Fly pest???

Ok...we transplanted a japanese maple last year that had been planted about 5 inches from the side of the house...we took a chance and moved it...it actually made it..and we have been noticing the plants recently since it got warm..when we checked the JM we noticed (barely) these little flies on the ends of the stalks. looking closer we noticed not just a few but on just about every limb there were at least two if not more of these little flies! Are they bad...When I get home this evening I'll see if they are still there and if so take a few pics...If anyone has any ideas let me know pretty please!!! And I do mean they were small...like maybe twice the size of a ballpoint pen...Thanks in advance for any help!!!

you may have fungus gnats they have been plagueing us for several days they are SO small they go right through screens into your house ...I thought they were fruit flies or " no see 'ems " at first but there was a big article about these fairly harmless critters in our local paper... if they are they will disappear in 7-10 days ...they do leave a grub that can attack roots of certain hose and bedding planmts but I think it is unlikely they will effect your JM or they could be just small flies that I often see on my tree branchlettes... either way I wouldn't loose any sleep over them ...BUT I am NOT an expert and others may think otherwise...I'm sure a little seven will take care of them but I think that is overkill...I'd just let 'em perch ...David

Ok..here is a picture...sorry it is a bit blurry...but I had to get really really close and this was just my point and shoot camera...the batter on the other one was dead :( but maybe someone can tell..

Kristenrice,

Did you ever find out what these flies were??

The reason I'm asking is that I had them on my 6 foot tall Waterfall Red Japanese Maple. They were on just about the end of every growing branch - and like yours they were dead.

In my situation, I swore they transmitted a fungus to my tree, because soon later, my leaves were slowly drooping from the ends of the branches inward to the center of the tree.

We did everything we could to save the tree. Even taking samples of the roots and soil, leaves and twigs and sending them to the County Agricultural Agent. I even enlisted the help of the Nursery where I purchased the tree (and the ones who planted it for me).

Nothing helped and that beautiful Japanese Maple slowly died.

The agricultural agent came back and said the problem was Maple Anthracnose - a fungal disease. But they didn't mention the flies. Oh - and these were bigger then a ball point - they were like small sized house flies, right?

Since I only purchased that tree last Fall from that Nursery (for $359.00 - it was a beauty!) - the Nursery has to replace it. Maple Antracnose lives in the leaf litter and the bark of the tree - that's where it overwinters. In the spring the spores are released and infect the newly born leaves.

Now again no one said anything about the flies, so I'm not sure if they were the source of the pathogen or if the fungus killed them. Who knows? But I do know that I will not plant another Japanese Maple on that same spot again. Nope. Never.

Ken

I guess the "fly theory " is posible but my instict tells me it was probably there when ya got it... You are to be commended on your bird dog nature most would have just returned it for replacement...And you are indeed WISE never plant in the same spot a diseased plant has been...I have learned that thru experience before ever being in these forums and others have basically confirmed this theory into fact...David

sorry I didn't see this!! No I never figured out what they were and they went away and the maple if doing fine...we actually had a frost that got the top part of it but once trimmed off the rest of it is great...They haven't come back either so I have no idea what they were. sorry I'm not much help and I so agree def. don't plant another one there!!