Little black flies

Hi All

Looking for some advice. I have three peace lilies around the house and they are flourishing. However, they seem to be harbourning some tiny little black flies which are really irratating as they fly around the house

I really don't want to have to throw them out so can anyone suggest something I could treat them with.

Sally

 

could be fungus gnats... try holding back on the watering a little you might be overdoing it

- http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/advice/pests_and_diseases/nonflash_index.shtml?black_fungus_gnats

 

Don't water from above, put the water in the tray & let the plants roots suck it up.
Fungus gnats live in the top of the pot & wont like it if that bit is dry.

 

I've been known in the past to put a thin layer of sand on top of the soil with house plants, and water in the way Ziggy describes. That was for a different reason though. I was finding that moss and fungi was forming on the soil. A friend recommended the watering from below trick that Ziggy describes, and the sand was just me experimenting, figuring that sand is very free draining and allows good air circulation, thus making it inhospitable for fungi. It seemed to work.

 

Mine have stopped just by watering from the bottom but I like the idea of sand on top, should help with the damping off fungus as well

 

Thanks everyone for all your tips. I have found a tip as well regarding sliced potato on top of the soil along with reducing watering and only watering from the top.

I have fund an insecticide by Raid which is for flying insects, moths, gnats etc. Do you think it would be OK to spray that on my plants.

Sally