How to control mushroom fungus gnats? Detailed control methods

There are many species of maggot-like larvae that damage mushroom fruiting bodies and mycelium, collectively known as "fungus gnats." There are 4 more common species, namely mushroom gnats, gall midges, mushroom flies, and dung flies. Their larvae - maggots - look similar in morphology to the naked eye, and among the adults only gnats and flies show obvious differences. The morphology and even living habits of gall midges, mushroom flies, and dung flies are very similar, so they are often mistaken for a single species, all called "mushroom flies."

Fungus gnat larvae bore into and feed on fruiting bodies, turning mushrooms into waste products, and some harm the mycelium. Mushrooms that have been bored and fed on by fungus gnats sometimes show no obvious signs on the surface, but the impact on canning quality is very great.

Fungus gnats mainly come from cow dung or pig dung. During the summer and autumn collection and spreading-drying process of cow dung and pig dung, flies crawl on them and lay eggs. When these materials are piled for fermentation, the eggs among them are not all killed, and are brought into the mushroom house along with the compost. The control methods are introduced as follows:

1. When there are no fruiting bodies growing on the mushroom bed, spray with a 1000-fold dilution of trichlorfon, which can kill adults and larvae exposed on the surface of the soil layer. Spray once every 2 days, for 3-4 consecutive sprays.

2. Adults are phototactic, so black light traps can be used to trap and kill them.

3. When piling the compost, raise the pile temperature as much as possible, and when turning the pile, spray while turning the material. After rebuilding the pile, cover it tightly with plastic film, seal and fumigate for 2 days, then uncover it. This can kill most of the insects and eggs in the pile.

4. Use some traditional botanical pesticides, such as tobacco stems, tomato stems and leaves, eucalyptus leaves, neem leaves, sweet wormwood, castor leaves, etc., mixed into the compost material for piling, which can kill larvae or reduce larval breeding.

5. Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus killing silkworm, Beauveria bassiana, etc. all have good effects on controlling fly larvae. Bacillus has a strong pathogenicity to fly insects and can kill larvae and pupae, while being harmless to humans and livestock. When livestock eat feed containing Bacillus, the dung they excrete also carries the bacteria, so fly larvae cannot breed.

6. The compost must undergo "secondary fermentation."