Free-rider pest populations in my d. grantii L3s' (Chonky, Chubby, and Tubby's) tank exploded during a heat-wave this past weekend: I believe I found hundreds of mushroom flies and dozens of mealybugs (or possibly some sort of white mite). I'm currently baking all the substrate (and man, it is RIPE in my apartment right now) but frankly think the pests will return right away. I moved the beetles to new substrate once before in an attempt to eliminate mushroom flies, which obviously didn't work. All pests are on the substrate's surface and the grubs look fine and unbothered, but I find it really gross and would like to beat the pest populations down as much as possible.
Does anyone have advice for controlling these pest populations in the beetles' tanks?
My father keeps bees and has offered two mite treatments (Apiguard and Formic Pro) that he uses on his hives, but I think this is a bad idea b/c I don't know if they're safe for beetles. Otherwise, all I can think of is to keep temperatures and humidity in the tank down to suppress pests and regularly re-treating the substrate, but I'm worried that keeping the substrate drier will be bad for the grubs and that taking them out to re-treat the substrate is really stressful for them. I have sticky traps on the tank's lid (out of the grubs' reach) but they're just not doing enough. I appreciate any advice or input!
Does anyone have advice for controlling these pest populations in the beetles' tanks?
My father keeps bees and has offered two mite treatments (Apiguard and Formic Pro) that he uses on his hives, but I think this is a bad idea b/c I don't know if they're safe for beetles. Otherwise, all I can think of is to keep temperatures and humidity in the tank down to suppress pests and regularly re-treating the substrate, but I'm worried that keeping the substrate drier will be bad for the grubs and that taking them out to re-treat the substrate is really stressful for them. I have sticky traps on the tank's lid (out of the grubs' reach) but they're just not doing enough. I appreciate any advice or input!