White Fly In the Composter

[clive]

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of white fly in my composter?
Any advice on the causes would be useful.

Many Thanks
Clive

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Clive welcome to the Grapevine. I asked exactly the same question because one of our compost bins is full of white flies. Apparently they are fruit flies and the compost might be damp. Try covering with 1 inch of soil.

[nick the grief]

or you can use shredded paper - Buy a paper shredder and shred your bank statements etc, this stops people rumigeing around in your dustbin and nicking your personal details

[Nicos]

You know.. I wonder if they are fruit fly after all! Fruit fly are black...not white...I think maybe we need to look into this further!!

[nick the grief]

bit dark to look in a compost bin now Nicos, wait till morning

[Nicos]

Recall genetic experiments at school with drosophilea (sp??) fruit flies....red eyed virgins (!) they were black flies...not white! No rude comments please!!!

[Geordie]

In todays cosmopolitan compost bin you will find both white and black (technically brown) fruit flies. You can get rid of them as previously advised.

[Nicos]

Well there we go!!

[andrewo]

If fruit fly, leave the bin open for the night, if cold, the buggers will die and also the rain will get to them (urine can also work).

[andrewo]

I'm not taking the pee!

[nick the grief]

Hard to hold a converstion with your next door neigbour whilst peeing in the compost bin

"... Honest love it's the fruit flies, I'm not really a flasher.."

[Lesley Jay]

Geordie what will the inch layer of soil do? The reason why I ask is that I have been down to the allotments and with everything rotting down nicely the compost bin is only half full. However the sides and lid of the bin are plastered with white flies so how can a layer of soil kill off the flies that are not on top of the compost? Should I give them a spray with some fly spray?

[Geordie]

The flies are feeding off the rotting produce, the layer of soil will cover the food supply which will stop them colonising. If they are all around the inside of the bin or lid just hose them off.

[Lesley Jay]

Thanks Geordie I shall do that next time I am at the allotments.