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what is this fly

ken lawrenceken lawrence Posts: 6
in Problem solving

Hi  I found this fly on numerous plants under a plum tree, when I said fly there were literally millions of them on the tops, undersides and stems  I sprayed them with insecticide which got rid of them but they have started to reappear but not in the vast numbers as before.   They are about 5 mill. in length. Can anyone help please

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  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    It's a wasp judging by the shape, probably one of the Chalcid wasps.

     

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • ken lawrenceken lawrence Posts: 6

    When you are confronted by millions of these what do you do?  As I said there were millions of these and there totally obscured the plants they were on so naturally I got rid of them 

  • ken lawrenceken lawrence Posts: 6

    To  Pansyface  I did not get rid of the vegetation I got rid of the flies as for the faeces there isn't any and I do not have any animals potty trained or not.

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    I'm  with you guys condemning the " act first: think later" opinion 

    Devon.
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Ken, if you had just walked away from the insects for a few hours, they would have disappeared 'naturally'. No killing necessary.



    Please, please think before you destroy.
  • SupernoodleSupernoodle Posts: 954

    Oh Ken, you've got yourself into the naughty corner with this lot!  It's one of the gardening learning curves that there are good insects and bad insects.  I tend not to get rid of the bad insects because there'll be a good insect /bird along eventually to do the job for me.  And if you get rid of the baddies there'll be no goodies (as there's nothg to eat) in your garden and so when you get an infestation you are stuffed.  That, and it suits my lazy streak!

  • NorthernLass2NorthernLass2 Posts: 407
    ken lawrence wrote (see)

    When you are confronted by millions of these what do you do?  As I said there were millions of these and there totally obscured the plants they were on so naturally I got rid of them 

    I call them flying ants.  Though I know they're not that.  They're sepsidae. 

    Leave them alone.  They'll be gone quick as a flash.   You'll likely see them again next year or the year after.

    IF you're lucky and have housemartins, swifts and swallows they'll be delighted that you've got a perfect meal for them.

    IF you're spraying insecticide all over without knowing what it is you're even killing then aside from that in itself being wrong in my opinion, also just be mindful that it's not discriminatory.  It will affect bees and ladybirds and other things that you really shouldn't be killing.   

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,012

    Don't worry about it Ken.  What's done is done and there are many who are quick to judge others too!

  • ken lawrenceken lawrence Posts: 6

    thanks for all your comments

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    But that's the point Runnybeak - it may look as if it would damage the fruit, but in actual fact it wouldn't http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/sepsis-fulgens

    image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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