These little Shore Flies are around the same size as those nasty Sciarid Flies, but I don't think they do any harm. Anyone experienced them hanging around your succulents?
https://imgur.com/a/jUdvAe4
Shore flies (Scatella stagnalis)
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Steve Johnson
- Posts: 4530
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 4:44 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Shore flies (Scatella stagnalis)
Not on my plants, but they're kind of a nuisance when I go to the beach and explore the tidepools here in SoCal. To answer your question, this might help (see https://gardenerspath.com/how-to/diseas ... ification/):AizoaGuy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 10:22 pm These little Shore Flies are around the same size as those nasty Sciarid Flies, but I don't think they do any harm. Anyone experienced them hanging around your succulents?
https://imgur.com/a/jUdvAe4
- "Shore flies are primarily a greenhouse nuisance insect. Usually the only damage they cause is flyspeck, similar to Bradysia adults. The maggots feed on algae, and on rare occasions they may feed on roots infected with fungi."
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Shore flies (Scatella stagnalis)
Thanks Steve!
I live here in Southern California as well, and have probably seen millions and millions of shore flies over my life time. I think with all of the torrential rain we've had the last couple of months, along with some standing water that has seemed to develop a thick coat of algae, the shore flies have had a feast and bred like crazy in my backyard. I didn't think they were doing any damage, and that has been confirmed!
Being the observant nerd that I am, they're actually kind of interesting in the way they behave. They were gathering in small little groups on my Mesemb seedlings and I think they were doing little mating dances! So basically, it was spring break over here for shore flies. I let all my pots really dry out and they have since disappeared.
I live here in Southern California as well, and have probably seen millions and millions of shore flies over my life time. I think with all of the torrential rain we've had the last couple of months, along with some standing water that has seemed to develop a thick coat of algae, the shore flies have had a feast and bred like crazy in my backyard. I didn't think they were doing any damage, and that has been confirmed!
Being the observant nerd that I am, they're actually kind of interesting in the way they behave. They were gathering in small little groups on my Mesemb seedlings and I think they were doing little mating dances! So basically, it was spring break over here for shore flies. I let all my pots really dry out and they have since disappeared.