Plant doctor
Small flies around the bags
Identify the insect first. Small flies around wet growing media may be fungus gnats, but appearance and behaviour need checking before choosing a control.
Check with Professor CocoFind your next step →Plant doctor · WITH DR. COCO
Are the flies near my cocopeat shore flies or fungus gnats?
Identify adults carefully before choosing a management approach. Different small flies can occupy the same moist greenhouse environment.
Teral grower guidance · Updated 27 October 2026
Dr. CocoYour plant doctor guideTHE COCOPEAT CONNECTION
Why the root zone matters
Algae, standing water and wet surfaces around coir production can support fly populations even when the root-zone issue differs.
01 / OBSERVE
Three checks before you change anything
- Collect clear close-up photos or specimens for identification.
- Compare where adults rest and where algae or pooled water occur.
- Inspect plants and roots rather than inferring damage from adult numbers alone.
02 / NARROW IT DOWN
What evidence is available?
Choose the closest observation for a suggested next check.
Only distant photographs
Obtain a clearer specimen or expert identification before selecting controls.
Flies concentrated near algae
Review wet surfaces and sanitation while identification is confirmed.
Confirmed fungus gnats with root symptoms
Follow a crop-specific plan for monitoring larvae and managing root-zone conditions.
03 / TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Leave with something useful
Keep pest identification separate from the assessment of plant damage.
Keep in mind
Do not apply one fly-control programme indiscriminately to every small flying insect.
Discuss this with Teral →CONNECTED QUESTIONS
Keep checking the right things
Check with Professor CocoFind your next step →Roots & watering
Why is green algae growing on cocopeat?
Look for persistent surface moisture, light and nutrient exposure.
Check with DigbyFind your next step →