> Life cycle and general description of fungus gnats. Life Cycle of Fungus Gnats. Fungus gnats can be annoying to gardeners, homeowners with indoor plants, and greenhouse operators. Fungus gnat adults are weak fliers, typically flying in short, erratic patterns. Adult fungus gnats are small (1/8 inch long), black-gray flies with long legs, many segmented antennae and a single pair of grayish transparent wings with a Y-shaped vein near the wing tip. In homes, they usually are seen in the near vicinity of an infested houseplant. The adults themselves generally do little harm; it is the larvae that do the damage. Fungus Gnat Biology and Life Cycle. Reproduction and Life Cycle of Fungus Gnats. The fungus gnat life cycle is quick, and they can quickly take over your entire interior plants if they are left untreated. The Diptera are insects that metamorphose, or alter shape, completely. Fungus gnats develop in moist, often-shaded areas in decaying organic matter such as leaf litter. This video is a short presentation of the life cycle of the sciarid Bradysia ocellaris. To successfully get rid of fungus gnats for good, you need to know something about their lifecycle. Gnats have a short life cycle but reproduce prolifically. Adults are weak fliers and often found near light sources or along the soil surface. With a life span of about four weeks from egg to adult, each female can lay 200 to 300 eggs and cause havoc all year. Although the adults are harmless, their larvae may begin to attack the roots when a large infestation is present. Fungus Gnat Life Cycle. The gnats have a quick lifecycle and multiply prolifically. They complete their life cycle in about four weeks depending on temperature and other environmental conditions. Most of the fungus gnats are female and can lay up to 300 eggs in the crevices of the soil, and the fungus gnat eggs will hatch into larvae within six days. The breeding and reproduction patterns are reasons to eliminate gnats as soon as possible. The female can lay up to thirty eggs a day - two hundred in total. Gnats enjoy the damp places in the glasshouse. Fungus Gnats are small black flies that roam around the house predominantly in autumn and winter. The fungus gnat is about the same size as a fruit fly, and generally found attacking plants indoors. Adults emerge about one week later. They are only seen as adults, since the other three stages of their life cycle are too small to … Life Cycle. In about 4-6 days these eggs hatch into larvae and begin snacking on the roots of your plants in the moisture rich soil. You may also see fungus gnats on cannabis. Life Cycle - Up to thirty days. Fungus gnats are attracted to the moistness of potting soil, with the adults laying as many as 200 eggs near the surface in organic matter. 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