I am seeing small (5mm)shiny(metallic) green flies on my tomato and melon leaves.
What are these and do they do any harm to my plants?How do I get rid of them?
Thank you in advance for any help...
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opabinia51
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Off the top of my head, I can't think of what they might be but, given the fact that they are located on the leaves of your plants; I would assume that they are probably harvesting a nectar of some sort by inserting a proboscis into the leaves.
But, some careful observation will answer your question for you. These are a winged insects, and I'm surprised that the Neem Oil hasn't fixed this problem.
Try a mixture of soap and water and spray the leaves and stems of your plants with this mixture if these winged insects become a problem.
Technically speaking: to be flies they would have to have two sets of wings (Di = Two Ptera= Wings, flies belong to the order Diptera under the class Insecta). So, look at them and make sure that they are flies.
But, some careful observation will answer your question for you. These are a winged insects, and I'm surprised that the Neem Oil hasn't fixed this problem.
Try a mixture of soap and water and spray the leaves and stems of your plants with this mixture if these winged insects become a problem.
Technically speaking: to be flies they would have to have two sets of wings (Di = Two Ptera= Wings, flies belong to the order Diptera under the class Insecta). So, look at them and make sure that they are flies.
Hello.. Gini... I'm no expert on bugs... but do they look like these...Gini wrote:I am seeing small (5mm)shiny(metallic) green flies on my tomato and melon leaves.
What are these and do they do any harm to my plants?How do I get rid of them?
Thank you in advance for any help...
.. These generally host on other plants but attack Tomatoes and Potatoes... (Tomato Aphids). It's the best I can do. Good Luck.
Last edited by Dom Nizza on Fri May 04, 2007 4:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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wileecoyote
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Gini wrote:Dom Nizza wrote:Hello.. Gini... I'm no expert on bugs... but do they look like these...Gini wrote:I am seeing small (5mm)shiny(metallic) green flies on my tomato and melon leaves.
What are these and do they do any harm to my plants?How do I get rid of them?
Thank you in advance for any help...
No,,The leaves don't look like that at all..actually I don't see any damage yet on my tomato leaves.
The melon and bush beans leaves got yellow though and don't look too healthy.
I don't have them planted close to the tomatoes.
I have that type of bug on my bean plants -- I was told it was a leafhopper. I sprayed neem on them and it seemed to make them go away (of course it just rained so it probably washed the Neem off!). Here is a link to a page on leaf hoppes from the University of Maryland's Extension service home gardening information site: https://plantdiagnostics.umd.edu/level3.cfm?causeID=315
In general, I have found their web site really helpful:
https://www.hgic.umd.edu/
you can send hem email questions and they usually get right back to you.[
In general, I have found their web site really helpful:
https://www.hgic.umd.edu/
you can send hem email questions and they usually get right back to you.[
I have that type of bug on my bean plants -- I was told it was a leafhopper. I sprayed neem on them and it seemed to make them go away (of course it just rained so it probably washed the Neem off!). Here is a link to a page on leaf hoppes from the University of Maryland's Extension service home gardening information site: https://plantdiagnostics.umd.edu/level3.cfm?causeID=315
In general, I have found their web site really helpful:
https://www.hgic.umd.edu/
you can send hem email questions and they usually get right back to you.[
In general, I have found their web site really helpful:
https://www.hgic.umd.edu/
you can send hem email questions and they usually get right back to you.[
Don't spray 'em!
They're probably of the Dolichopodidae family and they prey on soft-bodied insects (ie. aphids!)
Here's a pic:
https://floridagardener.com/critters/Beneficial_Insects/Dolichopodidae.htm
[sic]
And my pic of one snacking on a small insect!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8134262@N07/3948288555/
I know its an old thread, but I thought I'd revive it since its coming pretty high in Google results, and these little buggers are helpful not harmful in your garden.
They're probably of the Dolichopodidae family and they prey on soft-bodied insects (ie. aphids!)
Here's a pic:
https://floridagardener.com/critters/Beneficial_Insects/Dolichopodidae.htm
[sic]
And my pic of one snacking on a small insect!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8134262@N07/3948288555/
I know its an old thread, but I thought I'd revive it since its coming pretty high in Google results, and these little buggers are helpful not harmful in your garden.
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applestar
- Mod
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
This is an old thread and the image links don't seem to be working any more, but when I googled to look up "tiny shiny metallic green flies", this thread came up. 
I wanted to post about them because I knew they are beneficial predators.
The other day when I was planting tomatoes, I kept hearing a "whine" that I associate with mosquitoes. Shook my head/hair a couple of times, stood up and stepped away, etc.... Everything except use my dirty gloved hands, but I couldn't get rid of it, so when I took my gloves off to tie up a tomato, I ran my hand through my hair.
...and one of these tiny metallic green flies hovered in front of my face, then flew off.
I was left musing that this fly seemed like it was "reporting for duty" and got caught in my hair -- or was showing itself to me to say "please don't swat me".....
I wanted to post about them because I knew they are beneficial predators.
The other day when I was planting tomatoes, I kept hearing a "whine" that I associate with mosquitoes. Shook my head/hair a couple of times, stood up and stepped away, etc.... Everything except use my dirty gloved hands, but I couldn't get rid of it, so when I took my gloves off to tie up a tomato, I ran my hand through my hair.
...and one of these tiny metallic green flies hovered in front of my face, then flew off.
I was left musing that this fly seemed like it was "reporting for duty" and got caught in my hair -- or was showing itself to me to say "please don't swat me".....