Huge maggots in comfrey liquid feed

[womble]

I had this last year as well, I had like huge fishing maggots mixed up with the remains of the comfrey and nettles, I fished the whole lot out and they dried up, not sure what happened to the maggots tbh.

This year (well I made this lot last year) I took the plant material out a couple of months ago at least, today just noticed loads of these maggots in there, swimming about.

Any idea what they are.

Not sure where to put this, feel free to move.

[chris]

Do you fish? - bait?

[Tractor Boys]

I have normal fly maggots in my comfrey barrel most of them are dead a bit of pain as they keep blocking up the watering can roses.

[womble]

Do you fish? - bait?

Yes I do, just not atm.

I have normal fly maggots in my comfrey barrel most of them are dead a bit of pain as they keep blocking up the watering can roses.

It was really hard to stop picking them up with a load of liquid feed, I suppose I was a bit reluctant to pour them onto my plants.
Very silly I know, as they would only be eating dead stuff in the feed and are hardly likely to turn round and eat anything of mine.

Are they good guys or bad guys. ie do I kill them or not?

[Tractor Boys]

They as you rightly say wont eat your plants I tend think by putting them onto the soil plants gives the birds a treat I have a robin who comes over and eats them up.

[Two_Sheds]

I guess the maggots come with having an open barrel of comfrey tea?

I've never had them, but then I make my comfrey tea in 5 litre water bottles (with lid screwed on)

[womble]

Well yeah I suppose so. I just never expected maggots to be living in water........ and swimming about like goldfish, looks very weird.

[lottie girl]

I think they are called rats tail maggots and we have had them too. Been looking them up tonight and there is some link with them infecting humans - going to clean out all my butts tomorrow and make comfrey tea in closed containers from now on.

[taff]

I remember vaguely reading something about this last year, they're the larvae of hoverflys which are good or bad for the garden? eating pests etc?

[womble]

Not sure if they are rat tailed maggots or not, I didn't notice the tail if there was one, I'll have a better look later.
If they are, they seem to be the larvae of Eristalis, a hover fly, which doesn't eat baddies, but does pollinate.

From what I read, the chances of them (maggots) causing any harm to humans is impossible unless a fly lands on you and lays eggs virtually in you.
But always happy to receive any further info.

btw the maggots life on bacteria in polluted water. So I expect my comfrey feed is about ready to use then