Fungus gnats are small flies in the order Diptera and families Mycetophilidae and Sciaridae. The larvae of many species live in moist soil, fungi or decaying vegetation. Some can be found in the soil of potted or outdoor plants. Adults are a nuisance when they emerge and fly around within the home environment; larvae are rarely seen but some species can damage plant seedlings by feeding on the roots (Dreistadt, 2001).
Fungus gnats can best be controlled through Integrated Pest Management or IPM. This is a science-based approach to managing pests using a mixture of safe, sustainable and effective strategies against pests, which could consist of insects, weeds, diseases, birds and rodents. IPM uses an assortment of approaches to manage pests with non‒chemical means. When pesticides are required they are chosen to target problem pests and to reduce impacts on beneficial organisms, people and the environment. This form of pest management focuses on developing management strategies not just controlling one type of pest