What are these little black flies?

JustinMM · May 27, 2012

Hey all! I noticed on most of my tomato plants these little black flies. I'm not sure what they are, what or what they're doing to my plants. I've seen up to 15 of these things on a single plant. I have not yet seen any damage, but regardless, I've been pinching them off.

Does anyone recognize these critters?

BarbJ · May 28, 2012

Look to me like the flying form of aphids. Aphids come in all different colors, not just green.

Good idea to get rid of them, they can carry diseases to your plants.

This is a pretty good chart following Aphid's life cycle.

Crandrew · May 28, 2012

Are you sure they aren't fungus gnats?

BarbJ · May 28, 2012

I'm pretty sure. If you take off the wings the body is the same shape as an aphid.

Here's a Fungus gnat; it's legs are longer and body is thinner with pointed end.

Plus fungus gnats don't land on the plant for very long, mostly they fly around the plant a lot and land on the soil, they lay their eggs in the soil, so they hang out there mostly.
Aphids that land on a plant pretty much stay on the plant and don't fly much, if at all. At least that's' what I've observed.

JustinMM, do these fly around the plant or do they tend to stay on the plant until you pick them off?

JustinMM · May 28, 2012

Thanks for the responses everyone! The bugs do not fly around at all. From my observations, they're completely stationary, and do not attempt to get away when I pick them off.

drezz · May 28, 2012

I see the exact same bugs on my plants too. Those are aphids? Well, that's good to know. I try to pick them off and I use a pyrethrin spray but they are determined and keep coming back to some of my plants.

Is there anything that can be done to keep them off or do I just need to keep on them?

habitat_gardener · May 28, 2012

In my organic garden, I usually leave aphids alone.

Early in the season, it's great to see lots of aphids because that means the aphid-eating (=beneficial) insects and hummingbirds will be attracted to my garden.

Later in the season, if you look at them with a strong magnifying glass, you may see little holes in the aphid bodies. That usually means parasitic wasps have laid their eggs in the aphids, and I want to let the parasitic wasps hatch so they can continue patrolling my garden.

I allow a certain amount of sacrificial plants (and I've never seen them do any harm to tomato plants in my garden). Sometimes the aphids gang up on one plant in a group of 5 or 10 brassicas. But if I see too many, I wipe them off with a glove. Once the aphids fall to the ground, they don't climb back up. Their bodies are soft and vulnerable, and it's overkill to use sprays.

http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/g...likely-allies/

Kazfam · May 30, 2012

A vote for Aphids - adult.

May 27, 2012	#1
JustinMM Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Maine Posts: 16	What are these little black flies? Hey all! I noticed on most of my tomato plants these little black flies. I'm not sure what they are, what or what they're doing to my plants. I've seen up to 15 of these things on a single plant. I have not yet seen any damage, but regardless, I've been pinching them off. Does anyone recognize these critters?

May 28, 2012	#2
BarbJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: California, USA Posts: 154	Look to me like the flying form of aphids. Aphids come in all different colors, not just green. Good idea to get rid of them, they can carry diseases to your plants. This is a pretty good chart following Aphid's life cycle. Last edited by BarbJ; May 28, 2012 at 12:14 AM. Reason: added picture

May 30, 2012	#8
Kazfam Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Upstate South Carolina Posts: 113	A vote for Aphids - adult. __________________ God Almighty first planted a garden, and indeed it is the purest of human pleasures. It is the greatest refreshment of the spirit of man, without which buildings and palaces are but gross handiwork. Francis Bacon

May 28, 2012	#3
Crandrew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: asdf Posts: 1,202	Are you sure they aren't fungus gnats?

May 28, 2012	#6
drezz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: zone 5 Posts: 18	I see the exact same bugs on my plants too. Those are aphids? Well, that's good to know. I try to pick them off and I use a pyrethrin spray but they are determined and keep coming back to some of my plants. Is there anything that can be done to keep them off or do I just need to keep on them?

May 28, 2012	#7
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,540	In my organic garden, I usually leave aphids alone. Early in the season, it's great to see lots of aphids because that means the aphid-eating (=beneficial) insects and hummingbirds will be attracted to my garden. Later in the season, if you look at them with a strong magnifying glass, you may see little holes in the aphid bodies. That usually means parasitic wasps have laid their eggs in the aphids, and I want to let the parasitic wasps hatch so they can continue patrolling my garden. I allow a certain amount of sacrificial plants (and I've never seen them do any harm to tomato plants in my garden). Sometimes the aphids gang up on one plant in a group of 5 or 10 brassicas. But if I see too many, I wipe them off with a glove. Once the aphids fall to the ground, they don't climb back up. Their bodies are soft and vulnerable, and it's overkill to use sprays. http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/g...likely-allies/