--- title: "Found baby gnats and adult gnats around my succulents today. I’ve had…" description: "Found baby gnats and adult gnats around my succulents today. I’ve had it with these gnats. They have infested ALLL of my plants. I use neem oil, soapy water,…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/vOLjreBcQ-OpqrHIhVSc4w/8Y_5SrPsQOuJvIPfgBt3mA" community: "The Cactus & Succulent Circle" author: "Mphmike" published: "2024-06-17T20:46:29.467022Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/KtxVtT3XThZ1g944ITiZ1qnLbWJ6_21fadcqY1PJOQg/iIkSff0PSDmb3jTxxTIDZw.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [The Cactus \& Succulent Circle](https://getplanta.com/community/vOLjreBcQ-OpqrHIhVSc4w.md) # Found baby gnats and adult gnats around my succulents today. I’ve had… _Posted by Mphmike on 2024-06-17_ Found baby gnats and adult gnats around my succulents today. I’ve had it with these gnats. They have infested ALLL of my plants. I use neem oil, soapy water, plant friendly pest control. And covering the soil with sand! I now have open containers of Tea tree oil and their caps filled. I put 1 drop into each pot. Am I doing something wrong? ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/KtxVtT3XThZ1g944ITiZ1qnLbWJ6_21fadcqY1PJOQg/iIkSff0PSDmb3jTxxTIDZw.webp?size=large) ## 20 comments ### Josie commented on 2024-06-17 Mosquito bits for the eggs and zeevo stick traps for the adults works really really well #### Mphmike replied on 2024-06-17 I’m running to Amazon #### Doll replied on 2024-06-18 I agree!🤍🪴 #### Jes replied on 2024-06-18 Definitely the way to go! #### Josie replied on 2024-06-18 I have the wall plug in and they make a corded one that is a table top trap with two sticky traps in it and it’s a little cheaper and they both are fantastic! ### sarita commented on 2024-06-17 i’m going through the same! so frustrating! #### Mphmike replied on 2024-06-17 Luckily none of my plants have been harmed, but these succulents are just so young ### Adrian commented on 2024-06-17 Last time I saw fungus gnats flying around, and in the soil, I added hydrogen peroxide to the water I used to water my plants. (The mixture should be 1/3 hydrogen peroxide and 2/3 water). The peroxide kills the larvae and eggs. Gnats are common and don’t mean you’re to blame for them coming in, especially in the summer. Best way to prevent it is with sticky traps and bottom watering your succulents, as they’re attracted to wet top soil. For serious infestations, especially if you see adults and babies in the soil, you should repot with fresh, well draining soil, and hold off on watering them, then only bottom-water them when you water them. Highly suggest Espoma’s Organic Cactus and Succulent mix. Had never failed me. (Also if you’re using miracle grow’s succulent soil, that could be the source of the problem. Leaves the soil wet for way too long, especially for succulents, even after adding extra perlite.) Haven’t had an issue since. Hope this helps. #### Snowstorm replied on 2024-06-17 Appearently miracle grow soil is well known for having gnat larvae. OP- Also don’t mix hydrogen peroxide and mosquito dunks or you’ll be un-doing all the power of both ‘chemicals’. Turns out hey cancel each other out. Oh and which ever you choose keep at it for a few weeks after you notice all the gnats are gone. (Or some of the IG plant ppl I follow just always use anti-gnat stuff in their water) #### Mphmike replied on 2024-06-17 I don’t use miracle grow anything #### Adrian replied on 2024-06-17 Do you bottom water your succulents or water them on the top of their soil? #### Snowstorm replied on 2024-06-17 I always bottom water my Succulents. Partly bc I cants get a watering can under their leaves, and partly bc I’m fighting with the gnats. #### Mphmike replied on 2024-06-18 They’re only about a week old. I watered them (from the top) when I potted them _1 more reply in the app_ ### Sunny commented on 2024-06-17 Mosquito Bits in the water per direction is all I need. I use it every time and in every new plant.🍀🪴 ### jules commented on 2024-06-18 definitely get sticky traps! i got some from amazon that you just stick right into the soil and they've already caught so many little gnats ### Ryan commented on 2024-06-18 I’ve had great luck watering with a “tea” made from steeping a mosquito dunk (the solid, donut-shaped mosquito bits) in a pitcher of hot tap water for two hours (to overnight) and regularly using that for my watering. No gnats anymore. I dry out the dunk between uses. After a while, it crumbles into bits and I move on to the next dunk. And in the meantime, I exercise my hand-eye coordination catching the adult ones. ### molly commented on 2024-06-23 hi mike! nice to meet you today (: i hope the rosie’s spray helps!! #### Mphmike replied on 2024-06-23 I’ve sprayed all my infested plants!! Now we wait🫡 I’m happy to see you found me!! #### molly replied on 2024-06-23 yay! i hope it helps! i live by that honestly haha. good luck! me too (: crazy small world --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_