Flower fly: ways to combat it at home

There are indoor plants in almost every home. They give people positive emotions and purify the air. To continue to benefit from green crops, they need to be properly cared for. Its important component is pest control. If you find flower flies or larvae in indoor plants, you need to immediately begin solving this problem.

Protecting indoor plants from flower flies

What do insects look like?

Flower flies, or sciarids as they are also called, have an elongated body from 1.5 to 4 mm. Color dark gray. Juveniles have a light gray body. There are 2 pairs of wings on the back. The first are well developed, the second are reduced. The insect feeds using sucking mouthparts.

The female is capable of laying up to 300 eggs. The fly lays the eggs next to the roots. If you look closely, you will notice that the eggs are translucent.

After 6-7 days, the larvae are born. Body length from 2 to 10 mm. Large larvae leave a slimy trail on the soil. The roots of the plant act as food. After 2 weeks the larva turns into a pupa. The insect stays in this state for about 5 days.

Important: sciarids prefer to settle on violets, koleria and achimenes.

Taxonomy

Flower flies are generally divided into three subfamilies. Syrphinae, Eristalinae and Microdontinae and about 190 genera. Sometimes, however, Microdontinae is considered a separate family, and sometimes the tribubus is broken. Pipizini into a separate subfamily. The division into tribe and genus is constantly revised in accordance with new discoveries by researchers, not least with the help of DNA analyses.

Together with the eye-fly family (Pipunculidae), flower flies form the superfamily Syrphoidea.

Family in the Nordic countries

Below are all 78 genera found in Norden. Table columns can be sorted.

Subfamily Syrphinae

Swedish name	Scientific name	Tribus	Author	Number of species in the Nordic countries
Needle flower flies	Vaccha	Bacchini	Fabricius, 1805	1
Grass flower flies	Melanostomy	Melanostomini	Shiner, 1860	3
Fly leg flower	Platycheirus	Melanostomini	Lepeletier and Serville, 1828	44
Malblom flies	Xanthandrus	Melanostomini	Verrall, 1901	1
Steppe flower flies	Paragus	Paragini	Latreille, 1804	8
Wasp flower flying	Chrysotox	Chrysotoxin	Meighen, 1803	10
Forest flower flies	Dasisirf	Sirfini	Enderlein, 1938	10
Corner flower flies	Didea	Sirfini	Makkar, 1834	3
Petals	Doros	Sirfini	Meighen, 1803	1
Sunflower flies	Epistrophe	Sirfini	Walker, 1852	11
May flowers	Epistrophella	Sirfini	Dushek and Laska, 1967	1
Moving flower flies	Episirphus	Sirfini	Matsumura and Adachi, 1917	1
Conifer flies	Eriozone	Sirfini	Shiner, 1860	1
Wildflower flies	Eupeodes	Sirfini	Osten-Sacken, 1877	16
Flies with wedge-shaped flowers	Fagizirf	Sirfini	Dushek and Laska, 1967	1
Scented flower flies	Leucozona	Sirfini	Shiner, 1860	4
Conifer flies	Megazirf	Sirfini	Dushek and Laska, 1967	1
Flower girl flies	Melangina	Sirfini	Verrall, 1901	9
Flower girl flies	Meligram	Sirfini	Frey, 1946.	2
Flower girl flies	Meliskaeva	Sirfini	Frey, 1946.	2
Bush flying flower	Parasirph	Sirfini	Matsumura, 1917.	10
Glass wing flower flies	Skaeva	Sirfini	Fabricius, 1805	3
Dragonflies	Sphaerophoria	Sirfini	Lepeletier and Serville, 1828	17
Sunflower flies	Sirf	Sirfini	Fabricius, 1775	6
Flies with wedge-shaped flowers	Xantogram	Sirfini	Shiner, 1860	3

Subfamily Eristalinae

Swedish name	Scientific name	Tribus	Author	Number of species in the Nordic countries
?	Arbustorum
Bronze flower flies	Callicera	Callicherini	Tank, 1809	2
Griffelblomflugor	Ceriana	Cerioidini	Rafinesque, 1815	1
sawdust flies	Sphyxiemorph	Cerioidini	Rondani, 1850	1
Flower grass flies	Cheilosia	Ringiini	Meighen, 1822	54
Golden flower flies	Ferdinand	Ringiini	Rondani, 1844	2
Flower grass flies	Portevinia	Ringiini	Goffe, 1944.	1
Beak flower flies	Ringia	Ringiini	Scopoli, 1763	2
Ear flower flies	Pelecocera	Ringiini	Meighen, 1822	4
sawdust flies	Braciopa	Chrysogastrini	Meighen, 1822	10
Meadow flower flies	Chrysogaster	Chrysogastrini	Meighen, 1803	3
Mountain flower flies	Chrysosyrphus	Chrysogastrini	Sedman, 1965.	2
Bark flower flies	Hammerschmidtia	Chrysogastrini	Schummel, 1834	1
Metal flower flies	Lejogaster	Chrysogastrini	Rondani, 1857	2
Meadow flower flies	Melanogaster	Chrysogastrini	Rondani, 1857	4
Park flower flies	Myolepta	Chrysogastrini	Newman, 1838	1
Dwarf flower flying	Neoascia	Chrysogastrini	Williston, 1886.	8
Glossy flower flies	Ortoneur	Chrysogastrini	Makkar, 1829	8
The flower on the waist flies	Sphegina	Chrysogastrini	Meighen, 1822	6
Dusty flower flies	Anasimia	Eristalini	Shiner, 1864	5
Il flies	Eristalin	Eristalini	Rondani, 1845	2
Il flies	Eristalis	Eristalini	Latreille, 1804	18
Swamp flower flies	Helophilus	Eristalini	Meighen, 1822	7
Sävblom flies	Lejops	Eristalini	Rondani, 1857	1
Hole flower flies	Mallota	Eristalini	Meighen, 1822	2
The skull is flying	Myathropa	Eristalini	Rondani, 1845	1
Beach flower flying	Parhelophilus	Eristalini	Hirschner, 1897	3
Bear flower flies	Arctophila	Eristalini	Shiner, 1860	2
Peat flower flies	Sericomia	Eristalini	Meighen, 1803	5
Moon flowers	Eumerus	Eumerini	Meighen, 1822	8
Soot flower flies	Psilota	Eumerini	Meighen, 1822	2
Narcissus flower flies	Merodon	Eumerini	Meighen, 1803	2
The gall flower flies	Goeringia	Pipizini	Rondani, 1856	8
The gall flower flies	Pipisa	Pipizini	Fallen, 1810	8
Floral flowers Rotlus	Pipizella	Pipizini	Rondani, 1856	3
The gall flower flies	Trichopsomia	Pipizini	Williston, 1888.	2
The gall flower flies	Triglyph	Pipizini	Loew, 1840	1
Bumblebee flies	Volucella	Volucellini	Geoffroy, 1762	3
Stump flower flies	Blair	Xylotini	Billberg, 1820	2
Mulberry flies	Brachypalpoides	Xylotini	Gippa, 1978	1
Mulberry flies	Brachypalp	Xylotini	Makkar, 1834	1
Magnificent flower flies	Caliprobola	Xylotini	Rondani, 1845	1
Mulberry flies	Chalkosirf	Xylotini	Curran, 1925	5
Fur flower flies	Criorhina	Xylotini	Meighen, 1822	4
Firewood is flying	Lejota	Xylotini	Rondani, 1857	1
Fur flower flies	Pokota	Xylotini	Lepeletier and Serville, 1828	1
Bloody flower flies	Houndmaster	Xylotini	Latreille, 1804	1
Taigablomflugor	Sphecomia	Xylotini	Latreille, 1829	1
Tree flower flies	Spilomia	Xylotini	Meighen, 1803	2
Compost flower flies	Syritta	Xylotini	Lepeletier and Serville, 1828	1
Tiger flower flies	Temnostoma	Xylotini	Lepeletier and Serville, 1828	7
fireflies	Tropidia	Xylotini	Meighen, 1822	2
Firewood is flying	Xylota	Xylotini	Meighen, 1822	12

Subfamily Microdontinae

• Marsh flies ( Microdon
  ), (Meigen, 1803), 5 species

Causes of the pest

Before you start fighting flies, you need to understand why they appear. There are 3 main reasons:

1. Untreated soil. Most often this is soil collected from the garden. There are already eggs in the soil that hatch under favorable conditions.
2. Waterlogging of the soil. Some housewives overwater their plants, especially in the summer. This causes water to stagnate in the pots. A favorable environment attracts the pest.
3. Open window. This reason is especially relevant if there is a lawn growing under the windows.

If the fly entered the apartment, then after 3 weeks there will be about 300 individuals on the flowers.

Methods with chemicals

Sometimes white aphids appear on flowers.
These are future small flies, another type of pest. We don't think it makes a difference what color of the species attacked your flowers, but what matters is how you get rid of them. If aphids appear on the plant or a swirling cloud of flies near the root, try using a cockroach pencil (crayon, chalk). Simply drawing a line inside the pot will usually help kill the midges.

Pesticides against flower midges are sold in departments for gardeners and gardeners. Before using them, evaluate the subsequent risks: do you want to water the flowers with chemicals, will this harm the plant. Known among flower growers, “Aktara” copes well with small midges when watering. There are other similar chemicals, if you purchased them, follow the instructions strictly.

Important! When treating plants with chemicals, watering should be limited.

Flower midges are annoying and quite hardy creatures. If the methods you have taken have not destroyed them, we suggest the most effective and efficient one.

Ways to fight

If you do not fight the pest, all the plants in your home will suffer. There are 2 ways to eliminate insects:

• chemical;
• folk

Each of the options will allow you to quickly deal with the problem that has arisen.

Chemicals

In household chemical stores, you can find products against flower flies. Drugs are divided into groups:

1. Granules or powders. Effective means include “Thunder 2” and “Fly Eater”. Substances are applied to the soil surface and then watered. The treatment must be repeated after 3 days.
2. Insecticidal preparations. Experts recommend using Actellik, Fitoverm and IntaVir. Before treating plants, you need to prepare a solution. The proportions are indicated in the instructions for each drug. The substance affects adults and larvae.
3. Aerosols. “Dichlorvos”, “Raptor” and “Raid” cope with their task perfectly. The aerosol is sprayed onto the plant leaves and soil.
4. Crayons. The most popular is “Mashenka”. The product is effective only against larvae. The chalk is ground to a powdery consistency and then poured onto the soil.

Important: regardless of the product chosen, you must strictly follow the instructions, otherwise you can harm the plants.

Folk remedies

Housewives who are afraid of harming flowers are advised to use traditional methods. The most effective control options include:

1. Potassium permanganate solution. To disinfect the soil, it is necessary to dilute the product in water. The solution should have a light pink tint. Water the soil generously with the prepared product. The procedure is repeated after a few days, when the top layer of soil has dried. The method is effective against larvae and adults.
2. Matches. If the pot is small, it is enough to use 20 matches. They are placed in the soil with their heads down. After this, the soil is watered. When the sulfur begins to dissolve, the pest will die.
3. Green dill. If desired, you can use a dry plant, but the effect will be less. The dill is crushed and then poured onto the soil.
4. Wood ash. The product allows you to get rid of the larvae. Ash is sprinkled in a thin layer on the ground. This product will not only get rid of the pest, but will also become a good fertilizer for the plant.

Folk methods differ from chemical means in that they are not capable of causing harm to flowers.

Midges in indoor flowers

Parasites often appear in plants in winter. It is at this time that the plants are weak. When small midges are found in indoor plants, first of all you need to determine to what stage the damage to the flower has reached. Damage is caused both by the insects themselves and their larvae. If you do not immediately resort to any measures, the flower will die.

Initially, it is recommended to dig out the soil in the flower pot and make sure that there are no fly larvae there. After all, getting rid of midges is much easier than getting rid of their larvae.

Prevention

Although floaters are easy to deal with, it is best to prevent them from appearing. To do this, you need to choose the right soil. It is best if the soil is from a store, as it has already been treated against insects.

If one of the plants is damaged, it should be separated. Before this, the leaves are washed with warm water. Thanks to this procedure, eggs located on the leaves or near the stem will be washed away.

For feeding, only ready-made fertilizers are used. If you collect them yourself, the likelihood of introducing flower fly eggs increases.

Are larvae harmful?

The larvae of harmful hoverflies destroy the entire available crop. The insect prefers:

• garlic;
• daffodils;
• tulips;

Fly larvae often destroy flowers, such as tulips

• onion;
• hyacinths;
• gladioli.

After contact with a harmful larva, the plant stops growing and developing. Withering gradually occurs. The leaves are drying up.

Interesting Facts

Here are some fun facts about hoverflies:

1. Imitating bees helps flies escape insectivorous birds. The chicks hatch when the wasps fly out. Then their parents teach them to be wary of striped insects. Hoverflies fly out when the chicks grow up and do not risk attacking suspicious flies.
2. Hoverflies get their name from the characteristic sound of their wings, similar to the murmur of water.
3. Male wasps hover in the air for a long time, protecting their territory and females during the mating season.

Lifestyle

Males fly at altitudes of 3 meters and above. In flight, hoverflies accurately imitate wasps of the genus Vespula

; when landing, the insects hold their black front legs as if they were antennae, reminiscent of the black antennae of Vespula

, and vibrates them, as a wasp does with its antennae.

Adult insects of both sexes are often found on flowers; for these purposes they visit pastures and meadows; often sit on the leaves of shrubs, etc. Prefers flowers of the following taxa: butane ( Chaerophyllum

), clematis ( Clematis

), dogwood (
Cornus
), hawthorn (
Crataegus
), hogweed (
Heracleum
), honeysuckle (
Lonicera xylosteum
), poppy (
Papaver nudicaule
), buttercup (
Ranunculus
), raspberry (
Rubus idaeus
), elderberry (
Sambucus
), groundsel (
Senecio
), mountain ash (
Sorbus
).

Summer time

Flights occur between June and July.

Reproduction

Larva.

The larvae are xylophages and develop in rotting wood of deciduous trees (maple, alder, birch, beech, aspen, oak, willow and linden). Larval development takes 2 years.

Literature

• Violovich Ya. A.
  Syrphids of Siberia (Diptera, Syrphidae). Determinant. - Novosibirsk: Science, 1983. - P. 149
• Gusev V. I., Ermolenko V. M., Svishchuk V. V., Shmigovsky K. A.
  Atlas of mosquitoes of Ukraine. - K.: State Educational and Pedagogical Institute "Radyanska School", 1962. - P. 149 (Ukrainian)
• Red Book of the Republic of Adygea: Rare and endangered objects of flora and fauna: Part 2: Animals. — Second edition / Department of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia; resp. ed. A. S. Zamotailov; scientific ed. parts 2: A. S. Zamotailov, V. I. Shchurov, M. I. Shapovalov, R. A. Mnatsekanov. — Maykop: Quality, 2012. — P. 356 ISBN 978-5-9703-0347-4
• Speight MCD
  Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera) // Syrph the Net: the database of European Syrphidae. Volume 65, Glasgow, 2011. - P. 239-240 (English)

Flora and fauna of the Rtishchevsky district
Flora of Rtishchevsky district
Mushrooms of the Rtishchevsky district	Fauna of Rtishchevsky district	Invertebrates Vertebrates
Paleofauna

Red Data Book of the Saratov Region

Rtishchevo and Rtishchevsky district in topics
Symbols and awards
People of the city and region
Administrative-territorial division		History of the Rtishchevsky region
Economy
Education and science