nhamood

I've recently been getting little ant like flying insects on my Carmona (fukien tea tree), is this normal or should I begin using some insecticide?

Mike423

Sounds like Fungus gnats (assuming they are of gnat size and black). Take a look on Google to confirm if that's what they are. The pictures of them look accurate but seem to look different I guess with the extreme up close views (but than again they are so small I couldn't see them that close) They are usually seen around the soil surface. They are present when a bonsai is being over watered. This is due to the fact that when the soil is overly wet for prolonged periods of time the fungus content in the soil increases, which is one of the main staples of their diet. While they can cause some harm to your bonsai if their stay is prolonged, they are generally more of a nuisance than a threat when talking about a well established healthy tree. They do feed on the the root system (fine root hairs when in larva form) when their fungus food source runs low, or plants soft tissue (new growth when in mature 'fly' form) which can be a problem if talking about a new seedling.

That being said with normal watering regiments (allowing the soil to dry adequately between waterings) they are fairly easy to get rid of, generally diminishing and dying within 1-3 weeks.

nhamood

Yea I think they are fungus gnats, I was reading on ways to get rid of fungus and came across an article saying that I can boil chammomile tea, let it cool down and then spray the tree with it or water it as chammomile has anti fungal properties. I was thinking of maybe trying that.
What about if my tree has recently been pruned and defoliated would the still pose a threat or not really?

Mike423

like I said before they can be eradicated easily in a short period of time if the soil is allowed to dry adequately enough .I have had these pest before on a new tree I had purchased where the bottom soil mixture was different to the top (leading to overly moist soil) and know first hand how easily they can be rid of after correcting a moisture problem with a said tree. I wouldnt recommend using any pesticide etc.. introducing unneeded factors to the tree unless absolutely necessary. If you are new to growing bonsai and still unsure exactly when is the best time to water you can stick a chopstick in the soil near the edge of the pot, check it periodically and when upon inspection it appears dry, its time to water .

Good luck
-Mike