Hello, I have small flies nesting in the soil of a couple of my plants. They are brownish black about the size of a fruit fly. I find them mostly sitting around the soil and side of the pots of baby (new soil and cuttings) Hunters robe and dephenbacia. The plants don't seem bothered by these pests but they are multiplying. I have many other more mature plants that don't seem to be bothered as yet. I want desperately to be rid of them but don't want to damage the plants with pesticides. Please help me in identifying the type of pest I have and how should I get rid of it.

Thank you
Karen

You can go to SEARCH on this site and type in "fungus gnats" to get some answers. Fungus gnats love moist soil. You'll want to keep the soil drier. Their larvae cannot survive in dry soil.