There are many pests. Each type of infestation requires an individual treatment that is tailored to the cause. Same with the fungus gnat. If you are unsure whether it is really the pest, you can get to know the exact damage profile of the fungus gnat here.
Fungus gnats nibble on plant roots
symptoms
You should be aware of the following symptoms:
characteristics on the plant
- stunted growth
- Cuttings and seedlings die.
- Dry leaves (easily confused with lack of water)
- Numerous little animals buzz around the plant.
- Large accumulations on the potting soil
- Eaten stems of plants
Characteristics of the fungus gnat
- dark body
- Dark Wings
- Slim body
- 2 to 7 cm long
- Trunk protrudes over the animal's head
- Rarely fly (rolling flight)
- Long legs
- Increased occurrence in heat and high humidity, avoid cold
Direct and indirect damage
Biologists differentiate between two types of fungus gnat damage:
- The direct damage
- The indirect damage
The direct damage
The direct damage from the fungus gnat mostly affects younger, weakened specimens or cuttings. It occurs when larvae of the fungus gnat nibble on the roots and extract the plant sap. The above symptoms are typical.
The indirect damage
Indirect damage is always a consequence of direct damage. If the fungus gnats have greatly weakened the plant due to the infestation, it will also become susceptible to fungal diseases. Sometimes the pests also act as direct carriers of a secondary disease.
Particularly endangered plants
Fungus gnats mainly settle on cuttings and young plants, while older, robust plants are spared. The pests make no distinction between useful and ornamental plants. Basically, any plant species can suffer from a fungus gnat infestation. However, the animals are particularly common on the following varieties:
- orchid
- fern
- geranium
- potato
- red clover
- wheat
- Parsely
- cactus
- dill