The Cattleya fly is one of the most potentially harmful pests that couldfind their way to your precious orchids. In fact, this insect is intimately associated with orchids rather than any other kind of plant, as you might guess 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 signal that these maggots are doing their nasty work is that the bulbs will swell and become club-shaped at the location where the pests are eating.

Finally, the nymphs metamorphose into flies, which munch their way to freedom by chewing through the flesh of the bulbs. Adult Cattleya flies are pretty easy to recognize. They have transparent wings and deep-black bodies, and are around a quarter inch in length. Unfortunatelyy, by the time you see them it could be too late to rescue some of your orchids. Nonetheless, you should always try to kill the flies before they can get their eggs into your remaining undamaged 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 seems natural. Then simply drop the nymph or maggot into a container 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.

Now for the good news about Cattleya flies. They are actually not very common, and most orchid cultivators will never encounter them. Regardless, it is just good practice to carefully examine every new orchid for the signs of these flies and their maggots. Besides looking out for unusually enlarged bulbs where the fly’s nymphs might be feeding, inspect for minute holes where a female fly’s ovipositor might have inserted eggs into the orchid. If you don’t see any such signs, you are probably safe from Cattleya flies.

To be truly successful growing orchids it is vital to understand how to deal with all the possible threats to your plants, including insects. It isn’t as difficult to grow orchids as many people apparently believe, especially if you read up on how to properly care for these wonderful plants.

The most up-to-date guide to modern orchid cultivation, beyond question, is Orchid Care Expert by a Mr. Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded from the Internet. Mr. Howard’s guide is a comprehensive course, helpful for beginners as well as the more seasoned cultivators alike. Also, check out the Orchid Secrets site, which is publishing an ever-growing database of entries on many aspects of orchid cultivation.