Flies!

[Edvet]

One of the most kept spider sp. It would fit your setup measure wise, sadly it feeds on cricket's babymice etc etc.

 

[Luciën]

I'm not an expert but I think that it must not be able to climb up the glass and you might have to think about feeding after the flies are all done for.. There has to be someone on this form that keeps terrariums that or have experience with this.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

and if there are any there that would be suited for the kind of environment in the tanks, but it might work

I'm not sure that hunting spiders (like jumping, bird-eating, wolf or house spiders) will go for Sciarid flies, I think you would need a small specimen of orb-web forming type (you might be able to find one out-side and return it later).

There are a couple of creatures that they use commercially for biological control

Hypoaspis miles or Macrocheles robustulus (predatory mites) feed on sciarid fly larvae in the surface layer of soil or growing media. They can survive for several weeks in the absence of prey so are a good choice for a preventive treatment or where pest populations are at low levels. A minimum temperature of 15°C is needed for mites to be active and for eggs to hatch.

from <"Pest and disease management - Sciarid fly">

Seriously the Pinguicula will work, and it doesn't matter if you run out of flies. I'm more than happy to post one for you, but they are commonly available at garden-centres etc. and it is likely to work out cheaper than the p&p.

cheers Darrel

 

[Aqua360]

Hi all, I'm not sure that hunting spiders (like jumping, bird-eating, wolf or house spiders) will go for Sciarid flies, I think you would need a small specimen of orb-web forming type (you might be able to find one out-side and return it later).

There are a couple of creatures that they use commercially for biological controlfrom <"Pest and disease management - Sciarid fly">

Seriously the Pinguicula will work, and it doesn't matter if you run out of flies. I'm more than happy to post one for you, but they are commonly available at garden-centres etc. and it is likely to work out cheaper than the p&p.

cheers Darrel

Thanks Darrell, I'll make a point of heading to B&Q this weekend for a look, I think I'm going to empty one set-up, and fill the other with water, but i'll still need to solve the fly problem on my emersed windowsill trays, so the thread is very much alive and relevant!

 

[Aqua360]

Hi all,

Update below on the emersed growth, a big thanks to Darrell for kindly sending me some fly eating Pinguicula!

Noticed a considerable decrease in flies, and am finally enjoying some nice lush growth. The carpet at the front is very new, I'm hoping it fills in in the coming weeks!

 

[TBRO]

I’ve had some little black gnats in my emergant set up. Going to give sundews a go. Also noticed a small spider in there too! Nature knows best! Nice growth T.


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[Aqua360]

I’ve had some little black gnats in my emergant set up. Going to give sundews a go. Also noticed a small spider in there too! Nature knows best! Nice growth T.


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Any pics of your set up?

I'm getting more into the emerged scapes, much easier without water lol. Can sundews take the humidity? I'm learning more about carnivorous plants recently , think that's another hobby lol

 

[TBRO]

Yes I’ve played with carnivores before. They seem to appreciate humidity. Will post up some pics on the journal when sundews arrive! Quick snap while running past:




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[Mike Moran]

I’ve made a

Hi all,

I've got two small emersed set-ups, using 99p aldi soil and an assortment of aquatic plants grown emersed. I've recently noted the presence of small flies in the set-ups, which is a nightmare, I've got no idea what they are, maybe midgies or something?

No idea how they've originated, I use cling film on the set-ups and the windows aren't always open, but nevertheless they are there, and I need them gone.

Any suggestions? I'd hate to breakdown the two set-ups, but I will if there is no other option; I can't fill them either since its soil, I'd have to put sand on top, which would likely decimate my carpet.

Will upload pics of set-ups shortly,

thanks guys!

I make terrariums and have seen similar problems in jars/ glass vessels. I wonder if your flies might be ‘peat gnats’? They’re very common and thrive in warm wet soils. Their eggs may have been present in the soil you bought from Aldi. I’ve read that sterilising the soil by soaking it and baking it in on an old baking tray in the oven to 180 degrees will help. Apparently the soil has to be wet for the baking to kill the eggs/larvae as otherwise the heat doesn’t spread through it evenly. Might be worth a try next time. I think the aquarium subsrates are sterilised already so I guess they’re much lower risk. But also more expensive. Im not at all an expert so this is only a thought! but I hope it helps.

 

[Aqua360]

I’ve made a

I make terrariums and have seen similar problems in jars/ glass vessels. I wonder if your flies might be ‘peat gnats’? They’re very common and thrive in warm wet soils. Their eggs may have been present in the soil you bought from Aldi. I’ve read that sterilising the soil by soaking it and baking it in on an old baking tray in the oven to 180 degrees will help. Apparently the soil has to be wet for the baking to kill the eggs/larvae as otherwise the heat doesn’t spread through it evenly. Might be worth a try next time. I think the aquarium subsrates are sterilised already so I guess they’re much lower risk. But also more expensive. Im not at all an expert so this is only a thought! but I hope it helps.

Intriguing! I also invested in carnivorous plants 😉

 

[zozo]

Darrel, try this, i got my whiteworms and grindal worms on this (Seramis)

No more flies and mites, i rinse the cultures every few weeks if they start to smell.

Last time i asked the garden centre for it a few months back, because i couldn't find any.. They said it is out of production. And i would be lucky if i found some new old stock in shops. No idea if that was true, could be a little lie to make me buy something else..

 

[zozo]

By the way getting a spider aint that hard, but than you need to hurry a bit.. Put a few buckets of water in the garden, wait for mosquitos to find it, if mosquitos find the bucket spiders will find te mosquitos and build a net near it. Commonly i find loads of Cross spiders near the water in my garden. Catch a small one and release is in the tank. 🙂 They don't mind..

I have an open top tank indoor with 50% emersed and 50% water surface.. It atracted a few <Dictyna> on its own nesting in it. But these don't make realy decorative webs. In Germany they are commonly called Frizzle spider because of the spooky and disorderly net they create. But very effective build a net very close to the surface stretching over a few square inch.