Narcissus fly

[mark smyth]

that's one OK. Did you let him/her go free 

[Armin]

Mark,
the fly or my cat?

[mark smyth]

The fly. I guess the bulb was in the house?

[Armin]

Mark, yes the bulb still is in the house.
My cat has eaten the fly!

[Armin]

News from my garden...

My fishnet and todays haul... I can't stop the investation but hopefully limit the damage.

The sound of the Narcissus flies is unique - once you have heared and memoried you can easily distinguish it from bumble bees and other buzz

[mark smyth]

Hi 5. well done

[Ragged Robin]

News from my garden...

My fishnet and todays haul... I can't stop the investation but hopefully limit the damage.

The sound of the Narcissus flies is unique - once you have heared and memoried you can easily distinguish it from bumble bees and other buzz

Armin can't imagine you on the rampage with that tiny fishnet and actually achieving such a good catch!  I wonder how many objects went flying at the same time : Until I joined the SRGC I had never come across this usurper fly and now I hear it in my dreams! Have you completely lost you Hippeastrum?   I do hope some bulbs can be rescued on such a magnificent specimen

[Armin]

Robin,
not a single one escaped from those I had identified. Probably all caught flies were females. Those who escaped and flew off in the first attempt to catch them returned after a couple of minutes obviously to lay eggs on the narcissus leaves.
Just a bit of patience, slow in body movements while approaching and finishing with a sudden quick stroke with the fishnet is required. No need for rampage or being hectic.

The infested hippeastrum bulb didn't grow neither a flower stem nor leaves this season. Two daughter bulbs growing leaves.
The bulb consistency still looks normal. No soft locations or spots can be sensed with fingers. Will see if it recovers until next year.

Mark,
here is another caught beast in a zoomed view

[mark smyth]

To know if they are male or female squeeze the body. If the fly is female her laying tube will come out and eggs will appear. If only females were one colour we would not waste time killing males

[Kees Green]

Hi
Last year I to collected a few of those pesky bulb flies. They were brought in from some bulbs that I got from a sister in laws farm where the varieties are quite old, unfortunately not many survived my bin after I realised they were hosting a grub. I also bought a few bulbs this year from a supplier which will remain anonymous that had over 50% of the poeticus with one or two grubs.
I suppose if they were rare or valued bulbs that are effected you could always chit them and most likely save a few of them or atleast get a few smaller ones from them.
My 4 year old son caught a few of the bulb flies last summer, he wanted to pin them all and put in his Insect collection until I told him they were "bad" flies, he promptly then squashed them all and looked very proud of himself.
As I am going through a seperation currently I will miss his services on the days that he is not around 

[annew]

So far I've only succeeded in killing one fly. I have one of those things that looks like a tennis racquet but electrocutes the flies etc. It hurts me anyway  . I had a narcissus fly on it being zapped for a good 20 seconds after which it flew off! I can't get near enough for swatting. I think I need to take tracking lessons from Ray Mears. He'd probably eat them afterwards as well. 

[mark smyth]

I get close enough to swat them but once you get close you have to strike. They have finished here now.

[pehe]

Warning: The Narcissus fly is out now!

We have had a week with sun and temp. above 25 C, the ideal weather for the Narcissus fly - and yes they are out now. Some days ago I found one in my green house on the leaves of Cyrtanthus elatus. Hopefully it has not visited my Galanthus RGO or my Sternbergias, which is leafless now.
This year I have covered an outdoor frame with a fine netting to avoid the Narcissus fly. Here I grow my rarer Narcissus, which I only have a few of. But to my horror I found one Narcissus fly trapped under the net yesterday .
The frame are not 100% closed, but the openings are very small and I don't think the fly could have entered here. The other explanation is that there have been a grub in one of the Narcissus bulbs, and just have turned to a fly.

Poul

[Lina Hesseling]

I am wondering, when the Galanthusses are leafless, can the narcisfly still find the bulb?
Stupid question probably!

Lina.

[mark smyth]

They alledgedly lay their egg/s at the hole left by the withered leaves