Re: White worms=orthocheata

Hi, 
	it seems likely that you have an infestation of orthacheata, the
iris bud fly.  The fly lays an egg in the tip of the bud and then the egg
hatches and the larvae eats the pollen primarily, but also anything else
in its way, like the style arms and standards.  There are two main things
to prevnt this from getting worse. You can spray with insecitcide, or you
can cut down every last bloom stalk after they are done flower and burn
them or send them away in the trash (do not compost!!).  Alternatively,
you can pick each individaul infected flower and kill the larvae, which
like the bloomstalk cutting method, really only helps for the next year.

The insect is found commonly in native populations of Iris versicolor and
therefore it really can't be eradicated. 
Andrew Wheeler
Colrain MA. 


> 
> Hello, I just found this list and hope someone can give me some 
> advice. I garden in Maine and have had a problem the last few years 
> with the buds on my Siberian being chewed up. Thought it was thrips, 
> but on close inspection this year I have an infestation of small
> white 
> worms that are eating their way through the flower buds. I have also 
> found one
>      small brown beetle in a bud, so I'm not sure if these worms are 
> the larval stage, but they are really ruining the
>      flowers-they are tattered as they open and all chewed up inside. 
> Any ideas on how to deal with this problem
>      would be hugely appreciated. These are my favorite flowers and I 
> have hundreds. So disappointing to see them in
>      ruins as they bloom. 
>      Thanks
> 
> 
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