I Went to War With Fungus Gnats. This Is the Secret Weapon That Helped Me Win.

New York Times

22-05-2025

When a flying bug comes my way, rational thought goes out the window. With high-pitched squeals and eyes shut, I'll bat the air, hoping to hit a line drive with the helpless creature. But more often than not, it's a swing and a miss.
So you can imagine my horror when my indoor plants became infested with hundreds, if not thousands, of fungus gnats in the summer of 2020. My batting average was as low as my mental state as I unsuccessfully feuded against a swarm of tiny flies for weeks. When I thought I had finally gotten rid of them, a new platoon would emerge, ready to pick a fight.
Desperation kicked in when every method I tried failed, from insecticides to homemade traps. Until, at last, I hit a walk-off grand slam by staking Garsum Fruit Fly Sticky Traps at the base of each plant. Once they were installed, it took only a few days to strike out the entire army of gnats without breaking a sweat.
Since then, these sticky traps have been permanently nestled in the soil of my houseplants and clipped onto the fruit bowls in my kitchen as a frontline defense for keeping unwelcome bugs from invading my home.
These sticky fly traps are designed to attract and capture insects that land or crawl onto the surface. Within a week of installing the sticky traps, my coworker Megan Beauchamp managed to capture several gnats hanging around her African violet. Megan Beauchamp/NYT Wirecutter
Though fungus gnats are harmless to humans, they can wreak havoc on plants. The larvae live in soil and feed on fungi, organic matter, and occasionally a plant's roots, which can cause a once-thriving anthurium to go dry, lose its vigor, and even decay.
It doesn't help that fungus gnats can reproduce surprisingly quickly. Mated females lay 100 to 200 microscopic eggs at a time, and they hatch a mere four to six days later, according to information published by Utah State University Extension and Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Laboratory. Once the larvae are born, they'll feed (on soil and plant roots) for about 15 days before spinning into a cocoon to transition into adulthood — a speedy five-to-six-day turnaround.
In a fit of desperation, I used the adhesive side of a sticky note as my weapon of choice against these gnats, which worked on a small scale, but it led me to believe something better might already be on the market. I was right, and a quick TikTok search pointed me toward my beloved sticky traps — hundreds of videos confirmed their lethal capabilities.
The fungus gnats were finally outmatched. A week after I put in the Garsum sticky traps, the flies were completely eradicated — aside from the proof of their lifeless corpses stuck onto the traps. The paper lining keeps the adhesive material from sticking until you're ready to use them. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
The yellow traps are designed to attract (due to the bright color) and capture (thanks to the super-sticky adhesive) any insect that lands or crawls onto them. They're long-lasting, durable, UV-resistant, and waterproof, so they're ideal for indoor or outdoor use (although I've only used them inside).
They come in various designs with simple cutout silhouettes of butterflies, birds, and succulents and, on average, are about the size of an index card. The bottom portion of the trap has a pointed triangular shape, which makes it easier to stake it into the ground or a potted plant. But if you're having trouble inserting one, I've found that piercing the soil first with a butter knife or the plastic mini shovel tool that comes with the traps works well.
To install, simply peel off the paper lining on both sides of the trap to reveal the adhesive material. Then, position it upright in the soil so that it's not too close to the plant's stems and leaves but close enough to get in the way of an insect's flight path.
These highly effective sticky traps caught dozens of pesky bugs at a time. Even though I don't consider myself the murderous type, I marveled at the sight of the lifeless gnats pinned to the sticky surface. It was as oddly satisfying as taking in the infamous Gum Wall at Pike Place Market in Seattle — equally gross and gratifying. Left: The plants that were affected by the 2020 gnat infestation, after the sticky traps successfully eradicated the bugs. Right: The sticky traps protecting plants in our Long Island City, New York, office. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
The manufacturer says these sticky traps are also effective against other small airborne insects, like whiteflies, aphids, thrips, midges, leaf miners, mosquitoes, and fruit flies.
In the five years that I've used the traps, I've also successfully taken on fruit flies, and I've made a habit of clipping a trap onto the side of my fruit bowl to prevent infestations from occurring. You can also prop them up near a trash can for similar results. I clip a sticky trap on my fruit bowl to trap fruit flies. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
When I'm not dealing with a full-blown infestation, the traps last several months, and I only toss and replace them once they're too polka-dotted with bugs to work effectively.
My only qualm with this product is that the sticky material can get on your fingers, but an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or a few drops of vegetable oil can help soften it enough to rinse away. The manufacturer also notes that the glue can melt when exposed to heat, but I've found that briefly refrigerating the traps can help reconstitute the material.
Fortunately, the adhesive doesn't inflict damage on a plant's leaves even if you accidentally touch one with a trap. In my experience, I've been able to carefully peel away any stuck-on leaves with minimal damage.
Still, the pros far outweigh the cons, and I appreciate how hands-off this extermination method is. Long gone are the days of risking injury while batting flying insects away.
If only solving all my critter concerns could be this easy. But a win's a win, and in my book, these sticky traps are a home run.
This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Maxine Builder. Here's the best gear for killing flies and other common household pests.
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