Shore flies on cut flowers
The disease risk is documented in a cut flower: adult shore flies carried Fusarium avenaceum to lisianthus and the plants developed disease, in work published in 2005. That makes shore fly control part of disease control in wet cut-flower beds. Keep irrigation from pooling, clear algae, and use the rove beetle on the media where larvae feed.
At a glance
- Damage
- Adults and larvae in algae on wet media and benches
- Type
- Root
- Settings
- Under glass
- Threshold
- No published threshold
- Release
- Dalotia coriaria
- Rate
- 0.5–1 /sq ft onto beds, benches and algae patches (Buglogical)
How to confirm it
Look at the flies on a yellow sticky card with a hand lens: shore flies are stout and housefly-shaped, about 1/8 inch long, with very short antennae and five or more pale spots on each dark wing. Fungus gnats are delicate, with long antennae and clear wings.
Identification, lifecycle, degree days and every control option are on the full Shore flies profile. Not sure it is this pest? Answer four questions about the damage.
Work it out
How many do I need?
Carries Dalotia coriaria and cut flowers through so nothing is re-entered. Open the calculator →