A gathering place for vegetable gardeners & allotmenteers

black fly

i have just checked the runner beans and out of 16, one has black fly, quite a lot in fact; seems a bit odd for just one to be infested.

do i leave it as the sacrificial bean, or do i get rid of black fly asap?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Amanda on June 16, 2008 at 5:58pm: Hi Jane

Spray the black fly with a weak solution of fairy liquid in water. It works a treat, suffocates the little darlings. Or you can rub them off with your fingers, a little messy but you get used to it.

Amanda; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Wyman on June 17, 2008 at 10:08am: One sacrificial bean will soon become lots of sacrificial beans, squish them quickly or as Amanda say spray with a weak solution of Fairy Liquid.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jane on June 17, 2008 at 11:05am: Yuk, I don't like squishing things if i can help it, but they have been thoroughly soaped. I don't think the ants were very happy; I left a few at the bottom for them....am i too soft......probably!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amanda on June 18, 2008 at 8:35pm: The ants dont eat the black fly, they harvest them for the sugary stuff the flies secrete, so by leaving a few black fly it will allow them to multiply at an extraordinary rate. So try and get rid of the ants also.

Also spraying the black fly with the powerful nozzle on your hose if feasible will remove a lot of them too.

Hope you get rid of them completely; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jane on June 19, 2008 at 10:33am: i didnt know that, thanks. they seem to have all perished in the washing up liquid anyway; ▶ Reply to This