So, have you met the rat-tailed maggot?

blevinandwomba
blevinandwomba Posts: 813 ✭✭✭✭
edited November 2020 in Pest & Weed Problems/Solutions

I made their acquaintance today. They are the larvae of the drone fly, Eristalis tenax. They have taken up residence in one of my compost tea buckets that I had ignored for around two weeks( I was on vacation last week and started working this week. The garden's been a bit neglected.) As far as I can tell from research, they are harmless, provided I don't swallow one whole.

Anyone else have any experience with them.? I'm inclined to let them mature before I use the tea, unless I find a reason to get rid of them.


(Fun fact; put "drone fly" into your favorite search engine and you'll mostly get articles on how to fly a drone.)