Mystery Fly-like Pest

15 years ago

I'm hoping someone can help me identify a little fly-like pest plaguing my tomato plants (sorry, no photo--I'm not that sophisticated yet):

It looks more or less like a common fruit-fly, but with a black body and completely translucent wings.

It is on the stems, and upside and underside of the leaves.

It has not caused any visible damage (not a "chewer"), rather it looks to be sucking out the plant juices (it's a "sucker").

An internet search (including various universities' sites) leaves me empty-handed. I have tried killing them with insecticidal soap, but they appear to enjoy it--much like a cocktail--and appear to be asking for more. I'm reluctant to indulge them.

Thanks!

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Comments (8)

windclimber
15 years ago

Try going to this place,

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/encarsia_formosa.html

Probably will be seen when all the creepie crawlies emerge later in the spring here. Sounds like it could be your critter.

Tom
jean001
15 years ago
Seriously doubt you'll see Encarsia in your garden. They're *very* small and do best with greenhouse temperatures.

You might be seeing aphids -- they come in a number of colors.

An if you have only a few, squishing works well!

But that said, you might take a sample, secured in a clear container, to a nearby large independent garden center to ask for assistance.
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anney
15 years ago
PBL

I'd be sure of its identification before killing it. Many small fly-like critters are garden pollinators (urgently needed because of honeybee die-offs) and even pest-killers.

I won't even try to identify it for you since you live in California, but if you have a camera and can grab a picture of it, that would be helpful.

Insects are the largest class of life on earth and there are hundreds of thousands of them.

Another great site for insect-identification is "What's That Bug?", though it can certainly take time to find what you've got. But the pictures at the site are absolutely great. The subcategories of insects is in the left hand column, and there's one for flies.

Here is a link that might be useful: What's That Bug?
sprtsguy76
15 years ago
pit- Where are you in Nor Cal? I'm in Santa Clara and I have the same exact problem. Before they appeared I sprayed my plants with a non-toxic pest spray for mites (i had a huge mite problem last year) and a day or two later these same little black flies were all over my plants. However I dont think it was the spray that has attracked them as my uncle in Campbell has them too and he sprayed nothing on his crop. I think the recent weather here has something to do with it, as maybe it was some kind of weather triggered hatch. I went ahead yesterday and just put my hose nozzle on mist and sprayed them off with water yesterday and they seem to be in less numbers now. We will see.

Damon
windclimber
15 years ago
Probably right jean.......White flys appear in various garb also.
pitbulllawyer
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks tomato people! They sure look like the Encarsia suggested by windclimer, but they appear to be sucking on the plant, not any other "beasties" I thought they might be aphids or whiteflies too, but the appearance is all wrong. Pinching would be good, except I have 5-10 on each plant, with 330 plants (*stifled tomato-nerd giggle*). sprtsguy76--I am in Lodi. anney--I agree about being aware of pollinators, but these guys are definitely sap-sucking (I love the "name that bug" site--I could goof-off there all day). I will try to snap a photo.
ragtimegal
15 years ago
I'm in Southern California and possibly have the same bugs. I did a little research when I found them and came up with aphids, based on descriptions of other gardeners in the region. (I always thought aphids were white.) I sprayed with an insecticidal soap spray, only to have them return. I don't have nearly as many plants as you, so I have resorted to the "squishing" method.

I'll get a pic up and we'll see if this is the same bug you are seeing on your plants. There doesn't seem to be as many of them in the early morning hours as there are later in the day when it is warm, but the location is dead on...stems, underside of leaves, and on top of leaves in my case.

:)
anney
15 years ago
Below is a thread/picture of a tomato sucking fly-looking pest taken in So. California. There is discussion about what it is, with several suggestions that you could research.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Sucking pest