Scariad

[Sonata]

I've been looking to identify the grubs I found in the roots of my dead strawberry plants and it looks like it might be scariad (fungus fly) larvae. Has anyone had any experience of them?

[sweetiepea]

I'm not familiar with them but I did come across this little piece while looking for something else this morning.

BBC - Beds, Herts and Bucks Read This

[Two_Sheds]

Fungus gnats ... yes, loads of us get them, esp. if we over-water

[Sonata]

I killed my plants with too much love!

[eye1der]

scarid fly are attracted to blue so blue sticky fly traps work to get the adults(which do no harm except lay eggs!) covering exposed soil in pots also helps by excluding the egg laying females
i sell a product called gnat off it works by killing the larvae in the root zone, its 100% natural organic concentrate, fully compliant to agricultural legislation. really works very well. most hydroponic stores will have it

[Mrs Jackson]

I lost all my french beans to scariad maggots when I went on holiday and the bloke looking after all the plants overwatered everything. I find a layer of sand in the top of the pots really helps as they can't get into the compost. Also watering from below instead of from above generally means the very top layer of compost stays relatively dry so the scariad flies aren't so attracted to it.

Mrs J

[Sonata]

Thanks Mrs Jackson, the sand idea sounds brilliant! I'll have to do that..next time. That'll help with slugs too!