Gnats or phorid flies?

Beastfather

Arachnopeon
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Aug 1, 2022
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I have, i think, fungus gnats in my scorpions enclosure, i read they cant harm Ts or Scorpions but that phorid flies can? Here is a picture. Also i found something looks like small yellow balls, is it mold or could it be their eggs? I think gnats lay eggs in water but i read they can do in damp soil? But its like half way down the substrate, these yellow things. And btw when taking this picture i literally saw two flies mate right infront of me, i even searched google on how gnats mate and it was the exact same thing i saw them do. Also i dont know where to post this so sorry if its the wrong place. Thanx for any help i can get!
 

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PhoenixFyre

Arachnomom
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Dang Barry White does it all the time...

(sorry...I had to...lol!) :rofl:
 

PhoenixFyre

Arachnomom
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Well, in my time - Barry White was the music we'd play for making love.

Gawd...it shows my age...LOL :rofl:
 

egyptiancrow

Arachnobaron
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i cant see anything in your photos honestly. yellow stuff is more likely to be mold, to be honest with you
neither fruit flies, gnats nor phorids can harm your inverts.

however an infestation is absolutely dreadful

how to identify fungus gnat: loves the soil, and moistplaces. prefers to trot or stay still than to fly, but when they fly, they go in your nose or eyes. they run like someone whos carrying a ton of bags is late for the train but also trying not to drop everything. when they fly its a bit like a hover.
the insect equivalent of a torn piece of black tissue paper, practically no substance to body

how to identify phorid flies: like food and moist places like sinks, trash, shower, your face. when they "walk" it looks like they are skipping frames. jittery and super fast. they fly fast too, and tend to swerve around with great speed. much bigger and more grey than black. humpbacked
 

Beastfather

Arachnopeon
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Aug 1, 2022
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i cant see anything in your photos honestly. yellow stuff is more likely to be mold, to be honest with you
neither fruit flies, gnats nor phorids can harm your inverts.

however an infestation is absolutely dreadful

how to identify fungus gnat: loves the soil, and moistplaces. prefers to trot or stay still than to fly, but when they fly, they go in your nose or eyes. they run like someone whos carrying a ton of bags is late for the train but also trying not to drop everything. when they fly its a bit like a hover.
the insect equivalent of a torn piece of black tissue paper, practically no substance to body

how to identify phorid flies: like food and moist places like sinks, trash, shower, your face. when they "walk" it looks like they are skipping frames. jittery and super fast. they fly fast too, and tend to swerve around with great speed. much bigger and more grey than black. humpbacked
I know its not the best pics but you can clearly see small yellow balls which i thought maybe would be enough for someone to identify, but yea the glass is not clear and the picture is taken from very close so that the form and color of the yellow thing can be seen up close. Hahah they run like someone who is late for the train 😄 you explained really good but im still not sure which one it is, because they act jittery, but they dont fly fast.. But thank you man, i will take a better look and try to identify based on your explanation, and either way i will have to get rid of them. Thank you for taking the time to answer!
 

egyptiancrow

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Messages
403
I know its not the best pics but you can clearly see small yellow balls which i thought maybe would be enough for someone to identify, but yea the glass is not clear and the picture is taken from very close so that the form and color of the yellow thing can be seen up close. Hahah they run like someone who is late for the train 😄 you explained really good but im still not sure which one it is, because they act jittery, but they dont fly fast.. But thank you man, i will take a better look and try to identify based on your explanation, and either way i will have to get rid of them. Thank you for taking the time to answer!
sounds like fungus gnats. to get rid of them you can get mosquito bits and follow the directions for putting them in your soil. it wont harm spiders, isopods, etc.

no problem!
 

jbooth

Arachnobaron
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Nov 24, 2022
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sounds like fungus gnats. to get rid of them you can get mosquito bits and follow the directions for putting them in your soil. it wont harm spiders, isopods, etc.

no problem!
Thanks... I see the search feature works ;) Damn things just exploded and my spiders are overwhelmed. I go to feed the juvies and they're already fat from the damn flies and not even making a dent in them. I guess I need more spiders.
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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11,044
It's easy to reduce the fly and gnat population by simply suspending the media of a sticky trap in mid air where the spiders cannot get to. Tape around suspending lines coated in vaseline is an excellet harmless deterrent for adventurous eight leggers.
 

egyptiancrow

Arachnobaron
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Apr 30, 2021
Messages
403
It's easy to reduce the fly and gnat population by simply suspending the media of a sticky trap in mid air where the spiders cannot get to. Tape around suspending lines coated in vaseline is an excellet harmless deterrent for adventurous eight leggers.
many spiders can climb walls or use webbing, which would endanger them of getting stuck to the sticky trap and dying... unless you meant above the enclosure. as someone whos dealt with their share of fungus gnats, hanging fly paper does not help :') it merely stops 100 going in your nose a day down to only 2 or 3, but so long as they are in the source (soil) it will take months if not all year to get rid of them like that.
 
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