Plant Dying from soil bugs Please help!!!

kellyo · #1 January 23rd, 2006, 07:54 AM

Hello,
My adult spider plant and baby spider plant has white mite-like bugs that are almost microscopic if you don't water it you can't really see them. I noticed them when I watered the plant in the dark and saw them swimming in the water. After the water level goes down they burrow into the soil. They are not on the leaves. They are not meely bugs. They do not have wings. I am having a hard time drying out the soil like you all suggested for the other people who had bugs in the soil. I have sprayed it with some plant spray to try and kill them. It worked for alittle while but there are literally about 100 of them when I water it. God knows there are probably more in the soil. Should I replant? Could they have been in the soil to begin with? The adult plant was doing fabulous outside after I repotted it in the summer time. Then when I brought it inside, it popped out about 50 babies and started turning yellow then dying.

Please help me the plants are very sentimental to me!!!

Kelly

**Dee M.** · #2 January 24th, 2006, 08:44 AM

Sounds like fungus gnats. This thread talks about them and their control.
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/fo...t=fungus+gnats

kellyo · #3 January 24th, 2006, 11:27 AM

Thank you. I don't have a problem with the adult knats yet. I guess it's still under control. I will try the sand I guess. I moved the plants to in front of the window. Hopefully that will help dry them out.

Thank you so much

kelly

**Margaret** · #4 January 24th, 2006, 12:29 PM

When my plants have been overwatered I have found that sitting the pots on a thick wad of paper towel helps to wick the moisture away.
Margaret

kellyo · #5 January 24th, 2006, 01:48 PM

Thank you,
I will try that as well. I hope I can get rid of these things soon as my plant looks terrible, it's really "bugging" me. he he...

Kelly

DGreen · #6 January 11th, 2008, 07:42 AM

KellyO Did you find what bugs you had and how to treat? I have the exact same thing & your post could have been from me word for word. I looked up the fungus gnats & don't think thats what I have, they don't fly and I have not seen worm looking creatures. Please share any information you have obtained. My local botanical garden thought it was the greenhouse white fly but again no flying noticed & nothing on the leaves. Please help.