The Cattleya fly is among the the most ruinous of insects that can assault your orchids.. As a matter of fact, this insect is intimately associated with orchids rather than any other family of plant, as you could readily gather from its scientific name, Eurytoma orchidearum.
Cattleya flies deposit their eggs in the orchid plant's young growths. The eggs hatch, with the nymphs (or maggots) going to work right away, feeding voraciously. These nymphs soon swell to a huge size inside the orchid's bulbs. One sign that these maggots are doing their damage is that the bulbs themselves will swell and become club-shaped at the location where the pests are feeding.
Finally, the nymphs develp into flies, which eat their way to freedom by chewing through the flesh of the bulbs. Adult flies are black, have clear wings, and are approximately a quarter inch in length. Sadly, by the time you notice them, it could possibly be too late to rescue many of your plants. Nonetheless, you should attempt to kill the flies before they can get a chance to inject their eggs into your remaining healthy plants.
If you have plants that are already infected, the best remedy is to slice away any bulbs that are seen to be swelling more than is natural. Then, drop the nymph or maggot into a bowl of water to drown it. It's disheartening to have to cut away your plant's young growth, but this is better than leaving your other plants open to being attacked by this pest. With some luck, that plant that you did surgery to will produce a new bulb in place of the old one.
The Cattleya fly is a nasty pest, to be sure, but there's good news. They are actually not very common, and most orchid cultivators will never encounter them. Still, it makes good sense to inspect every new orchid for the tell-tale signs of these flies and their maggots. Besides looking out for abnormally enlarged bulbs where the fly's nymphs might be eating, inspect for minute holes where a female fly's ovipositor might have inserted her eggs into the plant. If you don't see any such signs, you are probably safe from Cattleya flies.
To be really successful growing orchids it is vital to know how to deal with all the various threats to your plants, including insects. It is not as hard to grow orchids as many people would have it, if you first ground yourself in basic knowledge of these spellbinding plants.
The most accurate and clear guide to modern orchid care, in my opinion, is Orchid Care Expert by a Mr. Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded from the Internet. Howard's well-written guide constitutes a thorough education all to itself. And, it is appropriate for novices as well as more seasoned orchid growers. Also, be sure to visit the Orchid Secrets site, which is publishing an ever-growing library of entries on all topics of orchid care.
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