Shore Fly: How to Control Them Naturally

Shore Fly

Scatella spp.

Small, dark flies with light spots on their wings that breed in algae on wet greenhouse benches, floors, and growing media.

How to control shore fly

Use: Ecomask Spray (also works: Scanmask Spray, Scanmask Topdressing, Ecomask Topdressing)
When: Anytime shore flies are present.
Where: The surface of wet growing media and anywhere algae grows, such as benches and floors.

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What it looks like

Shore flies are small, sturdy, dark flies with several light spots on their wings and short antennae. They look a bit like fungus gnats, but they're stockier and fly more like houseflies.

The larvae live in and feed on algae on wet growing media, benches, and floors, so they're most common in greenhouses and propagation areas that stay wet.

Damage

Shore fly larvae don't feed on roots, so the damage is mostly cosmetic: the adults leave small black specks of droppings on leaves, which can make plants hard to sell. They can also carry root-rot diseases from plant to plant.

How nematodes help

The beneficial nematodes in BioLogic's products attack the larvae in the wet media where they live. Nematodes work best alongside algae control and less overwatering.