Fungus gnats are those annoying little flies that hover around your plants, and they come from larvae living in the soil. They thrive in moisture, which means soil, leca, pon, and even moss poles can become breeding grounds. If you don’t stop them at the source, they just keep coming back. The good news? You can easily get rid of them with the right approach.
BTI: The Most Effective Solution
BTI drops (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) is a naturally occurring bacteria that kills fungus gnat larvae before they hatch, stopping the problem at the source. It’s the best way to break the life cycle and actually get rid of the problem—for good. No more flying annoyances, no more bugs in your water or food! 🚫🦟
🚫 No more flying annoyances, no more bugs in your water or food! 🦟
✔️ Just drop it in your water before watering—every time.
🚨 But here’s the key: You MUST saturate the topsoil! That’s where gnats lay their eggs. In my experience, if you bottom water or use self-watering pots, BTI won’t reach the larvae from the bottom up, so soaking the top layer is a must!
How to Use BTI Drops (Per Gallon of Water):
✔️ Maintenance: A few drops
✔️ Light infestations: 1mL
✔️ Heavy infestations: 2mL
💡 How long does it take? BTI doesn’t kill adult gnats, so you’ll still see them flying around for a bit. It takes about 1-2 months to fully break the cycle since you have to wait for the remaining adults to die off.
🛑 Why You Should AVOID Sticky Traps! Sticky traps don’t stop the problem at the source and can seriously harm animals, birds, and even people with thin skin. If you can handle a few gnats for a while, there’s no need to waste money on traps—once the larvae are gone, the adults will die off on their own.
🚨 Be Careful Bringing in New Plants! Fungus gnats spread fast, and all it takes is one infested plant to restart the whole cycle. If you bring in a plant with gnats, the adults will immediately start laying eggs in your other plants, and you’ll have to start all over again.
💡 Pro tip: Always quarantine new plants for a bit and treat the soil with BTI before introducing them to your collection. Trust me, I learned the hard way—one plant was all it took to infest everything! 😩
The information provided is believed to be accurate, but should be independently verified. 2025 The Planty Millennial. All rights reserved.