Pest Remedies-F:
Fleahopper, Garden (Halticus bractatus)
Order: Hemiptera; Family: Miridae
Description: Adults, winged forms are up to 1/8" (3 mm) and have large hind
legs for jumping. Males are winged and dark and elongated. Females have non-functional
wings. Nymphs, like female but smaller.
Life Cycle:
Hosts/Damage: Suck plant sap leaving irregular blotchy areas on upper leaf surface of
host.
Controls:
Cultural - None.
Biological - None
Chemical - None recommended but sprays may be available at your nursery or hardware
store. Follow label instructions carefully to avoid injury to your plant, yourself,
your pets or the environment.
Fly, Fruit (Various)
Order: Diptera; Family: Tephritidae
Description: Adult are often brightly colored with patterned wings. Larva is white and
legless.
Life Cycle: 1 generation per year. Adult lays eggs under skin of fruit or nuts. Larvae
burrow into fruit or nut and eat until they hatch when they drop to the ground and pupate
in the soil.
Hosts/Damage: Larvae (maggots) feed on fruit or nuts.
Controls:
Cultural - Yellow, red or green sticky traps (depending on the species) catch many of
the adults. Store picked fruit or nuts in sealed containers or refrigerator. They can also
be vacuumed up.
Biological - Beneficial nematodes attack larvae and pupae (e.g. Biosafe).
Chemical - Various other sprays and baits may be available at your nursery or hardware
store. Follow label instructions carefully to avoid injury to your plant, yourself,
your pets or the environment.
Fly, March (Bibio sp.)
Order: Diptera; Family: Bibionidae
Description: Adults are 3/8" (10 mm) and have a black dot on each wing at the
front and have long hanging legs.
Life Cycle:
1 generation per year. Adults appear in great numbers in March and/or April and tend to
congregate around blossoms of trees.
Hosts/Damage: Larvae (maggots) feed on decaying organic matter in marshy areas.Adults
can't eat and don't bite.
Controls:
Cultural - None.
Biological - None
Chemical - None recommended but sprays may be available at your nursery or hardware
store. Follow label instructions carefully to avoid injury to your plant, yourself,
your pets or the environment.
Last edited: 07/10/98 01:23 AM
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