Sick of thrips and fungus gnats? Breed Rove beetles!

[InTheSystem]

@Nervous - Rove beetles are a soil dwelling predator. I haven't seen one gnat during my whole cycle since introducing them into the no-till bed. For adult thrips the best are Orius. They are animals and leaf predators that seek out adult thrips. So the dream combo is Greenhouse Rove Beetle and Orius for Thrips.


Edit: Orius don't breed easily though, have to introduce them a couple of times a cycle IMO. They simply bugger off when the thrips are no more. @FarmerPalmersNT may say otherwise though... He is a wizard though  

Edited November 10, 2020 by InTheSystem

[BeardedBeardiae]

I have noticed when watering i nearly always have to rescue 2 or 3 rove beetles from the water tub i put the plants in and return them to the soil.  I find it endearing as I don't have pets, but they have survived or bred for about 3months now so are finding plenty to eat in the veg tent. 

Thing is if i hadn't rescued them my population would have dwindled and would of had to top up from my breeding box.

It's not a problem for no-tillers i guess with the big fabric pots but if you have pots its worth scanning the run off for any Roves in need....

Cheers @FarmerPalmersNT for another weapon in the armoury.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

I just came back into the room and the first page of this thread was on the screen - featuring a big close up of a rove beetle. and I noticed a fungus gnat sat on the wall in front of the screen haha

 

...meet your doom little fly.

 

got some on order thanks @FarmerPalmersNT for the info

[Rookie117]

Good topic this, I'm 2 weeks into flower on my first grow and I'm wondering how often gnats and pests become a problem when growing in soil? I've been keeping a good wet/dry cycle in the hope that this will be enough to combat any infestations, is that enough though?

[Guest]

49 minutes ago, Rookie117 said:

 I'm wondering how often gnats and pests become a problem when growing in soil? I've been keeping a good wet/dry cycle in the hope that this will be enough to combat any infestations, is that enough though?

Quite often.  Never heard of a wet/dry cycle being used for pest prevention.  My guess is its a piss poor one on its own. 

[mikeydoughnut]

@Rookie117 this is one of my greatest paranoias. Simply because I’ve never encountered it or had to combat it. I always always always shower before going in the room and do my chores naked 99% of the time  I think there’s only so much you can do really. It’s a good thing to research these things so at least you have your head around it and have a bit of a P.O.A should it happen. My motto Is cleanliness is next to godliness. Just don’t be a scrubber is a good start.

[KC]

I don't even wash my pots any more, i'm such a skank. I did have some fungus gnats recently, they've mostly fucked off on their own. It's helped since I stopped using Canna Bioterra compost, it's got loads of bark in it, I think the gnats love it. 

[FarmerPalmersNT]

I wear my gardening clothes all day then waltz in and out of my room with doors wide open. I couldn't give a rat's cock what goes in there. It'll get fucked up in short order by ants/spiders/predator mites/centipedes/roves and fungi. Haven't had a pest problem for fuck knows how long. I do see spider mites and occasionally thrips or gnats but literally it'll be a single fan leaf at best before they get filled in by some hideous predator.

 

My motto is cleanliness can fuck off unless I'm making rosin.

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by FarmerPalmersNT

[MindSoup]

Thrips seem to have found there way into my flower tent, so I've finally got round to ordering all the bits to get my rove beetle army together. Unfortunately the company I ordered from (dejex) are saying they'll be here on the 31st after charging me 15 quid for delivery . Being the impatient, unemployed tight arse that I am I've cancelled said order. 

 

Anyone got a link to some roves that aren't ridiculously expensive and will turn up in a reasonable time frame? Or is it worth going for a walk in the woods with a pooter? 

 

Think I might try and get into this biological control game you know, all you guys with rove farms are sitting on gold mines 

Edited May 18, 2023 by MindSoup

[Ned The Head]

@MindSoup I caught some the other week in bark mulch. They do seem to move very quickly so you got to be quick and ready with a container. I got 3 but lost about 7! Let me know how you get on 

[Devon Cream]

On 24/05/2020 at 6:12 PM, Bingboing said:

Cx tanlin works (for gnats) , with sticky papers..... just. I was infested but rarely see them now, I'm using it as a preventative in future if using random compost. 

 

 

+1 for tanlin brilliant stuff I use it 2 drops to 10ltr watering cans since been using it don’t see any gnats. 

[MindSoup]

10 hours ago, Ned The Head said:

@MindSoup I caught some the other week in bark mulch. They do seem to move very quickly so you got to be quick and ready with a container. I got 3 but lost about 7! Let me know how you get on 

 

 A walk in the woods it is then, I'm pretty slow and feckless when it comes to this kind of thing but we'll see how I get on . 

[Blaze Easy]

Brilliant, thanks for sharing.

 

Looks like Imma start farming beatles...