Flies in houseplants

Leif

Rovver125 wrote: »

Has anyone heard of the idea of putting sharp sand on top of the compost in your pots to combat these flies?

No, but it should work. Basically you are preventing the maggots from emerging into flies, and then leaving the soil surface, so you break the life cycle.

Rovver125

Leif wrote: »

No, but it should work. Basically you are preventing the maggots from emerging into flies, and then leaving the soil surface, so you break the life cycle.

Yeah the advice I saw said something about the sharp sand shredding the flies as they tried to enter/leave the compost.

It seems to be working and we actually think the pots look quite good with the sand on top! Have to be a bit more gentle watering them though unless you want to be constantly replenishing the sand.

antw23uk

Sharp sand on the top and water the plants from a tray so they soak up the water.

Im forever walking round 'clapping' in our house. I have to explain to guests its the flies/ nats im catching and im not randomly breaking into appluase for them visiting :T

REEN

I found those yellow sticky fly-trap cards worked well, caught dozens of fruit flies this summer. Lots committed suicide in a half inch of wine left in a glass overnight too!

Leif

Reen wrote: »

I found those yellow sticky fly-trap cards worked well, caught dozens of fruit flies this summer. Lots committed suicide in a half inch of wine left in a glass overnight too!

Sadly they don't work for these small flies, there's too many. I bought some cards, and they ended up covered in flies. But they kept on coming.