One of the many questions asked by the students yesterday was what are these bugs that come out of the houseplant soil?



One is the fungus Gnat. These are soil bourne and multiply quite quickly. As an adult these pests are annoying at best, the maggots however are another story. Maggots feed on the organic matter in compost and on young roots.



Fungus gnats are a real problem this time of year. (or just more noticeable) I brought home a plant from the florists and it was the culprit that caused the home problem. Trying to get rid of these little pests can be a full time job. Here are a few tips to help:
1. Replace the soil and pot with new soil and do not over water. They are caused by overwatering and decaying material on the soil of your plants. To see if your plant needs watering, push finger into soil to first knuckle, if it comes out dry then
water your plant.
2. Try using these little yellow sticky papers. You can find them at most stores that sell the houseplants.


Another is the vine weevil. These are usually found outside,but,can be brought in with new houseplants or plants which have summered outside. The adults eat the leaves. The creamy grubs at 1 inch do the real damage. They live in soil and rapidly eat up roots, bulbs and tubers. Controlling them is difficult or next to impossible.






Day -13 sun and cloud Wind NNW11km/h P.O.P.20%
Night -16 mostly cloudy Wind N4km/h P.O.P.40%