Flies

~ By Gardnbee ~

The manner in which these beneficials eradicate our pests may be straightforward predation as in hunting down the vermin and devouring it or parasitic whereby the adult will lay eggs on or in the host's body and the emerging larvae destroy the pest from inside out. The following "Flies" are a prime example of these two categories.


Hover Fly

Family: Syrphidae
Order: Diptera

The Syrphid or Hover Fly Adult resembles wasps due to their striped abdomen but unlike wasps they don't sting. Hovering before some of their favorites like Cosmos, Coreopsis, Dwarf morning glories, Marigolds, Gloriosa daisies, Spearmint, Baby-blue-eyes and the herb Meadowfoam some of nearly 1,000 species found throughout North America are also important pollinators.

Their green or tan wormlike larvae can consume over a thousand aphids before changing into an adult and the adult females lay about one hundred eggs each. Other small, soft-bodied insects like Mealybugs, Thrips and Leafhoppers round out the Hover Fly menu topped up with a nice serving of nectar.

Robber Fly

Family: Asilidae
Order: Diptera

Robber flies grow up to ¾ inches long and are just plain ugly with their hairy-faced gray appearance and yet along with some unfortunate Beneficials can snap airborne pests from the sky before they know what hit them.

Long and powerful these hunters can take down a variety of flying insects like Beetles, Butterflies, Leafhoppers, Grasshoppers, Dragonflies and even Bees and Wasps while their white larvae are moving into the eggs and grubs of pests under the Earth surface. With many species found throughout North America keeping a constant supply of flowering plants should keep a few at work in the garden.

Tachinid Fly

Family: Tachinidae
Order: Diptera

There are nearly 1,300 different species of these flies that can be found throughout North America often resembling House flies they can occasionally appear in shades of yellow, red or brown. You may note them more around leaves and flowers feeding on nectar or the honeydew secreted by certain types of pests.

The larvae of these flies invade and excavate the bodies of their hosts and feed on many different Beetles, Bugs, Caterpillars, Grasshoppers, European corn borers, Cutworms, Armyworms along with the Japanese beetle and Mexican bean beetle. They seem to be attracted to Buck-wheat so a little patch of this vegetation should ensure a welcome population of this fly.

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Resource: Mother Earth News April/May, 1992
"Managing Beneficial Bugs in your Garden"

         

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