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Little insects in my plant pot. Eeek!

trolleyrun
trolleyrun Posts: 1,382 Forumite
Hi everyone.

A few weeks ago I planted seeds from sweet peppers and a chilli (seeds removed from ripe "fruit", then dried and planted). Some of the seeds have germinated, but now I've noticed there are quite a few flying insects around them. They look a bit like little mosquitoes, but I don't think they "bite". The seedlings look healthy enough, but as they're indoors (living room), I really don't want these insects around.

Do any of you have an idea as to what they are and how I can get rid of them please? The seedlings aren't strong enough to go outside yet, and if I put them in the porch, they might contaminate the other chilli plants I have there.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Comments

  • cootambear
    cootambear Posts: 1,474 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    maybe you could put them outside on warm days and let the little !!!!!!s fly off or be predated?
    Freedom is the freedom to say that 2+2 = 4 (George Orwell, 1984).

    (I desire) ‘a great production that will supply all, and more than all the people can consume’,

    (Sylvia Pankhurst).
  • trolleyrun
    trolleyrun Posts: 1,382 Forumite
    After some investigations it turns out it's black fly. Have acquired a spray which will hopefully kill them off.
  • A lot of the usual bug sprays won't touch blackfly and greenfly - try different ones and make a note of the active ingredients to see which work on your particular strain.
  • McKneff
    McKneff Posts: 38,857 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Water the plants from the bottom, not the top.

    It seemed to stop when i did that.
    make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
    and we will never, ever return.
  • trolleyrun
    trolleyrun Posts: 1,382 Forumite
    I've been told that the spray I've got will kill off the black fly.

    I always water my plants from the bottom.

    Will see what happens in the next few days. Thank you :)
  • mrbadexample
    mrbadexample Posts: 10,805 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Photogenic
    They sound more like fungus gnats to me.
    If you lend someone a tenner and never see them again, it was probably worth it.
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