A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems flies and other unknown pests

Hi all

I've got a problem with flies on my Chrysanthemums; they are tiny, black and absoultely covering the poor plants, which do not seem to be doing too badly except that the flowers are not looking very good - they come out misshapen and discoloured. Recently these flies have also moved onto my Hibiscus

I don't really want to kill these flies (I am Buddhist and we believe in protecting all forms of life.) So I am wondering if there is any way of encouraging them to go somewhere else, away from my terrace in fact? A natural way would be prefered although I am not completely against using chemicals as long as this doesn't kill them.

Strange request I know, but you see, even pulling out a weed breaks my heart and I think twice before doing it.

And here is something even stranger. Recently I have lost two gazania's all of a sudden, on two occassions, over night, they dissappeared! Something ate them up, when I looked at them in the morning it looked like someone had snipped them off with a scissors! The stumps of a few stems were still there but all the leaves and flowers gone without a trace- and they were quite bushy! Any idea what this might have been?

As I said in my intro, and as you may have gathered from my questions I am completely new to gardening. But I love it - it has added so much happiness to my life. Unfortunately I don't know very much, nor do I know anyone who does. So I would really appreciate any answers

Thanks in advance, I look forward to many discussions

best wishes

Colette

Hi Colette,

1st thing is that Chrysanthemums actually have a natural poison in them which repels most insects. One insect that can cause problems to them with being poisoned is the aphid. They also cause the same type of damage that you have mentioned. They can be much more difficult to see since they are generally light green in color, and tend to blend in. The black flies you are seeing may be beneficial and natures own way of dealing with the problem. Of course I am speaking only of the insects which I am familiar with here in the USA, and I am not really knowledgeable in the types that you have in Malta. If it is the black flies which are bothering the plant, and you do not want to kill them, my only suggestion would be to try to make the atmosphere as intolerable to the critters as possible. Try frequent misting, and see if they like a drier environment...If you have been misting, stop. Maybe even placing an electric fan creating a contestant breeze by the plant may work. These are just guesses, and I have no idea how well they would work, but worth a shot. Just be careful that what ever you do to the plant to make it inhospitable to the insects does not harm the plant in the long run.
As faras your Gazanias go, I really have no idea of what type of animals are in your area, and what type of repelents are on the market in your country but here there are many types which to do hurt the animals, they just repel by taste or scent. You may want to look into seeing what is availible to you there.

[quote=One insect that can cause problems to them with being poisoned is the aphid. [/quote]


SHould have read without being posioned.