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Other methods for controlling fungus gnats include drenching the soil annually in an insecticidal soap. Hydrogen peroxide can be mixed with water and used to kill fungus gnat larvae in infected soil with a mixture of one part 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with four parts water, then applied to the soil.
The diet of most larvae is exclusively fungal, but some members of this family are predators. [2] Adults do not cause damage to plants, but lay 2 small eggs on the surface of moist soil (5–8 cm). Larvae, translucent, legless worms with a black "head" measuring 8–10 mm, later emerge from the eggs. The mouthparts are gnawing.
In general, gnats go through the four life stages of egg, larva, pupa and adult, [6] similar to other flies. The fungus gnats lay their eggs in moist organic debris or soil, which hatch into larvae. The larvae feed on organic matter such as leaf mold, mulch, compost, grass clippings, root hairs and fungi.
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Larvae of fungus gnats can be trapped using chunks of raw potato set cut side down on the soil. This is a good way to check pots for larvae and can also be used to trap and dispose of larvae.
Most fungus gnats (Sciaroidea excluding Cecidomyiidae) live in forests with their larvae occurring in fungi, dead wood and soil. There are some which live in wetlands such as fens . [ 4 ] Several genera of Sciaridae and Mycetophilidae may reach high abundances in damp buildings with wet organic matter.
A Batrachomyia larva parasites a Litoria genimaculata frog. Though Chloropidae generally do not attack vertebrates directly, the larvae of the Australian frog flies, genus Batrachomyia, are exceptions. They cause myiasis in frogs. The parent fly, like most adult Chloropidae, feeds mainly on plant juices, but it lays its eggs near the frog.
Bacillus thuringiensis serotype israelensis (Bti) is a group of bacteria used as biological control agents for larvae stages of certain dipterans. Bti produces toxins which are effective in killing various species of mosquitoes , fungus gnats , and blackflies , while having almost no effect on other organisms.