This is the pest who eats Daffs and Snowdrops

This is a Narcissus fly who lays it's eggs during May and June at the base of bulb leaves which are dying back. The grub then follows the leaves underground and eats the bulbs.

Put it on your hit list NOW!

It looks like an innocent bumble - even behaving like one. How do you tell the difference? Would hate to swat a true bumble!!

cos it didnt sting me when I caught it! They look nothing like the humble bumble when you see them

thanks mark i'm going to keep a look out for these. my neighbor a block away i think has problems with these little critters. i would like to send them the picture you have here to show them. would you mind if i used it? perhaps you can e-mail it to me? thanks for the help with this critter. what have you used to get rid of them? debi z

I thought he was a bumble bee too . I think he must have eaten all my garden Narcissi. The only ones I have left are the ones in raised tubs that are too high for him to smell!! :D

and this is the little beggar who eats the bulbs. I found it today in a Narcissus bulb. All that was left was the outer scale.

Ooooh dear
He's got very fat on your narcissus bulb, it must be very nutritious LOL

So I spose you may have more :(
What are the best deterrents?
It looks as if defoliating earlier than would naturally occur might be some help - which is against all we are usually told http://www.actahort.org/books/570/570_55.htm

next year I will be covering all beds in shade cloth until all bulb leaves have died down. Another option is to plant my annual plugs very early because the adult fly likes bare ground. I killed so many adult flies this spring but some got away.

I've been to that link before. I need a password to read it. Thanks for the link

So the only way to tell is to grab one and see if it stings?? LOL That could be very bad being that I am allergic to stings. This is interesting info. though. Thanks!

I think once you've seen one you'd be able to tell it from a bumble Badseed. You certainly don't want to risk a reaction if you're allergic - that could be very dangerous!

Pests like these are always more of a problem when you have lots of one genus, or even family, together. Diversity in the garden, as in the farmers' fields, is always more sustainable than what is effectively a monoculture

Badseed these are Hoverflies and are bee mimics so wont harm you.

I'm pretty good with the 'bad bugs' but I don't know a lot about bees, hornets, wasps, stinging things! Well, I know enough to stay away from them. We have several critters that look like the one you posted. Many of them will come after you although most leave you alone. I guess I need to learn more about insects.

Someone told me,bumble bees wander about with there wings out the sides. and narissus flys settle with there wings flat to there backs.I've been out looking!
And did you know long ago, bumble bees were called humble bees.

I sure did. People still call them Humble Bumbles. I dont know how bees hold their wingd when at rest

Lovely old name isn't it?

I was thinking you're right about how they hold their wings boot, and you can see the wings over the back in mark's photo above. However, despite finding this photo of mark's with bumble wings out to the side, I've just come across some others of mine with wings over their backs

So that's blown that theory out of the water, unless this is a Narcissus fly masquerading as a humble bee on a geranium.......

I can't see it's mask so it's a humble.I have been out looking for both subjects.There have been strong winds here for the last few days,not a humble in sight let alone any nasty nar flys.

The Narcissus fly doesnt come out until May which should be around now for you

Yes, I wasn't being serious boot, that's a humble bumble

We have our first wet day for ages, but the wind, which was strong here 3 or 4 days ago, has now eased off.
I must look at my map - my knowledge of NZ is severely limited, and I have no idea whereabouts Blenheim is. I spose it's spring for you now, with summer on the way. What is your climate like?

Blenheim is at the top of the south island,over the last ten years most of the surrounding farm land has given way to grapes,making wine is big business here.
the temperature range from - 5 or less to 30+ with hot dry north-west winds that's what were having now.Mountains are close by and so is the sea,we are able to change our surrounding in 1/2hour.
The Narcissus fly is about, and so are what we call may bugs,they are grass grubs, and come out at sunset and can eat all new growth
the picture is a vine yard and winery I worked at till last year

Mmmm I like NZ wines...
That's a great photo - what a beautiful place to live! It must be very good to have such a choice of surroundings so close. A little like a friend's place, who lives in Scotland - though that doesn't have the wonderful temperatures to go with it - and no vineyards LOL

Are your may bugs some kind of chafer or similar?

Meant to ask - what sort of jobs were you doing at the vineyard/winery? It's a fascinating art and these days pretty technical too

I worked at a small boutique winery with a small staff .we did picking, pruning, bud rubbing ,leaf plucking ,planting, and rootstock training. Also giving potential customer tasting in the tasting room .Helping out the winemaker,brix testing,packing out orders. we also got to help the winemaker taste his wares.
What kind of work are you in

Hi boot, that sounds really interesting - it must have been hard work helping with the tasting ;)

Hope we're not hijacking your thread here mark??

I tried to describe my work in this thread http://davesgarden.com/t/405457/ there are links in there as well and a brief explanation in about the 4th post.