Strange Fly Deaths

[Teegate]

I am always checking the bottom of the leaves on my vegetable plants for insects, and I have been fascinated on something that may be more sinister going on. On the bottom of the leaves of my Lima Beans I am finding dead flies by the dozen. They are still attached and stay attached long after dying. But the way it appears they died is what is fascinating me. Does anyone know what might be happening? What is going on?

Click on the photo to make it semi larger.

http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/07182009/IMG_2633a.jpg

Guy

 

[PancoastDrifter]

If the leaves have the same chemicals as the beans it might kill them. I don't know about that sweater though. Prolly caught a death of a cold.

Raw lima beans and butter beans contain linamarin, a cyanogenic glucoside.

 

[Teegate]

If the leaves have the same chemicals as the beans it might kill them. I don't know about that sweater though. Prolly caught a death of a cold.

Raw lima beans and butter beans contain linamarin, a cyanogenic glucoside.

I eat them raw but in very small amounts. I guess I should stop. They really are not good until cooked anyway.

Guy

 

[Sue Gremlin]

COOOOL! You guys take the best photos on this forum. That's a fungal disease. I wouldn't worry about it unless you are raising flies for a living.

 

[Teegate]

COOOOL! You guys take the best photos on this forum. That's a fungal disease. I wouldn't worry about it unless you are raising flies for a living.

Glad you liked it

Why are they just on my lima beans and not my corn, cucumbers, or tomatoes? I will check them more closely tomorrow to see if I may be mistaken.

Guy

 

[Sue Gremlin]

They must just like to land on the lima bean leaves. Maybe it's the shape, size, and proximity of the leaves to the ground. The disease probably takes a while to kill them, it's not instant, so it wouldn't be anything about the lima beans. They probably just land there when they don't feel so good.
Flies get all sorts of fungal diseases like that. That appears to be a blowfly, but it's hard to tell since he doesn't have wings and is wearing a sweater! We sometimes try to develop bioweapons to control bugs like that. Some work for us, some, not so much.

 

[Furball1]

Appears to be the natural progress of decay. Fungi seem to be the first to take advantage of this progress. I recall a discussion here about fungi and a scientist who proposes a lot of kooky stuff about them.