Gnats! Gnaaaaaats!

[insekta]

I came home today to find my poor spiders up on tippy toes. Usually this means the soil's too damp, but it's not, it's very dry. In fact the only moisture is the water dish. So I turn on the light to have a better peek, and gnats start flying out in swarms. I found one cricket shell that had fallen behind the shelter, but surely there can't be that many gnats from one, and in 2 containers. The temperature in my apartment reaches in the 90's and I'm sure that has something to do with the amount of gnats, but what's the best way to eliminate and prevent these things without having to completely re-house my spiders (one's very fragile and I literally cannot disturb her until she's better).

 

[Miss Bianca]

grosssssss

but I'd love to see a picture anyway!!

Let's def hope THAT doesn't happen again....

awww.. poor T, LOL....

what kinda T?

 

[Spiderface]

Crank up the AC and kill the humidity. Pour bleach down your sinks and tub drains once a day for five days. If you happen to have a black light(a dim light bulb can substitute) use it and hang some fly strips directly near the light. Leave the light on at night and leave all other lights off. Empty the water dishes for a day or two. You should be good after that.

 

[insekta]

Crank up the AC and kill the humidity. Pour bleach down your sinks and tub drains once a day for five days. If you happen to have a black light(a dim light bulb can substitute) use it and hang some fly strips directly near the light. Leave the light on at night and leave all other lights off. Empty the water dishes for a day or two. You should be good after that.

Thanks! Most of that I can do, but the temperature is a bit of a problem. I'm in an attic and now matter what it's set to it never gets cooler than 5 degrees less than outside. The humidity is also a problem, but I think with some research I can figure something out. I will get bleach and strips tomorrow tomorrow and dig out my hippie light.

 

[insekta]

but I'd love to see a picture anyway!!

Let's def hope THAT doesn't happen again....

awww.. poor T, LOL....

what kinda T?

They're too small to photograph, although I could probably spit up a few. *shudder* Bulldozer is my G. rosea, looking all dainty on her toes, and what I think is a Paraguayan Pink Zebra, but hard to tell yet with her/him/it. Neither is very happy right now. But tomorrow I strike!

 

[smof]

Do you have houseplants? I had a problem with some fungus gnats because I was over-watering some houseplants and they got fungus in their roots. Those kind of gnats are harmless to your Ts tho.

 

[runnergirl]

Thanks! Most of that I can do, but the temperature is a bit of a problem. I'm in an attic and now matter what it's set to it never gets cooler than 5 degrees less than outside. The humidity is also a problem, but I think with some research I can figure something out. I will get bleach and strips tomorrow tomorrow and dig out my hippie light.

Dehumidifiers make life much easier for an air conditioner (they're basically an air conditioner). An additional window air conditioner may be required. Attics are a nightmare to cool......

 

[reverendsterlin]

Predatory mite, Order Acarina attack spider mites, thrips, springtails and fungus gnat larvae. Adult mites are about half a millimeter in length, and are beige to reddish beige and are known for their speed. They can be bought at many garden stores. Low humidity can restrict their activity.
Rev

 

[Moltar]

If they came from a decayed cricket they're probably phorid flies. They lay eggs in dead insects and in wet, dark, slimy nasty places like drains and under the rims of toilets. Get like, super fastidious about cleaning any and all dead prey out especially crickets as they are quite death prone. Don't just throw them in the trash, remove them from the HOUSE. As mentioned above, bleach in the drains, clean the toilet thoroughly, etc. You may end up fighting them for a while before eradicating them entirely from your house.

Also, phorids will run from you before they fly. Fruit flies take wing at the first sign of threat but phorids will first try to scurry away. Also they ar a bit 'wingier' than a typical gnat or fruitfly.

Some relevant links:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=116120&highlight=phorid

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=102932&highlight=phorid

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=101356&highlight=phorid

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=101414&highlight=phorid

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=100302&highlight=phorid

 

[insekta]

If they came from a decayed cricket they're probably phorid flies. They lay eggs in dead insects and in wet, dark, slimy nasty places like drains and under the rims of toilets. Get like, super fastidious about cleaning any and all dead prey out especially crickets as they are quite death prone. Don't just throw them in the trash, remove them from the HOUSE. As mentioned above, bleach in the drains, clean the toilet thoroughly, etc. You may end up fighting them for a while before eradicating them entirely from your house.

Also, phorids will run from you before they fly. Fruit flies take wing at the first sign of threat but phorids will first try to scurry away. Also they ar a bit 'wingier' than a typical gnat or fruitfly.

Some relevant links:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=116120&highlight=phorid

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=102932&highlight=phorid

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=101356&highlight=phorid

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=101414&highlight=phorid

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=100302&highlight=phorid

Thanks! I'm formulating my plan of attack right now and will wage war within the fortnight. Mwahahaha...

 

[Scott C.]

You can also seed your house, and cages, with Steatoda sp.. Orb weavers running loose look cool, and also help.... Isopods in the cages with eliminate the need for getting too anal with your cage cleaning.

Good luck.

 

[insekta]

You can also seed your house, and cages, with Steatoda sp.. Orb weavers running loose look cool, and also help.... Isopods in the cages with eliminate the need for getting too anal with your cage cleaning.

Good luck.

I have a bunch of house spiders that don't bother me or the cats, with the exception of the occasional dusty cobweb. I would love to have orb weavers, but I'm not sure what the poor owner of this house would think of that. I also used to have jumping spiders, but it seems they've all disappeared, and the cat looks a little too innocent.

 

[Scott C.]

They may also just have taken off.... wandering little buggers.

Seriously though, the battle against phorrid flies fought with sanitization is a loosing one if you ask me, or at the very least, a constant one..... Get some help from your friendly neighborhood fauna.