Growing flowers at home is a very common hobby, to which almost all the inhabitants of our planet devote their time to one degree or another.
Most indoor plants have already passed all possible stages of selection and, subject to agricultural technology, can successfully fight any diseases.
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Introduction
Midges on a houseplant
Only viral infections and pests can pose a danger to indoor plants. And if the former mainly enter the house through the fault of the plant owners (bringing infected planting material or soil), then the latter most often penetrate the dwelling on their own. This is not surprising: nature does not tolerate emptiness, and if a forage base appears somewhere, then sooner or later its consumer will be found.
Representatives of the animal world, due to their mobility, have a huge advantage over immobile plants. They can penetrate into the most inaccessible places in a relatively short time. Insects are the best at doing this - their small size and ability to fly remove all possible barriers before this type of pest.
One of the most dangerous pests of indoor plants are various types of midges. The article discusses ways to combat various species of these arthropods parasitizing on home flowers.
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Midges in indoor flowers
Often people involved in indoor floriculture do not pay much attention to unwanted guests appearing on their green pets, which, of course, is a mistake. The small size of the pests should not be misleading. The very fact of their appearance indicates that the plant is in danger, since it is of food interest for midges.
In addition, the life cycle of these pests is very short - from several days to several weeks. The second generation will appear very quickly and will be more numerous. If you ignore the problem, you can lose your favorite culture in less than a month.
Midges and their larvae
It is difficult and simple at the same time to answer the question why midges settle on indoor plants. Simply, because an acceptable environment for their reproduction is created on the ground. And it is difficult because there are many ways for pests to enter the home and it is very difficult to block even some of them.
In particular, midges can get into a house with low-quality substrate, will appear when transplanting a crop from a garden or other premises, getting into an apartment simply through an open window, etc.
The species diversity of midges dangerous for indoor plants is very large. Consider which midges can harm indoor plants. Usually, they are classified by appearance and are divided into three large groups:
Drosophila
Tanzanian Drosophila - a typical representative of fruit flies
They are fruit or fruit midges. Outwardly, they resemble smaller copies of ordinary flies.
Coloring is the most diverse, but yellow-brown specimens are predominantly found. Dimensions - up to 3.5 mm.
sciarids
Detritnitsa - the most common representative of the family in Europe
Another name is black midges or mushroom mosquitoes. One of the largest families, the number of species is estimated to be several times greater than that of Drosophila.
These pests look like small mosquitoes or flying black aphids. Dimensions - up to 2 mm.
Aleurodides
The American whitefly is the main pest of most ornamental crops.
They are whiteflies. Outwardly similar to small flies or aphids. A distinctive feature is the white color of the body and wings. They like to hide on the underside of leaves. Dimensions - from 1.3 to 1.8 mm.
Fortunately for flower growers, despite the huge variety of arthropod parasites, the means of dealing with them are almost the same, which greatly simplifies the approach to solving the problem.
Other pests
Weed flea - a typical representative of earthen fleas
Often other insects that parasitize on plants are confused with midges - earthy flower fleas. Unlike the previously discussed pests, they belong not only to a completely different family, but also to the order (Coleoptera). Flower earth fleas are actually small beetles.
Of course, they can parasitize indoor plants (mainly affecting young plants and seedlings), but these cases are quite rare. The main food base of these pests is plants from vegetable gardens and meadows: sorrel, heather and shepherd's purse. In some cases, they can act as pests of vegetables and fruits.
Podura, or springtails, is another type of arthropod that is often confused with midges. They do not fly, but have a jumping fork that allows them to move between plants quite easily.
Like earthen fleas, this pest infects houseplants very rarely, because its natural habitat requires the presence of a large amount of water. In addition, podura breed exclusively in the aquatic environment.
Podura usually live in shallow water bodies.
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Signs of infection
The appearance of white spots on the substrate is one of the signs of infection
Visually, midges are quite small, in addition, they often hide under leaves, in the folds of stems and flowers, or even just sit on the ground. Even whiteflies, which have a contrasting coloration, are difficult to distinguish on the leaf surface. The larvae are generally almost impossible to notice, since they are located near the root system, that is, they are hidden in the ground.
However, there are several signs by which you can accurately determine the presence of parasitic insects in the form of midges on indoor plants:
- The soil or substrate becomes crumbly. By consistency, they resemble sand, taken in lumps.
- The plant shows signs of one or more diseases. For example, leaves begin to fall, growth slows down, buds wither, growth points dry out, and so on.
- A white coating may appear on the stems and leaves.
- The color of the substrate changes slightly - it seems to “fade”
Ficus pests
Usually, symptoms appear in 1-2 signs, but already a week after the active action of the parasites, all the listed symptoms are present.
Urgent action neededbecause the plant is in serious danger.
The following crops are especially vulnerable to midges:
Despite the fact that most ficuses have poisonous juice, they are most often affected by midges. Mushroom mosquitoes mainly "specialize" in ficuses.
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Pest control on houseplants
There are several methods with which you can defeat this misfortune. They differ in efficiency, terms of implementation and consequences. It is difficult to say which one to choose in each specific situation, since there are many factors that affect both the life of insects and the physiology of plants.
Let's take a closer look at the various methods.
Application of chemistry
Spraying the top of the plant
The fastest and most effective way, however, it can backfire on both insects and humans. An incorrectly chosen or implemented strategy can only aggravate the situation. In particular, it is necessary to follow the instructions for the use of certain drugs exactly.
Modern insecticides are available in various types and forms of packaging. These can be sprays, granules, liquids, etc. The most effective means are shown in the table below.
| A drug | Release form | Amount in a package |
|---|---|---|
|
Aerosols | Raid | 300 ml |
| dichlorvos | 350 ml | |
| raptor | 350 ml | |
Liquids | Agravertin | 4 ml |
| Fufanon | 2 ml | |
| Actellik | 6 ml | |
| Fitoverm | 10 ml | |
Granules | Thunder | 10 g |
| Bazudin | 30 g | |
| flyeater | 10 g and 25 g | |
| Aktara | 4 g | |
Sprays | Bona Forte | 500 ml |
| Calypso | 500 ml |
The scheme for the use of insecticides is standard and is carried out in this way:
- Two days before application, watering is stopped so that the top layer of soil is completely dry. It is enough that the soil or substrate is completely dry 2 cm deep
- After the top layer of soil has dried, loosen it and add the drug to it, following the instructions. In this case, liquids and aerosols are introduced in their usual form, and tablets or granules are dissolved in water at the desired concentration.
- After the soil has been processed, another loosening is performed.
- A plastic bag is put on a flower pot, thus creating the effect of a greenhouse
- In this state, the flower is left for 4 hours.
- The package is removed, and the plant is exposed to airing.
Further flower care is carried out according to the standard scheme.
Use of gloves when getting rid of midges
Chemicals should be used using protective equipment (gloves, mask, respirator, etc.)
Against the background of the treatment of plants with chemistry, care should also be taken about the room, since part of the population of midges can avoid the treatment procedure by staying outside the pot. For this purpose, conventional fumigators can be used. from mosquitoeswhich act on a large number of insect species. They may not destroy them, but they are guaranteed to force them to leave the premises. Fumigators work especially well on black midges.
Mechanical methods of struggle
Pest control on houseplants
These methods do not use chemistry, that is, they are harmless to others. Their effectiveness generally depends on the stage of development the pests are currently at.
If the midges have not yet had time to lay eggs, the above methods will be quite effective.
Drying the top layer
Pest control on houseplants
The watering schedule should be adjusted so that the soil has time to dry to a depth of at least 3 cm. In a dry environment, the larvae die, and adults do not lay eggs in an excessively dry environment.
Removing midges with a vacuum cleaner
Especially effective in the first days of infection if there are too many insects. The brush is removed from the vacuum cleaner and, at low engine speeds, the window sill, the surface of the pot, the top layer of soil, the stems and leaves of the plant are treated in turn. In this case, you should not bring the pipe too close to the leaves and flowers.
After processing, the garbage bag from the vacuum cleaner should be shaken away from the house. At the end of the procedure, it is recommended to take the plant to the bathroom and subject it to sprinkling. For guaranteed disposal of larvae, you can treat the soil with an insecticide with a reduced concentration.
Traps
Use of sticky traps
The simplest traps purchased at a store or made on your own can almost completely destroy the midge population in just a couple of days. If for some reason the effectiveness of store flycatchers does not satisfy the owner, you can make a trap from adhesive tape yourself.
To do this, take a thick cardboard of yellow or cream color and honey. The cardboard is cut into narrow strips (10 by 3 cm) and laid out around the pots. Further, honey is simply applied to the cardboard from the colored side.
You can glue strips to toothpicks and stick them into the ground, you can hang them around a flower on a rope - there are many methods for setting such traps. When enough insects fill the traps, they are changed. Instead of honey, you can use jam or molasses.
Liquid traps are also allowed: a solution of honey, jam or sugar syrup in water is poured into small saucers or bowls. Using a sweet and sour mixture for open traps is very effective against fruit flies.
Liquid fly trap
It includes the following components:
- apple cider vinegar (or sweet wine)
- compote
- honey
All ingredients in the amount of 1 tsp. mix in a small saucer and add 2-3 drops of dishwashing detergent. From above, the saucer is covered with cling film (so that there is no rapid evaporation), in which up to 5 holes are made with a toothpick. Such traps are installed at a distance of up to 1 m from the affected plants. This distance will be quite enough to spread the smell, which attracts various varieties of flower flies.
soaking
Remedies for midges
Midges can be soaked by adding some kind of disinfectant to the water for irrigation.
Usually, to deal with small insects, simpler means are enough - soap, ammonia, a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Soap solution is prepared according to the following scheme:
- About 50 g of laundry soap is rubbed on a grater
- Dilute grated soap in 1 liter of water, mix thoroughly
- Spray the plant with a spray bottle
- Watered flower
Spray the plant with a spray bottle
Soil cultivation is carried out by other means. As a liquid for irrigation, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate. Its concentration should not exceed 0.1%. Visually, the solution should be slightly pink.
Another option for irrigation fluid - a mixture of water and ammonia. Usually a 0.1% solution is used (3 tablespoons of ammonia are diluted in 4.5 liters of water).
Watering is carried out every 3-4 days. The transition to ordinary water is made when the signs of the appearance of pests disappear.
Soil replacement
Soil replacement from midges
A radical, but very effective method of struggle. In this case, you can not change all the soil in the pot. It is enough to replace it to a depth of 3-5 cm.If no significant improvement is observed a few days after the replacement, you will have to change the entire soil layer along with drainage and disinfection of the container.
The sequence of actions when changing the soil will be as follows:
- Dig up plants from contaminated soil
- Cut off damaged parts of the roots
- Thoroughly rinse the root system and treat it with a 0.1% solution of potassium permanganate
- Take a new pot and treat it with boiling water
- Drainage in a pot is also treated with boiling water.
- Transplant the plant into a new soil and put it temporarily in another room
Before planting, disinfect the new soil (even if it was purchased from a specialized store). This can be done using the same solution of 0.1% potassium permanganate, or heated in an oven to a temperature of +110°C for 10-20 minutes.
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Folk remedies for the destruction of midges
How to get rid of midges on flowers with matches
These methods are less effective than those discussed earlier, but in some cases even them are sufficient. They are relatively safe and can be implemented by means that are always at hand:
- You can cut the skin off an orange (or lemon) and stick it into the soil around the perimeter of the pot. Repeat regularly for 2-3 weeks. Orange peels are especially effective against black flower midges.
- Four matches are inserted into the top layer of soil head down. The deepening is carried out by 1.5-2 cm. After a day, the matches are taken out and checked to see if the sulfur has disappeared. If it disappears, new ones are inserted. After a week of such treatment, the larvae die.
- Garlic cloves cut lengthwise are laid out around the perimeter of the container. Change once a day. Processing time - 2 weeks
- The soil is sprinkled with wood ash. Usually, within a few days, adult pests leave, and the larvae die.
- Pieces of Velcro-flycatcher are cut into pieces 5x5 cm and placed directly on the surface of the soil. Velcro change once a day
- Crushed chalk from cockroaches is poured on the surface of the soil
- Use of antiparasitic drugs for pets. An anthelmintic drug (for example, Drontal) in an amount per animal weight of 2-3 kg is diluted in 1 liter of water and the plant is watered. The procedure is repeated 2 times a week
More advanced folk methods involve the use of special tools (solutions and infusions) created from improvised components. Below are their recipes.
Garlic infusion
Garlic infusion from midges
To process one flower pot, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 head garlic
- 600 ml boiling water
Rub the garlic on a fine grater, pour boiling water over it and let it brew for 2-4 hours. Then they spray the plant. The pulp remaining at the bottom is mixed with the top layer of soil. It is advisable to use a fresh solution while the activity of essential oils and alkaloids in it is maximum.
Nicotine tincture
Tincture of shag
To prepare it, you will need tobacco from 20 cigarettes (you can take the cheapest, but strong, without a filter). Tobacco is crushed, pour 500-600 ml of boiling water and left for 5 days in a cool place.
Insist it in the dark, tightly corked with a lid. After that, the tincture is filtered and used for spraying. Plants are treated 3 times with a break of 2-3 days.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide from midges
An excellent tool are chemically active commonly available substances. If midges have started in your flowers, you can remove them with hydrogen peroxide.
To do this, you will need several tablets of hydroperite, water and cinnamon essential oil. 3 tablets of hydroperite are dissolved in a liter of water and 5 drops of cinnamon oil are added to the resulting mixture.
The leaves of the plant are treated with this mixture and the top layer of the earth is watered. Peroxide is quite active - it can destroy adult insects on the green part of the flower. The larvae in the ground will also die.
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How to get rid of midges - ways to fight
The best way to get rid of a disease is to prevent it. To make it as difficult as possible for midges to attack indoor plants, you must follow a number of rules. They do not give a 100% guarantee, but significantly increase the chances of plants to remain unharmed.
Preventive measures usually concern agricultural practices, but some of them may be of a different nature and be aimed at changing the environment.
moderate watering
Spraying the top of the plant
In general, it can be noted that abundant watering, leading to waterlogging, is harmful to most indoor plants. Most often, plant owners make mistakes with watering in the fall, continuing to water their pets in the "summer" mode.
Mosquitoes need moist soil to reproduce. Any increase in watering rates leads not only to increased vegetation, but also creates favorable conditions for the appearance of uninvited guests on the flowers.
Humidity of air and soil
Midges in flower pots
Flower growing areas should be controlled to ensure that they are in acceptable conditions, since high humidity can also be harmful, since it promotes the reproduction of midges. If the air or soil (even if watering rates are observed) is excessively moist, care should be taken to dry the room.
In extreme cases, it is recommended to rearrange the pots to another place.
Proper drainage
Expanded clay as drainage
Good drainage is a guarantee that moisture will not stagnate in the roots of the plant. This will not only protect them from decay, but also help in the fight against flies and their larvae.
Quarantine
Pests on indoor plants
Purchased plants should be placed in a kind of quarantine - put them in a separate room for up to 1 month. This will help prevent the spread of potential pests (including flower flies) around the apartment.
Soil loosening
Soil preparation
Don't forget to loosen the topsoil. Periodic loosening not only enriches the roots with oxygen, but also allows the soil to dry out faster. In addition, the larvae, caught in the open air, quickly die. During loosening, it is necessary to inspect the soil to find out if small insects or their larvae have started in it.
Previously, it was listed which plants are most vulnerable to flower midges. However, loosening the soil should be done in most decorative indoor crops.
Keeping the plant clean
Pest control on houseplants
Fallen leaves and inflorescences should be removed in a timely manner from the surface of the soil in a pot, since rotting residues - an ideal environment for the development of not only insects, but also other pathogenic organisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi).
This also includes the use of the correct top dressing. Any organic matter should be introduced under indoor plants with great care. Organic fertilizers of natural origin may contain the larvae of various varieties of midges or earth bugs. They may also contain substances that provoke decay.
In addition, it is not recommended to use tea leaves or coffee grounds as a fertilizer. If all the same, such fertilizers are used (for example, they are very useful for violets, Kalanchoe and dracaena), they must be dried before use.
VIDEO: Midges in indoor flowers. Causes of appearance and effective methods of struggle
Midges in indoor flowers.Causes of appearance and effective methods of struggle
How to get rid of midges in indoor flowers and plants? TOP 10 ways including folk remedies | (Photo & Video) +Reviews
Olga, thank you very much for the article! The material is given in an interesting, sufficiently (optimal) detail and very clearly - professional work! It remains to apply what has been learned in practice. Hope for success!
With all respect, Andrew
I just wanted to write from myself as a former victim. Midges are a terrible thing, they breed uniquely a lot and quickly. Well, basically everyone describes the same methods, I just haven’t tried it. A solution of potassium permanganate helped, but not in one day, the midges swarm mainly at their own pot, in order to reduce the flying ones, they stuck a stick into the ground and hung the usual wide adhesive tape, lowered the livestock, hung on it in clusters. It is very difficult to get rid of them, they cause a lot of inconvenience, they almost fall into tea. Potassium permanganate helped, but I don’t advise much, you will burn both the earth and the roots. Yes, I just didn’t understand the main thing from which the earth rotted, now I also water it abundantly and nothing rots. I planted tangerines straight from the stone and grow soundly already somewhere around 12-13 cm. Maybe the energy was negative (I can be joking).