Narcissus fly

[mark smyth]

The Ulster Group had a day out yesterday to three fantastic gardens in Dublin. Two of these gardens had bigger problems with Narcissus fly than I do. The owners had good collections of Narcissus and Galanthus with lots of yellow leaves present. They werent aware of the fly being present in their gardens. This leads me to believe everyone who grows Amarllidaceae has it but cant recognise the fly or distinguish it from bees/hoverflies and blow flies.

Talking to Brian Duncan who was on the trip he says go to your local agricultural supplier and buy any produce that contains Dimethoate and from mid May spray your collection including the holes where the bulbs emerge.

I urge you to watch your garden the next sunny day and look for a small, bee mimic, fly flying slowly around the leaves of bulbs. They arrive fast and then slowly fly around landing on various leaves and bare soil. They like to sun bathe on wide leaves and rocks. The loves to feed on Geranium flowers - not an excuse to dump all of your plants. You have to tidy away the leaves! While I was in the Burren last week I visited a snowdrop collector who has a large collection of Galanthus and Narcissus. I was amazed to see all the yellow and dead leaves of his collection still present.

[Hagen Engelmann]

For Mark and all the other galanthophiles, threatened by narcissus fly.

Here are some experience from Germany, but only in german.

http://www.engelmannii.de/bilder/galanthus/narzissenfliege.htm

Weidmanns Heil

[mark smyth]

Hagen could you translate for us us please?

[robsorchids]

i decided to remove my fleece tents now, as all of the dead foliage has been removed and all holes covered over with soil where the stems were, so i just hope these flys cant dig?  !

am i ok to do this? or will they still find a way to the bulbs?

rob

[mark smyth]

Rob you will be OK but the family of plants they go for includes
Amaryllis
Clivia
Crinum
Eucharis
Galanthus
Habranthus
Hippeastrum
Hymenocallis
Leucojum
Lycoris
Narcissus
Pancratium
Sprekelia
Sternbergia
Zephyranthes

[robsorchids]

so basicaly everything in amarylidaceae!
my glasshouse (which is left open at this time of year) contains many hippeastrum as well as clivia and i have numbers of crinum and other amarylids outside im a bit concerned now as i didnt realise they went for these too.

i geuss  better cover up my glasshouse door!

i think i found one today sitting on a gunnera manicata leaf, it didnt fly of and was easily squished.
are these quite slow insects?

rob

[mark smyth]

"are these quite slow insects?"

quite the opposite

[Hagen Engelmann]

Hi rob,
have you one, so have you all !

Here the flies come only, when I`m at home.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Good morning Mark,

I know, that you like both, the informations about the fly and my excellent english. But my text is too big and next weekend we have an "OPEN GARDEN" for everyone. So I haven`t the time for tranlating in best quality. Be sure, your experience is the same! But you can listening the flies on my site!!!

[mark smyth]

Excellent Hagen. Everyone should go and listen. Left of the 3rd row of flies click on Hörprobe gefällig? The high pitched 'scooter' is the Narcissus fly.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Hi Mark, yes, your tip for the button is helpful.
I catched ca. 25 flies and put them in a net. Hoped all flies of the garden will come to the same place. Sadly not. All noises were made by flies. When the insects are angry, they are rubbing the wings together. This is the very high pitch. (excellent english, or ). Hope you can often listen these noises in your hands. And seldom you have swollen fingers!

[robsorchids]

this partiular fly i squished didnt even fly of or anything, i think it might have allready kicked the bucket before i got to it lol!

do these die after laying eggs?

are there males of the species, or are they all female like vine weeviles? (i think vines are all parthenogenetic anyway)

hagen , im glad you have a good eye for squishing these! mye eyesight is terrible no good for catching such pesky flies
not even the carnivorous plants help out

bye
rob

[Hagen Engelmann]

Rob, the first thing is: listening
the second: seeing.
It would be much easier, when we had some time together for catching .
The flies looking for good places, they aren`t angry between us. So they are slow. But when you are hunting, then they are flying very fast.
I`m  a bad teacher. Sorry

[robsorchids]

thanks hagen! so i must hear for the loud sound these flys make.
rob

[mark smyth]

It's not a loud sound just distinctive and possibly unique to the fly