iris fly?

gardenpt@aol.com gardenpt@aol.com
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:55:10 PDT
Jan,



Thanks for the excellent images!  They make it easy to Identify the 
critters' life stages.



And yes, you're correct.  They're definitely flies.



I suggest you secure the plants, along with the maggots and pupae in a 
clear container until you can take them to the University.  While you 
wait, the adult flies may emerge.  Sometimes it's much easier to 
identify the adults rather than the pupae or larvae.



That said, what country did the plants come from?  Whatever the place, 
their agricultural inspections and practices fail.



Please post again to tell us the name of the flies, also anything else 
the University people say.



Jean in Portland, Oregon





-----Original Message-----

From: J. Agoston <agoston.janos123@gmail.com>

To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>

Sent: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 1:24 pm

Subject: Re: [pbs] iris fly?



Dear All,



Thank you for the responses! I finally went out to grany's garden, 
becouse

the irises (Spuria-hybrids, ochroleuca subsp. gigantea, crocea were

infected) were there in the winter and in spring. I made additional 
pictures

too. And I double checked the leaves, and saw that they were eating the

leaves downwards, but they didn't reached the rhizome.



I've saved all the existing larvae and pupa. I do not know if maggot is 
the

0Acorrect english word for it, but they look like this (

http://kapitális.hu/e107_images/custom/…<http://xn--kapitlis-dza.hu/e107_images/custom/…>)

just smaller, and a bit yellowish. Last stage larvae are around 4 mm 
long

and 1 mm wide. The pupa is 3 mm long and 1 mm wide.

Larvae:

http://picasaweb.google.hu/lh/photo/…

Pupa:

http://picasaweb.google.hu/lh/photo/…



On friday I'm going to the Horticultural University's Entomology 
Department,

they have a nice series of books on horticultural pests, maybe I can 
find it

there. I'm 100% sure it is some kind of a fly.



I don't know when will they turn to a fly, but as soon as they do I'll 
let

you all know and we will look for the ID.



Interestingly other spuria sectio members like I. graminea and I. 
lactaea,

Iris 'Dardanus', I. cristata, reticulata irises and pogon irises were 
not

infected.



Now I know why exportes have to wash all roots and cut the foliage 
back...

Unfortunately inside the EU it is not necessary so nobody do that.



Bye,

Jan


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