loves them.


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## DnKslr (May 10, 2004)

Are ghost mantids small enough to catch the gnats? These little flies are sooo small I don't think my smallest sling could eat one. I'll try the vaseline thing first. If they aren't gone in the next 2 days,
I'll have a lot of tanks to service :8o 

Thanks!


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## vespa_bicolor (May 11, 2004)

You may want to try an electronic insect killer, the type that uses UV lights that you may sometimes see in restaurants.

I installed one a few days ago to deal with the phorids which plagued me for ages. Although it doesn't completely eradicate them, I noticed a huge reduction in their numbers, as well as lots of loud cracking sounds, a tell-tale sign that they got "zapped". I noticed large numbers of them all heading straight for the UV light tubes, apparently they are quite attracted to it. Also has the advantage of killing off many other flying pests like houseflies and mosquitoes. However, these little flies sometimes stick around the tanks and don't come out, so usually I will open the lid and drive them out, where they head straight for the device after a while.

It also helps to remove any uneaten food immediately, including prey insects that died before the chameleon ate them. They seem to love to swarm to dead insects.

hope this helps.


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## -=}GA']['OR{=- (May 11, 2004)

Diane,Do these flies look similar to fruit flies?Are they stocky and do they run more than fly?If so they are probably phorid flies.However you mentioned seeing them in your plants.They could be fungus gnats.Fungus gnats are real lanky looking, they are small like phorid flies but are harmless.They (their larvae) eat rotting plant material.They should not be a threat to your t's.If You want to get rid of them,put some predatory mites (hypoaspis miles) in your plant pots.
Hope this helps Brian

Reactions: Dislike 1


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## DnKslr (May 11, 2004)

> Diane,Do these flies look similar to fruit flies?Are they stocky and do they run more than fly?If so they are probably phorid flies.However you mentioned seeing them in your plants.They could be fungus gnats.Fungus gnats are real lanky looking, they are small like phorid flies but are harmless.They (their larvae) eat rotting plant material.They should not be a threat to your t's.If You want to get rid of them,put some predatory mites (hypoaspis miles) in your plant pots.


They do not resemble fruit flies at all. They are very thin and flighty. They also do like to be around the plants a lot so I'm guessing they are the fungus gnats. 
I took my chams cages outside today and since I've brought them back in, I haven't seen any of the gnats. I hope they flew off to greener gardens


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## -=}GA']['OR{=- (May 11, 2004)

Diane,I'm glad you don't have phorid flies,I know people who have probs with them they are a real pain in the arse!Fungus gnats are annoying but seem to be harmless.Later Brian


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## MizM (May 11, 2004)

I have phorids! "Horrid Phorids!" They seem to like my coffee with Hazlenut creamer. So I put a cup near the enclosures and catch a few that way.

I've reduced their numbers by keeping every little crumb of cricket leftovers cleaned up. But they love my houseplants and I'm STILL trying to eradicate the little #*^%!@#$


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## T_DORKUS (May 11, 2004)

Here's some info of phorid flies and fungus gnats with drawings:

Phorid flies 

fungus gnat 



Luther, are the sticky pads mentioned in these sites the fly paper you were talking about?


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