How To Get Rid Of Fruit Gnats?

Gardeners, beware—the hard working gnats in your garden may be up to their neck in trouble. Gnats have been a part of our lives since the dawn of time, and despite their name, fruit gnats have been using our plants as temporary homes since the time of the dinosaurs. They are so common that most of us don’t even notice them, and if we do notice them, it’s most likely because we are trying to remove them.

How to get rid of them

The apple seems to be the only fruit that is free from this problem. But actually, it is not! Fruit gnats have made it to all kinds of fruits and vegetables and can cause major damage. The adult fruit gnat can lay over 300 eggs in one night. The larvae will crawl into the fruit, and by then it is too late. The best way to avoid this is to cut them off. The best way to do this is to slice up the fruit and have it for dessert.

Prevention

You can control fruit flies in two ways. First, you can use sprays that contain fruit fly eggs. These are usually sold in packs of 100. Second, you can kill them at the larvae stage. There are a number of products that you can buy at home shops that will kill them in the larval stage. Sprays and dusts are usually used to kill fruit flies, but dusts can be a bit messy. As well, you have to make sure that you completely remove all of the fruit flies and eggs from the fruit and any fruit that has been infested.

Treatments

Fruity gnats can ruin your life. I’ve been plagued by these little critters for years. They swarm my fruit and keep me up at night. But they aren’t quite as bad as the caterpillar version, so I’ve come up with a few different ways to get rid of them.

The two most common fruit gnat infestations

If your apple or citrus trees have fruit gnats, the good news is that there is a way to get rid of them. Fruity fruit gnats tend to be most bothersome during the summer. However, they are just as likely to emerge during other times of the year. You can keep them out by covering your trees with floating row cover. This can be a plastic floating row cover, or a simple plastic shower cap. Floating row covers should be placed directly on the soil surrounding the tree, not the tree itself. Floating row covers should be removed and replaced as needed, typically just before the fruit begins to grow. Floating row covers are cheap, easy to use, and can be used year-round. They will keep fruit gnats out of the tree during the growing season, and will allow fruit to develop normally, although you will not be able to harvest it as fast. Once the growing season is over, they can be placed back over the tree and left there for the winter.

Symptoms

Fruit gnats are small insects that live in tree fruit, berries and many other plants. The fruit gnat typically builds a bubble-like chamber inside the fruit where they lay eggs. Fruit gnats are not harmful to humans, but they do cause a lot of damage to fruit. Over time, fruit gnats can reduce the overall quality of the fruit. They can also lead to premature ripening and spoilage of fruit. They also can cause plants to wilt. To prevent fruit gnats from causing damage to your fruit, use the following tips: Avoid storing fruit in a place that is too warm or too cold. Keep in mind that cold temperatures can cause fruit to prematurely ripen. Store fruit in the refrigerator at a temperature of 34ºF or below. In the fall, keep fruit in a cool dry place. Never use sprays or dusts that contain insecticides to control fruit gnats. These sprays may also harm the quality of your fruit. If you suspect fruit gnats on your fruit, you may be able to remove them by hand. However, it is important to remove all of the gnats as they will likely be attracted to other fruit. The two best options to prevent fruit gnats are to plant rows of compatible plants, or move them to an insect-proof area. If you have plants in your yard, you can plant rows of prickly pear, mesquite, or even kiwi fruit. These plants are more aggressive in their growth