Phorid and Sciarid flies

Phorid and Sciarid flies are persistent and damaging pest of mushrooms. Unchecked they can do considerable damage. Growers spend a great deal of time and money to manage these unwanted invaders. Many rely heavily on routine pesticide applications to keep them at bay.

The larvae of Phorid flies feed directly on the mycelium of the growing mushroom while Sciarids feed on organic matter within the compost itself. Both are able to transmit disease increasing their potential negative impact significantly. At a recent Australian and New Zealand Mushroom Grower’s conference Dr Michael Wolfin shared the results of research conducted into an IPM approach for the management of these fly pests of mushrooms.

Dr Wolfin and his team concluded that a combination of biocontrol agents, soft chemistry and cultural practices can greatly improve the management of both Phorid and Sciarid flies in mushroom production facilities.

Download a .pdf about IPM for fly pests of mushrooms.

Download the Penn State University IPM for Mushrooms Handbook

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Disclaimer:

While we make every effort to supply you with beneficial insects and mites to help improve your pest management, and to reduce the need for pesticides, we cannot guarantee the outcome in every situation. Our biocontrol agents do feed readily on the species that we have specified in our tech sheets and on our website. However, there are many variables including accurate pest identification, plant species, pest density, numbers of beneficials released, environmental conditions and history of pesticide usage that influence the outcomes. We will always do our best to help you achieve a positive outcome but we simply cannot guarantee that your problem will be solved to your satisfaction. Because every situation is unique we are constantly learning about how best to use our good bugs. We appreciate any feedback from your experience.

The entomology team, Bugs for Bugs.