[rowlandwells]

I was reading about Sciarid flies in peat free compost and according to the RHS Garden mag they could eat seedlings as they emerge so I'm unsure about using this compost with these flies in it are they encouraged by what this compost contains like green waste that is obviously still de-composing in the bag?

and they go on to say one could use nematode drench the compost to control these Sciarid flies so this is making me think do I need to use rubber gloves to pot on and seeding  with this peat free as I've never used gloves before when seeding or potting on with peat based so any info on this topic would be most welcome RW

[Subversive_plot]

you can get fungus gnats (Sciarid flies) in any compost if it stays too wet.

Here's hoping you can keep your compost on the (slightly) dry side!

I don't think a change in compost will require you to change to wearing gloves, but you certainly can if you think it will add a layer of safety.

[AnneB]

I have occasionally had sciarid flies, but not recently.  It didn't seem related to any particular type of compost.
They were just a bit of a nuisance. They never ate any seedlings in my experience.

[Goosegirl]

I had them for the first time last year in my Sylvagrow compost. I only noticed when I re-potted some houseplants and they were all over the place.

[Snow]

I've always had them, they don't seem to do anything other than be a bit annoying

[rowlandwells]

I'm still not happy with these flies in my compost I think there the same flies that come out the darlick bin when you open the lid in there thousands so they seem to thrive on decaying matter so its likely there present in most composts although I haven't seem any in the peat based we've been using but they did seem more present in the peat free we used

sciarid flies are a question I'm going to ask the lady from the company who makes sylvagrow compost when she comes to our garden club meeting next month