They're out! Narcissus flies active

[johnw]

It works on the nervesystem of the insects. They keep away from plants that have been treated with.

Gerard  - I recall you gave us a run-down on this chemical but I can't seem to find it.  Can you tell us exactly what you spray? Is it a special SiO2 or is it combined with an insecticide. I'm interested as I discovered 2 NBF in the greenhouse last week.  They made no noise whatsoever.  I can't say if they hover like hoverflies but they certainly skewer nicely just like shishkabobs.

johnw

[Gerard Oud]

John,

Its NOT a chemical but a biological powder made from stone and treated with magnetic elements what gives it special working against insects.
I can send you some this summer with the bulbs.
For more info www.biovic.nl unfortunately the website is only in Dutch.

[Alan_b]

I tried Google to translate into English but the result came out very "new-age".  There seems to be an increasing number of plant treatments and feeds where the underlying science is vague or esoteric.  Is this one such, or does it just lose its meaning in translation?

[Gerard Oud]

Alan,

There is a small number of plant/soilenvironment treatment, no feeds just support and its a bit hard to explain how it works and that makes it vague and esoteric. But the most important thing is it works and its very cheap comparing it with chemicals that have the same but temporary effect.

The solution for almost all the different treatments is 1 gram/liter, so you do need not that much. I can sell a bag ( approx 50 gram) for 5 euro. And you only have to spray the plants once or twice a week during the activity of the NFB. It works too for Lilliebeetles, black flies, white mots and louse and other insect that can harm or infect the plants.

[steve owen]

I was out watering the garden this morning as you do on a Sunday morning, and a bloke out walking his dog stopped and asked why I was watering when it had been raining for several hours - and what was the peculiar attachment to my hosepipe nozzle? I replied that the attachment was a Miraclegro feed bottle full of a strong mixture of Jeyes fluid and insecticide and that the few hours rain had created the ideal conditions to give the narcissus fly grubs a bath. He shook his head and muttered something like he'd always had his doubt about me. I wondered briefly whether to enlighten him as to Mark Smyth's views but thought better of it.

[GoodGrief]

I tried Google to translate into English but the result came out very "new-age".  There seems to be an increasing number of plant treatments and feeds where the underlying science is vague or esoteric.  Is this one such, or does it just lose its meaning in translation?

I'm sure my wife could find a homeopathic treatment in her little book if you're interested?   

[mark smyth]

I've been asked lots of times why I carry a fly swat in my pocket

[Gerard Oud]

Its not homeopathic not newage or whatsoever, and it is just treated SiO2

[Gerard Oud]

see this attachment too

[Tony Willis]

Was repotting my Pancratium maritimum and thought this one had been killed by the cold until I found this maggot in it which I presume is a narcissus fly.It is now being digested as an afternoon snack by one of my fish. A new bulb is forming from the side of the rotten base.

[mark smyth]

Just in time Tony. My guess is that maggotwas ready to pupate

[JoshY46013]

I found some in my hybrid Hippeastrum that I bought last season    Surprisingly many of them bloomed but after wards they turned to mush!  This is the first year that I've noticed this, has anyone else had this problem?

[Armin]

Josh,
I've had narcissus fly infestation in 2010 in one of my large hippeastrum bulbs. The old mother bulb didn't flower and died but before made many small daughter bulbs...

[mark smyth]

I found a new Narcissus fly! It mimics the red tailed bumble bee.

[Lesley Cox]

This looks much like the one we have here Mark. Do you mean this is a THIRD fly, apart from your "ordinary" one and the fly that lays several eggs per batch, to make up to a dozen small grubs?