These are tiny flies that are hanging around my pepper plants. They don't seem to be anywhere else. They are on the leaves and have a funny "flitting" way of moving, almost hopping around the plant. It was really hard to get pics.
They're about the size of sesame seeds; very small. They are a really pretty, shiny green or gold (there are some of both.)
Hover fly? Sweat bee? I've googled pics, but none of them quite look like these.
TIA!
- applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30514
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Is this the same one?
https://floridagardener.com/critters/Ben ... odidae.htm
Sun May 26, 2013 5:33 am
https://floridagardener.com/critters/Ben ... odidae.htm
Subject: Small shiny green flies on my tomato leavesDolichopodidae (Long-Legged Fly)
A Beneficial Garden Insect
Sun May 26, 2013 5:33 am
applestar wrote: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 hope so, Applestar. I can't even really get a good look at them because I'm slightly farsighted, and they're so tiny and fast. Maybe I'll try getting a pic with my better camera. That was my phone, which is showing its age. (An iPhone 4s. )
I meant to add that there's no sign of damage to the plants at all. I'm hoping they're just hanging around for the flowers.
(ETA) I think we have a winner. I googled 'dolichopodidae ontario' and found this image. It's pretty close.
I meant to add that there's no sign of damage to the plants at all. I'm hoping they're just hanging around for the flowers.
(ETA) I think we have a winner. I googled 'dolichopodidae ontario' and found this image. It's pretty close.
- applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30514
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Fantastic! The ones in my garden are likely this species as well since they don’t have the black bands on the wings like the Florida one. Reading up on their prey — I like that their larvae eats mosquito larvae.
...but now I wonder if using Mosquito-Bits/Bti to kill the mosquito larvae would also kill the fly larvae... or are flies different from mosquitoes/fungus gnats?
...but now I wonder if using Mosquito-Bits/Bti to kill the mosquito larvae would also kill the fly larvae... or are flies different from mosquitoes/fungus gnats?