Flies

[WolfieKate]

I know… bug bear. But as it’s got colder my gnats and fruit flies (?) have gravitated from my kitchen towards the enclosures. I mainly see them in with my A Gen which is annoying. Only a few. Ive ordered fly paper (non toxic and some isopods to add to my randomly occurring springtails). Do they breed in the soil or the water dishes so you think?

 

[Tarantula Trooper]

I just call whatever loves my moist T soil " dirt flys" . Typically I will let things dry a bit and yes put in the springtails and Iso's . Yes, the maggots are in the soil! The springtails will out compete the maggots for food and bit drier helps. Hate these things! Dave of Dave's little Beasties calls them Phorid flys! His , I think, Omythymus Violaceopes got covered and he pinned and would brush the maggots and flies off her! That Dave is the man and definitely loves his spiders! Big OW spider to deal with like that! And yes I have fly paper as well! It has become a must have..lol!

 

[WolfieKate]

I saw that video too! Extraordinary. Not sure I could hold mine in a pincer movement and brush it off. It was amazing.
Ive taken the water out for a bit and I’ll let it dry. It’s only a couple but they do wind me up. Any i see i squash but fly paper coming today.
Dirt flies… easier to say than Phorid flies. I’ve rehoused a couple of slings due to soil maggots but they may be an occupational hazard I have to manage. The city I live in is very humid all year round so flies probably love it.

 

[Tarantula Trooper]

Flies and mould are the bain to our existence if like moisture dependents and sling pots as well! I crush the buggers at every opportunity as well.lol.

 

[WolfieKate]

Just an update. So my A Gen enclosure is now surrounded by sticky fly traps which have caught quite a few and I moved her water bowl to allow the soil at the back where most of the flies were to dry out a bit. I’ve not eradicated the issue but there’s way less flies now in her container so hopefully small changes can help make them less of a pain. Fly control. Also for a week I went in a squashed them which did annoy her a bit but she’s got over it. Isopods on order and springtails present.

 

[MBullock]

Try mixing some vinegar with dish soap and fill a bowl with it.
True to their Genus epithet "Drosophila", they are vinegar-loving flies.

They will land in it and instantly sink, because the dish soap eliminates surface-tension, which normally
allows them to float harmlessly on water. place the bowl next to your enclosures.

to maximize the effect, use a yellow bowl- which will add a visual trap to the odor as well.


This will also help if you buy fruitflies as feeders, so any that escape will be drawn to the trap and wont spread all over the house.

 

[Tarantula Trooper]

Hate flies....love Genics! One thing with the Genic and the Iso's is she might attack them in that Ooooo so Genic hunger disposition! Had a MM P. Cambridgei that wiped out my Iso's in its enclosure. It was the Orange variety so I spent money on them. Even had a few babies and little by little all disappeared! Had the home grown Grey ones in with him and same thing! Had a few babies and then little by little gone. Something to consider. Fly paper truly does wonders for those pesky dirt flies. Don't know if you truly ever rid yourself of these things but can be controlled with proper measures!

 

[m0lsx]

I brought one of those UV light fly zappers during the summer. It only cost a few pounds. I originally brought it to deal with nuisance flies in a T friendly manner, during the summer. But we started using it on the table when we feed & then leaving it on for an hour or so, after feeding & have seen a reduction in flies since starting to use it.

 

[PanzoN88]

I know… bug bear. But as it’s got colder my gnats and fruit flies (?) have gravitated from my kitchen towards the enclosures. I mainly see them in with my A Gen which is annoying. Only a few. Ive ordered fly paper (non toxic and some isopods to add to my randomly occurring springtails). Do they breed in the soil or the water dishes so you think?

I second everything stated above. I raise millipedes and unfortunately gnats are annoying. Springtails will definitely help. They do breed in the soil. I also recommend getting a few raid essentials flying insect light traps if you can get them. The gnat population fell significantly after I bought two of them.

 

[WolfieKate]

Thank you so much to everyone for their advice. I didn’t expect so much great info so thank you very much. Flies were not something I considered it being the UK and somewhat cold but the Spids live at a higher temp than us normal mortals, we just put three jumpers on. I do really appreciate all the replies.

In celebration I nipped out and got a H Pulchripes just to you know, keep me going through the festive season. Also isopods, not sure now about putting them in with Iris as she’ll eat them all.

 

[MBullock]

I wouldnt put any isopoda other than dwarf whites with tarantulas. porcellio, armadillidium, oniscus and porcelionides all are known to attack molting insects, especially porcellio.

Only the dwarves and a few others are safe with other inverts.

 

[Queenie Mcgooch]

I know… bug bear. But as it’s got colder my gnats and fruit flies (?) have gravitated from my kitchen towards the enclosures. I mainly see them in with my A Gen which is annoying. Only a few. Ive ordered fly paper (non toxic and some isopods to add to my randomly occurring springtails). Do they breed in the soil or the water dishes so you think?

They are fungus gnats and they lay their eggs in the soil and the larva eat the decaying matter in the soil and will also attack living roots. There are some drops called tanlin you can buy to add to the water to prevent this. There is something in the drops that causes the larvas guts to explode. It is non toxic to other creatures but using this along with yellow traps i see only the odd gnat now. You need to keep at it though cause if you dont they slowly sneak back. This seems to be a more recent problem. I never had this issue years ago.... If you have what you think are fruit flys also they are probably phorid flys.... Ideal food for tiny slings....

 

[Queenie Mcgooch]

They are fungus gnats and they lay their eggs in the soil and the larva eat the decaying matter in the soil and will also attack living roots. There are some drops called tanlin you can buy to add to the water to prevent this. There is something in the drops that causes the larvas guts to explode. It is non toxic to other creatures but using this along with yellow traps i see only the odd gnat now. You need to keep at it though cause if you dont they slowly sneak back. This seems to be a more recent problem. I never had this issue years ago.... If you have what you think are fruit flys also they are probably phorid flys.... Ideal food for tiny slings....

When i say add to the water i mean the water you add to the soil not the drinking water...