Gnats!!!!!

Newtot

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 25, 2013
Messages
70
I have what I think are fruit flies. They are only in my cambridgei enclosure for some reason. They are on the substrate and walking around the sides. How do I get rid of these lil monsters. The enclosure hasn't been up long. I have ben battling them in my kitchen all summer but just noticed them in around my ts. I need help:eek:
 

REvan342

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 17, 2015
Messages
41
Look up "apple cider vinegar fruit flies".... You'll get results telling you how to construct a trap out of a soda bottle, and apple cider vinegar. Pretty simple, but to wordy for one post.
 

edgeofthefreak

Arachno-titled!
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 2, 2012
Messages
496
I have fungus gnats at my place. Very different from slow flying fruit flies, these guys prefer to run than fly. If you have the same as I do, then they eat decaying plant roots, or anything similar. Many of mine live in a rather large Exo-terra terrarium, and it's very humid in there, lots of plant decay. Normal house spiders can't seem to tolerate that humidity, but Pholcidae can with no issues.

If you have fungus gnats, install a few Pholcidae cellar spiders in the corners of your P. cam enclosure. They'll make a messy web, and spend the minutes eating your infestation away.

If you actually have fruit flies, follow what REvan342 said. They are much easier to rid.
 

mmfh

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 14, 2010
Messages
345
Eventually they die. I had a crap load of gnats in my millipede container, then I had a bigger amount of maggots sharing my millipedes vegetables and then they were gone. +1 to the trap idea if they are really bothering you or your spider.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
I'm wondering too if it's actually fruit flies; not sure what the draw would be to a T enclosure.

No law says you can't have both -- one type in kitchen, another type in with your T.

Good luck eradicating whatever you have -- I loathe flies or gnats invading my home.
 

edgeofthefreak

Arachno-titled!
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 2, 2012
Messages
496
I'm wondering too if it's actually fruit flies; not sure what the draw would be to a T enclosure.

No law says you can't have both -- one type in kitchen, another type in with your T.

Good luck eradicating whatever you have -- I loathe flies or gnats invading my home.
+1 to having many kinds of vermin, flying or otherwise. They don't mind sharing. :)

Now that I have fungus gnats that won't leave, I'm starting to prefer the fruit flies. They're bigger and slower than fungus gnats, and I can tell the difference when one flies past me. Had a gnat land on my nose last night, despite all efforts of flailing my arms wildly in front of me. No dice, gnat on my nose.

I simply "high five" the fruit flies and just keep walking, as I've rarely had fruit flies last in my house.
 

mmfh

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 14, 2010
Messages
345
Lol better than breathing one right up your nostril!
 

Hobo

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Staff member
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
2,208
I have fungus gnats at my place. Very different from slow flying fruit flies, these guys prefer to run than fly. If you have the same as I do, then they eat decaying plant roots, or anything similar. Many of mine live in a rather large Exo-terra terrarium, and it's very humid in there, lots of plant decay. Normal house spiders can't seem to tolerate that humidity, but Pholcidae can with no issues.

If you have fungus gnats, install a few Pholcidae cellar spiders in the corners of your P. cam enclosure. They'll make a messy web, and spend the minutes eating your infestation away.

If you actually have fruit flies, follow what REvan342 said. They are much easier to rid.
I think you mean phorid/scuttle flies.
Fungus gnats are those tiny, annoying flies that live near your houseplants. Fairly easy to get rid of in enclosures as they die off when it gets dry.

Fruit flies are a bit more annoying, but are also generally easy to get rid of, using the methods already outlined. Also, get rid of their food source!

Now, phorid flies are spawn of the fly-devil himself. They run around as mentioned, know how to hide in tiny crevices and things, are quite a bit larger, and are a lot more hardy.
The best way to get rid of them is find (and get rid of) the food source for their maggots (probably left overs or dead feeders), use a variety of fly traps, and kill any and all flies and pupae that you see (more for your satisfaction, the amount you kill is probably insignificant).
 

Newtot

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 25, 2013
Messages
70
now there are lil worms all n there do I need to rehouse
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
now there are lil worms all n there do I need to rehouse
Like nematodes? Some sort of larvae?

Must be something dead in there attracting these pests. If you can't find a bolus/something foul in enclosure to remove and clean it out - then rehousing might be a good bet. I would also wipe down things in adjacent area, vacuum room well .... get rid of any hang-arounders. Don't use chemicals or poisons though!
 

Burchling

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 26, 2015
Messages
39
I have what I think are fruit flies. They are only in my cambridgei enclosure for some reason. They are on the substrate and walking around the sides. How do I get rid of these lil monsters. The enclosure hasn't been up long. I have ben battling them in my kitchen all summer but just noticed them in around my ts. I need help:eek:
These only show up when you leave food and drinks out and open in the sink and on the counter. Clean your kitchen. It is going to infect and affect your T's.
 

spiderbesideher

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 17, 2015
Messages
76
I get these occasionally when I do a rehouse with new substrate, they show up a few days later. ..eventually they go away after a few days though. Never seemed to bother the t's so I let em be.
 

Hisserdude

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
2,453
The worms are probably the maggots of the fungus gnats, just let the container dry out a bit and they'll die off.
 
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