Black and also green fly on my peas.

[mikeyboy]

Hello, I have been watching my peas like a hawk to see if I get any more of the strange eggs that I should in a recent thread.

I noticed a load of black fly which were laying eggs and also a load of green fly as well.

I have peas, potatoes and just seeing some corriander growing through (YES!), will they harm any of these plants or are they just 'kipping down'?

Lastly, I have read on here about a very weak spray of non antibacterial or normal washing up liquid will see them off...this won't hurt the peas and potatoes, will it?


Many thanks.

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Mikey, the black fly and green fly will suck the life out of your plants so you need to remove those eggs and give them a squash between thumb and finger. Squash as many of the black fly and green fly as you can and treat as you suggested with washing up liquid very diluted in water, just a few drops in plenty of water. As you said not the anti-bacterial stuff.

[Traceyash]

I have the very same problem of blackfly on my runner beans. Will go out later armed with my washing up liquid/water weaponry!

[mikeyboy]

Many thanks.

[claw_uk]

Dont spray or "wash" plants with diluted washing up liquid in direct sunlight or you could scorching the plants! Also make sure it is well diluted (just a few drops in a watering can) or you could again scorch the plants.....

[mikeyboy]

Glad you said watering can because I can't find a spray bottle!

Did another cull last night with fingers and thumbs!

[claw_uk]

A watering can is fine but you do need to get it under the leaves as this is where the pesky blighters tend to hang out! So I tend to slosh the liquid about with my hands and a bucket that way you can also tell if it’s too soapy as it will bubble very quickly if you’re splashing your hands in it! So you can sort of squash them and wash them off and the tiny amount of soap should kill the remaining ones.

[pinghenglin505]

peas are easy to have pest. we should take care of the peas every day so that they would be in good condition.

[Kimby]

I have loads of blackfly in my growbags - can I just tip a load of washing up liquid/water mixture into the compost and kill them? First of all I had greenfly and now the blackfly have got there too and I really want to save my pepper plants!

[Lesley Jay]

Hi Kimby, when you say in the growbags I take it you mean on the compost? Aphid blackfly live underneath the leaves of plants sucking the life out of them and these need squashing between thumb and finger. Sciarid blackfly or fungus gnats live on the compost where they lay their eggs. The larvae then feed on the plants roots. Yellow sticky papers hung up catch the sciarid flies. Which type of blackfly have you got?

[Kimby]

Crikey Lesley - there I was thinking that black flies were blackfly!


I have the Sciarid blackfly or fungus gnats - climbing around on top of the compost and definitely not underneath the leaves (got greenfly there instead - what fun I have squishing them). I definitely need some yellow sticky papers!!!!!