Narcissus bulb fly: how to spot, prevent and treat it pest
How do you spot narcissus bulb fly?
The bulb sends up no flower, only a few grassy leaves, or it does not come up at all. Cut open, the bulb is eaten out inside and full of muddy droppings, with a fat whitish larva in it.
How do you prevent narcissus bulb fly?
The fly is on the wing from the middle of May into June and lays its eggs at the neck of the bulb in warm, sheltered spots. After flowering press the soil down around the leaves, so that the way to the bulb closes. Plant in more open and shadier places and buy healthy stock. Treasured bulbs can be covered with fleece during the flight.
What works against narcissus bulb fly?
Dig up and remove affected plants before the larva pupates.
Which plants get narcissus bulb fly? 2
Ornamentals 2
Sources: Royal Horticultural Society
Checked on 17 August 2026.