[kippers garden]

I sowed some seeds yesterday in a clean margarine tub and they are in my propagator on my windowsill.  I checked them today and have seen one or two really tiny (approx 1mm) things crawling in and out of the compost...should i be worried?...what are they?...i thought my compost was sterile so where have they come from?

Any advice welcome thanks



(Heading edited for spelling to help future searches; will change it back if your little friends are heard singing "She loves you" with very tiny voices.) JayG

[GrannieAnnie]

The larvae could have been in the compost, where did you buy it from?  Have you checked the bag?  Or have you got any indoor plants nearby that they could have come from?

Other than that, not sure!

[billathome65]

Remember once I had a large rubber plant sat in the living room and one night it came crashing down when I checked it the soil was infested with little white mites not sure what they where but in my experience anything crawling round in sterile compost is not a good thing check the bag as suggested and if you have house plants near by check them to as also suggested.

Sorry cant help to identify  the critters though.

Bill

[GrannieAnnie]

I had some in a plant in my office once and someone told me what they were, but I can't remember what they were called!

[savbo]

are they beetley or could they be grubby? fungus gnat larvae like the surface of compost, I have a problem with them (off to wilkos later for yellow traps to get the adults...)

[kippers garden]

Thanks for your replies.  The compost was 'Westland' multipurpose compost bought from my local garden centre.  I don't have any house plants (i don't like them in my house).  I don't think it looks like fungus gnat larvae as it's white and i think they are supposed to be translucent.  I can't check the bag now as i used it up, but i can't remember seeing anything in it.

Thanks for any help