nats
 

:scratchhead: :scratchhead: dose any one know how to get rid of nats . i just noticed them around my mounted plants

I use this type of sticky trap:
Yellow Sticky Traps

If you look around, you may get better pricing and/or shipping charges. Just wanted to show the type of trap, not the company in the link ( I've never used them so I know nothing about them)

I assume you are making reference to fungus gnats. They are more of a nuisance than anything else but their larvae live in the media and eat the rotting stuff and plant roots. They say their presence may indicate too much water or nasty growing media (not your situation). Spraying with an insecticide that contains imidacloprid (Merit, Grub-X) kills the larvae...the adults that flit around and just flitting around! I often wonder if the adults have biting or sucking mouth parts and can harm the leaves of the chids? I don't have any info on this aspect of this thread but sure would love if someone has well-founded knowledge could weight-in.

I've used them (Yellow Sticky) for Thrip...haven't had much luck with fungus gnats....but others may have....

there is a great product that controls fungus gnats biologically. It's called Gnatrol, and is available from Repotme.com Works very well, and is safe to use on just about anything, and is not toxic. It controls by stopping the larva from eating.I use yellow sticky traps to find out if adults are present and then treat pots and mounted plants
Hope this helps, DeAnne

i use the regular sticky fly traps. works good and last loger. also much cheaper.
once the flying adults are gone. no more problem

i use the regular sticky fly traps. works good and last loger. also much cheaper.
once the flying adults are gone. no more problem

I water mine with rain water treated with a mosquito dunk. It has BT in it that kill gnat larvae in the soil. Inside I supplement that with sticky traps.

I also water with rain/mosquito dunk , and use the fly strips . also have a few knat catching plants, sundew and butterwort ..
I forgot the resident spider web up high in a corner of the green house :)..

Oh yes, I have a bunch of d. Adelae and Capensis indoors that are VERY good at catching them as well!

The damage depends on what type you have.
A good reference is

Fungus Gnats, Shore Flies, Moth Flies, and March Flies Management Guidelines--UC IPM

Great reference. I already had it bookmarked. Both Fungus gnats and Shoreflies may be found in orchid greenhouses and orchidariums. Of the two, I find Fungus gnats the worst pest, since the tiny larvae feed on plant roots as well as other stuff like algae. The Shoreflies and their larvae feed exclusively on algae and diatoms found in wet sphagnum and on algae-covered mounts in terrariums/orchidariums. Difficult to get rid of shoreflies but Fungus gnats are pretty easy with yellow sticky traps and a shot of Pyrethrin-based insecticide on/in the plant and container or mount.