[banf77]

Hi
I seem to have a load of black fly, as normally seen on my broad beans, on my rhubarb. The ants are doing their bit to help by eating some. Should I spray or are they harmless to rhubarb?
Thanks
Steve

[honeymelon]

I thought the ants farm the black fly, do they? I have them on my beans, flowers,cherry tree, they are worse this year.

[victoria park]

Early on spraying with soapy water can somewhat control black fly. The ants farm the fly for their secretions/by products. Where I grow, the fly tends to infect different areas of the plot. I don't eat artichokes, so I use a couple of large perennial plants as structure and a complementary aid to attract the fly away from the beans,. It works a treat . The beans are free while the artichokes are covered, but they will still produce great flowers.

[Hampshire Hog]

Good idea to distract the black fly from your beans. I found a good number on my broad beans a couple of days ago so gave them the soapy spray treatment and removed tops. Fingers crossed that will work. I have rhubarb but haven't seen any black fly on them.

Cheers HH