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Adults gnats are slender with
comparatively long legs and antenna. Their bodies are grayish-black
and about 2.5 mm long. Wings are clear with “Y” shaped veins.
They are weak fliers and often are found walking on soil surface.
The larval form, a maggot, has a shiny black head capsule and white body.
Mature larvae are about 5.5 mm long.
Adults and larvae usually inhabit moist, shady areas. Adults live about 1
week and the female can deposit 100 to 150 eggs in this time. The eggs
are laid in strings of 3 to 40 on soil surface. In greenhouse conditions,
the eggs hatch within 4 days of being laid. The larvae feed on root hairs
in the upper cm of media then work their way up into the plant stem. The
maggot will also feed on organic matter. After feeding for approximately
14 days, the maggot will pupate. The pupal case is made of silk and soil
debris. In about 3.5 days an adult will emerge.
Life cycle of a fungus gnat
Damage is first visible when plant health declines from maggots feeding on
plant tissue. Adults flying around are aesthetically not appealing.
Can sometimes be
confused with shore flies, moth flies or
hunter flies.
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Adult Fungus Gnat on Sticky Card |
