Pests
 
Shore flies Pests main menu
  Ephydridae
 

Shore flies are small insects that frequently occur in greenhouses all around the world and can be present all year round. They are usually found in the neighbourhood of water; moist to wet conditions and the presence of algae and moss in potting mix, pots, benches and floors are favourable to the development of shore flies. Shore flies feed on rotting plant material, algae and other microscopic unicellular organisms. They do not directly attack living plants like fungus gnats do, but they can transmit plant diseases (fungus). The presence of shore flies decreases the marketability of finished products.

 

  Biology
 

The most common species is Scatella stagnalis. Its life cycle includes six stages, i.e. egg, three larval stages, pupa and adult. Development from egg to adult takes between 9 and 14 days. Larvae have a yellowish or brownish colour and can reach about 0,5 mm in length at the end of the 3rd stage. The adult fly is about 0,5 cm long, has short legs, short antennae and dark wings with clear spots.

 
  Damage
  As mentioned above, shore flies do not directly damage plants but they decrease plant marketability. First, adults leave their excrement on plants, which lowers the plant’s aesthetic value. High reproduction rate of shore flies can result in ‘clouds’ of adults, which also render products unattractive to costumers. Very large number of adult shore flies can also become a major nuisance to people working in greenhouses.
  Beneficials
 
Atheta coriaria  
Atheta coriaria for the control of soil insects such as fungus gnats, shore flies and western flower thrips.
 
 

 

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