Topic: I HAVE A PROBLEM

[rosebud]

IN THE GARDEN WE HAVE A VERY VERY LARGE PATCH OF GOLDEN ROD,
IT SEEMS TO BE PERMANANTLY COVERED WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE   "BLUE BOTTLES" :o :o :o :o :o, THIS CANNOT BE SO , CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT THESE BLUE   "FLIES " ???, ARE PLEASE.
IF THEY ARE BB, I SHALL PULL THE WHOLE LOT UP & BURN IT.

[ceres]

I think you only get bluebottles if there is something dead around - there's nothing lurking underneath or in amongst it is there? 

[rosebud]

No Ceres, it was the same last year i just do not know what they are, they are quite small as well, just got that blue shiney body the humming noise from them all as in 100`s is relly noisy . A mystery perhaps we should just pull it all up if i cannot find out what they are. :D

[Palustris]

Sorry Rosebud, but it is the plant. It is pollenated by flies. they are after the pollen and nectar. We have the same trouble with Solidago as you. If you can bear to look closely you will see that the flies are feeding on the flowers.

[rosebud]

Eric, thank you very much i was really hoping you would see my post.

[Kingfisher]

I have the same problem I cut the tops off them for now but they will have to go, as we also have chickens, and lots of Manour from them, trying to contain flies is bad enough without them on my plants ::)

[Hyacinth]

I don't like them in my tea either >:(, but my clump is right by the spot where I sit catching the last of the afternoon sun. Been blessedly free of them this year, then :P

[pigeonseed]

they're meant to be attractive to beneficial insects as well - ones like hoverflies which eat aphids.

So maybe they could be moved somewhere else to keep the hoverflies but hide the buzzing?

[rosebud]

YES, we are keeping them , but thinning them considerably because we have masses of the plant i mean masses.  ::)  ;D ;D

[jamesmiddz]

Flies and beetles seem to very much attracted to anything yellow. Cornfield Marigold, Goldenrod, Coreopsis, etc. I don't think they will cause any harm. I'd rather see little bugs making use of the the pollen from these flowering plants than hanging round on street corners, sitting on piles of the 'undesireable' if you catch my meaning  ;)

I'm sure they are doing an important job of somekind.

[Bean_Queen]

Rip out your Goldenrod, and plant Calendula instead (attracts loads of hoverflies, not yucky common flies)