Have you noticed tiny insects flying around your home or office? Fungus gnats are common household pests that are quite annoying. Here are some ways to keep them in check.
- Water houseplants only as needed rather than on a regular schedule to avoid oversaturating plants and attracting fungus gnat.
- Dump water out of the saucer once it drains so plants are not in standing water.
- If fungus gnats are already present in your plants, allow the soil to dry at least through the upper three-inches.
- For extreme cases, repot the plant in fresh soilless media. Remove as much soil as possible from the plant roots to eradicate the eggs and larvae of the gnats.
Scale Insects
Varying in size and host, scale insects cause damage by sucking sap from plants. Their damage is not restricted to just trees and shrubs. They can devastate crops of herbaceous ornamentals as well. The time for investigating plants for scale is here and early detection is the best way to prevent crop damage.
Many scale varieties have white, tan or brown shell-like coverings that are round or oval in shape. They can blend into the bark so close inspection is necessary. If signs of scale are found, a dormant oil can be used as long as the plant is in dormancy and the temperature is above 40 degrees F. Dormant oils are beneficial because they can combat a wide range of life stages for scale insects. They are less detrimental to beneficial insects because of the application timing and are less toxic than chemical controls. Read more about the use of dormant oils from K-State Extension Entomology.
Here are some resources to check out for more information about specific scale insect varieties and their hosts.
