[pbs] Narcissus flies
totototo at telus.net
totototo at telus.net
Fri Aug 8 12:41:00 EDT 2008
The large narcissus fly is Merodon equistris. There are at least two species of
"lesser narcissus fly", Eumerus strigatus and E. tuburculatus.
The online literature, last time I checked, was rather vague on the subject,
but it appears that other species of both Merodon and Eumerus also attack
amaryllidaceous bulbs.
Mary Sue asked if narcissus flies attack non-amaryllidaceous bulbs. The
received wisdom is that they will but only opportunistically when they can't
find anything tastier to munch on. I have seen them myself in a bulb of a
potted garden hyacinth.
See for more information:
http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/homehort/pest/bulbflies.htm
--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate
on beautiful Vancouver Island
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