Narcissus Bulb Fly(Merodon equestis)Common Name: small bulb flies and large narcissus bulb fly
Latin Name: Eumerus strigatus, Merodon equestris and E. Funeralis
Appearance:
Adults have bee-like looks! These flies have evolved to (almost) perfectly mimic a bumblebee over time.
They are quite large, measuring 1.5cm. They are fluffy, like bees, and thus excellent pollinators of flowers. They have some banding that starts with orange fur and progresses to a black thorax with brownish-yellow rears.
A single larva will infect a bulb. They have the appearance of plump, creamy-white grubs. They are almost 2cm long.
Host Plants -:
The narcissus bulb fly has been found in Amaryllis, daffodil, Galtonia, Flanthus, hyacinth, iris, lilies, Leucofum, Narcissus, Scilla, tulips, and Vallota.
Territory:
The narcissus bulb fly can be found wherever narcissus is grown in the United States. Around 1869, this pest was introduced in Europe.
Damage caused by narcissus bulb fly:
The bulb’s center is hollowed out, and the flower bud is destroyed. Many infested bulbs rot, but some survive to sprout a few scrawny grasslike blades the following year.
Life History and habits:
Narcissus bulb flies can now be found anywhere narcissus is grown. Narcissus had been virtually pest-free in the United States until the fly was introduced. In May, Narcissus bulb flies emerge from the soil. Females lay one to three eggs after mating between the sheath and stem of each bulb or between the layers of skin enclosing the bulb’s neck. Females lay between 40 and 100 eggs. The eggs hatch ten to two weeks later, and the tiny maggots bore down through the outer bulb scales to the basal plate, where they tunnel for some time. They later bore directly inside the bulb. The maggots grow rapidly over the next two months and reach nearly full maturity, though they do not pupate until the following spring. Typically, only one maggot develops per bulb, though more occasionally are found. The pupal stage lasts 5 to 7 weeks before a new generation of adults emerges. Although some individuals require two years to mature, there is one generation per year.
