Comments on: Fungus Gnats in Worm Compost Bins http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/fungus-gnats-in-worm-compost-bins/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:08:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Adam http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/fungus-gnats-in-worm-compost-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-21384 Adam Mon, 04 May 2009 20:55:29 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/fungus-gnats-in-worm-compost-bins/#comment-21384 I started some small experimental worm bins of my own. No pseudoscorpions yet, but plenty of fungus gnats. So I programmed a simulation of the gnat's life cycle, and tried various scenarios of control. In an optimal environment, IE a worm bin with moist organic material near the surface and no predators, the gnat population exploded. Slowed down my computer to a crawl after just a few simulated weeks. The problem wasn't the flies themselves, but the larva, eggs, and pupa. I did a scenario where a percentage of adults were killed every day. Even at 80%, the population would grow, since most of them were in the non-adult stages, and they usually had time to lay eggs before they were killed. It could go for several days or even a week or 2 without any adults, then BOOM, adult population explosion! They really are rather fascinating bugs. Apparently, they are composters. Wouldn't it be interesting to make a fungus gnat bin? In one of my real worm bins, they usually stay in the bin, even when the lid is off. The worms and gnats seem quite happy in there. The other bin always has ones trying to escape, gnats and worms... One worm even crawled up the side like a snake, (Twas a Euro.) it 'looked' over the edge and shook it's head at me. I read about worm anatomy, but it still seems like it was chastising me. (I'm going to re-work the bin like the other. It was my first bin. So it sucks.) I started some small experimental worm bins of my own. No pseudoscorpions yet, but plenty of fungus gnats. So I programmed a simulation of the gnat’s life cycle, and tried various scenarios of control.

In an optimal environment, IE a worm bin with moist organic material near the surface and no predators, the gnat population exploded. Slowed down my computer to a crawl after just a few simulated weeks.

The problem wasn’t the flies themselves, but the larva, eggs, and pupa. I did a scenario where a percentage of adults were killed every day. Even at 80%, the population would grow, since most of them were in the non-adult stages, and they usually had time to lay eggs before they were killed. It could go for several days or even a week or 2 without any adults, then BOOM, adult population explosion!

They really are rather fascinating bugs. Apparently, they are composters. Wouldn’t it be interesting to make a fungus gnat bin?

In one of my real worm bins, they usually stay in the bin, even when the lid is off. The worms and gnats seem quite happy in there.

The other bin always has ones trying to escape, gnats and worms… One worm even crawled up the side like a snake, (Twas a Euro.) it ‘looked’ over the edge and shook it’s head at me. I read about worm anatomy, but it still seems like it was chastising me. (I’m going to re-work the bin like the other. It was my first bin. So it sucks.)

]]> By: The Worms Have Been Pardoned…..for Now | Organic Needle http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/fungus-gnats-in-worm-compost-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-21181 The Worms Have Been Pardoned…..for Now | Organic Needle Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:23:08 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/fungus-gnats-in-worm-compost-bins/#comment-21181 [...] peach colored ones who never STOP eating.  So my amazing husband spent Saturday night over at Redwormcomposting trying to ID our new and difficult guest. As usual, good ol’ Bently had plenty of info [...] [...] peach colored ones who never STOP eating.  So my amazing husband spent Saturday night over at Redwormcomposting trying to ID our new and difficult guest. As usual, good ol’ Bently had plenty of info [...]

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