Hello all

I have recently noticed that my new potted rosemary/bay/goji berries are infested with absolutly loads of these little fly like things. They scurry around the soil but also fly I cant seem to identify them except for the fact that there small live in soil and have crossed wings they just look like flies to me.

Does anybody know how to get ride of them because there eating my bay tree and only I am allowed to eat my bay tree.

I have just noticed there is absolutly loads of these little flies, boat loads of the little swines.

Ive tried digging around the top of the soil to see if I can see eggs or anything but I cant see anything.

I need something which will kill em off before they eat the whole plant.

commando writes

Hello all

I have recently noticed that my new potted rosemary/bay/goji berries
are infested with absolutly loads of these little fly like things. They
scurry around the soil but also fly I cant seem to identify them except
for the fact that there small live in soil and have crossed wings they
just look like flies to me.

Sciarid flies, also known as fungus gnats. Their grubs live n the soil
eating decaying matter. Not usually a problem except for plants with
fheshy roots, eg bulbs or seedling cacti.

Does anybody know how to get ride of them

Fly spray gets rid of the adults.

because there eating my bay
tree

What makes you think they are eating your bay tree?

and only I am allowed to eat my bay tree.


--
Kay

On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:36:16 +0000, commando
wrote:


Hello all

I have recently noticed that my new potted rosemary/bay/goji berries
are infested with absolutly loads of these little fly like things. They
scurry around the soil but also fly I cant seem to identify them except
for the fact that there small live in soil and have crossed wings they
just look like flies to me.

Does anybody know how to get ride of them because there eating my bay
tree and only I am allowed to eat my bay tree.

The appearance of those suggests that the soil is too wet.

Pam in Bristol

What makes you think they are eating your bay tree?

The bay leaf has an abundance of little holes in them and someof the leaves are half eaten

commando writes

What makes you think they are eating your bay tree?

The bay leaf has an abundance of little holes in them and someof the
leaves are half eaten

I'd be surprised if that was sciarid flies. So either the little flies
aren't sciarid flies, or there is something else eating your bay. Sorry,
can't help on that. My experience with bay is that nothing seems to eat
the leaves, although they are bad for scale insect and woolly aphid.



--
Kay

In article ,
says...
commando writes

What makes you think they are eating your bay tree?

The bay leaf has an abundance of little holes in them and someof the
leaves are half eaten

I'd be surprised if that was sciarid flies. So either the little flies
aren't sciarid flies, or there is something else eating your bay. Sorry,
can't help on that. My experience with bay is that nothing seems to eat
the leaves, although they are bad for scale insect and woolly aphid.




If the eaten leaves have notches in them? then its adult vine weavils so
somewhere nearby the grubs will be having a lovely time!!
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Hi
Problem could a mixture of things.... Adult Vine Weevil (the holes/notches in the leaves) though as stated below, it's the weevil larvae that are the worst pest, they loooove potted plants! The tiny flies might be a red herring (sorry!) could be sciarid/fungus gnat.... more a problem for seedlings than 'fully grown' plants. I've had a huge problem with whitefly this year both inside and out!
Anyhow, suggest you visit one of the garden pest control sites - for example www.buzzorganics.co.uk - for more information. These days there are lots and lots of them around with many potential solutions for you to use (beneficial bugs or 'green'/environmentally safe solutions)!
Keep smiling and more to the point don't give up you can win!