Looks like a fungus gnat to me. They live in damp soil. I have no idea on how to get rid of them, so hopefully someone who does will see this.

JoJo

Aphids are usually green in color, and hang out on the tender tips of plants. You'll see them in varying sizes, usually close together near plant tips, sucking the sap out of the tender areas.

That might be a fungus gnat, as noted above... though the photo is not really clear enough for me to pinpoint what it actually is with accuracy. It almost looks like a young mosquito...

Fungus gnats prefer a moist environment, so keeping the soil a little drier may help.

You could also go with one of many products made to control small insects on plants. I use a 3 in 1 insecticide/miticide/fungicide made by Bayer. It comes in a blue spray bottle, and is made for use outdoors. There are also products made for indoor use.

I also use a systemic by Bayer that does the same thing. It's a granular product that is sprinkled on the soil surface and watered in. It protects plants from aphids and other insects for a decent amount of time before re-application is necessary.

That is an adult fungus gnat. They don't feed on anything ; their only role (as adults) is to mate and lay eggs. Inside our homes, they lay eggs in potting medium where the little whitish, worm-like larvae feed on peat and other bits of organic matter AND tender plant roots.

Systemic chemicals are not recommended for the control of these insects.

Systemic chemicals are not made for edible plants at all!

That's simply untrue rockguy. Imidicloprid is a systemic that has been used by commercial food producers for years. Bayer has a product for home owners now with imidicloprid as well.

BT which you can dissolve from mosquito dunks works well on the larvae in the soil. Don't worry about the adults. Al

Jojosplants probably you are right I have fungus on the soil of few containers. Some of my the overwinter habanero plants were died all of them have fungus on the soil.

Thank you all and still looking for advice.

Jodik thank you very much for all these information. I am a little bit hesitate to use insecticide but I have to use it. Before I had problems of aphids and I used dishwasher liquid with water and sprayed it then all my new leaves were getting wither and not healthy since then I stop using it. I have been trying to keep dry the upper soil by removing a bit and covered with coco coir. I am not sure the Bayer brand is available here. I will try to find it.

Now I know from you and Jojo it is fungus gnat thank you it is very helpful information.

You don't need to use imidicloprid for fungus gnats. So there is no need to go looking for it in this case. Use Bt. Bt as a soil drench works great for fungus gnats larvae.

Your environment is most likely rather different from my own, but I have found that coco products hold a lot of moisture for too long a period of time... at least, they did for me. I abandoned using them, and went with a custom medium for my containerized plants that is very close to either the Gritty Mix, or the 511... depending on what I'm growing, where it will be placed, etc... and I've had no issues with fungus gnats, at all.

I don't know where you're located, but for most of us in the States, coco products do not have a small "green" footprint, and are not ecologically good items to use.

Fungus gnats love moisture... I would allow the soil to dry out a little more so the environment is not so likable to them. They will go in search of other, more moist or wet areas to live in.

I did not mention very well about how do I use coco coir, sorry. I use the coco coir without soaking or moisturizing, it comes like a brick so I broke it small pieces and covered the soil. Sometimes in the past I used it to dry the wet soil in the containers. I agreed with you coco coir holds a lot of moisture.

Today I got two bags of perlite and pine bark I do not know is it decorative pine bark or not. It took about 15 days to get it. So I did soil mixture and changed the soil again today. All the containers are overwinter chilli plants so it seems to me not a problem.

I found my self-watering pot is not good enough. When I changed the soil I saw the soil are very wet on the bottom and the soil looks like 99% peat moss or compost, in fact I do not know very well the differences. It's a lesson for me to be very careful when I water these containers. I must read and collects a lot of information about soil mixture and the containers but I did not do it before, my fault. May be after a few years I will be OK.

Just like A1's post, I'D like to try mosquito dunks too. So I have been trying to get it but still now I cannot get it. So I bought one small bottle of insecticides that's recommended by the shopkeeper after I showed the pictures of the fungus gnats.

I do not know all these pests,insects and soil composition commodities' names in local language so it is very difficult to find the right things I need. I am from Denmark. I am just wondering why all the potted plant sold in the super market do not use perlite and vermiculite, I never saw and found. The chilli plant they have sold yields a lot of fruits in a small container and there is no pine bark, perlite, vermiculite and sand stone.

This insecticide is for all these pests and larvae, I will upload the pictures, I do not know most of them in English.

soergemyg

Bladbiller

blodlus

cikader

larver af oresnudebiller

Mellus

skjoldlus

Sommerfugl larve

Uldlus

Bladlus (aphids). A lot of insects but there is no fungus gnat but I think it may work. This insecticide is from Bayer Garden called Calypso mod Insekter.

I do recognize most of those insects, and have been bothered with them from time to time. Since I grow mostly ornamentals, and not edible plants, I keep a systemic on hand... and that takes care of any issues.

When switching soils to the 511 or Gritty Mix, make sure you have thoroughly read all the instructions, and the cautionary advice that goes along with it... such as, ensuring the medium is pre-moistened before using, keeping a plant's roots moist and out of the sun while re-potting, and keeping the newly potted items out of direct sun, wind, excessive heat or cold, and babying them a bit until they get acclimated to their new homes. Keep a close eye on moisture, too.

Should you have questions, we're all here to help!

Thank you jodik for the repotting advice. I followed the instructions people have written here. The soil is moistened and we got snow a bit for the first time for this year today. I do keep watching any changes to the plants leaves.

The picture is after one day insecticide, I lost about 3 leaves completely like this picture. I thought it were snapped when I moved around but now I think it must be insecticide related. I feel some of the leaves are so fragile it broke easily. Now I do not see fungus gnats around the plants, so I do not like to use this insecticide until aphid or fungus gnats appear.

chilliwin, no; it is a svamp myg.
At least that is what the Google translator says it is.
But myg also tranlsates as mosquito - an insect from a different family but control methods are similar.

This post was edited by ronalawn82 on Wed, Dec 5, 12 at 18:28

Either way, that sort of insect thrives on moisture and wet areas that remain wet for periods of time. Mosquitoes usually lay their eggs in stagnant or standing water... and fungus gnats enjoy decaying matter and wet areas... so, keeping the soil in potted plants a bit drier will help to eliminate their presence by not giving them the environment they desire.

Even though the surface may appear dry, there's usually moisture remaining deeper within pots, at the root zone, depending on the medium type you use. Keeping a close eye on how often you water may help. Many growers use the wooden skewer method to test for moisture. You can find tons of information on using them through a search of this forum, I'm sure. They're nothing more than shish-ka-bob type wooden skewers, available at most larger grocery stores. A pack of about 100 skewers goes for around a dollar US, or so. I'm not sure about elsewhere.

Inserted into the soil at an angle, with the pointed end down toward the lower center of the soil ball, the wooden skewer will feel cool and moist to the touch when removed, indicating moisture in the soil... or warm and dry, indicating the need to water.

It's only one method used to test for moisture, but it's fairly accurate, I've found.

Since I don't grow edibles, insecticides in systemic form work great for my needs. For others, sometimes different methods are desired. For myself, learning more about the type of mediums used, and the basic science and physics of potted plants and how water moves through soils, is what helped me overcome many growing problems.

Most commercial growers, it seems, use the soil type that will net them the most profit after sales. Most young plants sold are in what the grower assumes will be a temporary home, as the customer will usually re-pot upon buying the plant and getting it home. That little bit of soil it comes in isn't meant to be permanent, and may not contain any larger particulate for aeration or drainage... such as perlite, fir bark, or other items.

I hope I've been at least somewhat helpful... there's a gold mine of information within this forum, and many plant types have their own forums for more specific questions.

Happy Gardening!