Black and green flies on tomato plants?

[ClayGarden]

I have both these on my tomato plants. What are they and are they bad? It it those that ate a leaf or was that the live snails/slugs that are likely now dead?

[ClayGarden]

Also i see ants about, are they farming them? Where did they come from?

[Capsid]

Fruit flies?

[Cutecumber]

They're probably aphids - they're everywhere and unless you hermetically seal an environment you will get them at some point. The ants might be farming them, you just have to watch for a while to find out.

Aphids don't eat plant foliage as such but they suck the juices out, so no, it wasn't them that ate that leaf.

The black flies could be fungus gnats/ compost flies/ sciarid flies... they're unlikely to cause much trouble.

[ClayGarden]

Thanks. I bet the leaf eater was a now dead slug :argh:

Just nipped out tonight to see whats happening and its like a jungle out there

[syanide]

quick suggestions, which you will probably get from various sources..

1. Yellow sticky card (apparently made especially for the white flies) above the victim plants. Give the the leave a bit of a knock too and see them fly around!!!

2. Washing up liquid solution sprayed onto the leaves (I know that's more for green fly, but no harm in trying

3. Grow Basil nearby (as a sacrifice plant) as they prefer the smell of that to other things.

hope they help.

syanide

[ClayGarden]

right thats it, i have basil, and i asked about growing herbs at the base, only dont it on one of the plants. will do it on all at the weekend. thants.

[Mike and Louise]

2. Washing up liquid solution sprayed onto the leaves (I know that's more for green fly, but no harm in trying

Tell me more.