Insect ID in pots of cut flowers

12 years ago

I work in a grocery store chain and occasionally fill in for the regular floral specialist. Most of our flowers are cut and placed on the floor in black, plastic pots. Sometimes when I come in, the water in these pots has not been changed in at least a week, and there are tiny, light brown insects approx. 1-2mm long that fly up out of the pots when I lift the flowers. I can't provide a photo b/c they're too small and probably too quick for my camera. This happens in all the flower pots that are neglected, no matter the type of flower. The water is usually the same light brown shade and sometimes there is a slushy ecru-colored deposit in the bottom of the pot. I know how to get rid of the bugs (clean the pots and refresh the water), but I am just curious to know what they are. The floral specialist does not know.

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Comments (7)

webkat555
12 years ago
Fungus gnats?
jean001a
12 years ago
Further, don't buy any such flowers.
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Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
12 years ago
The floral specialist does not know. Odd.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
12 years ago
Those pots of water should be changed out at least every other day. The flowers would certainly last a lot longer. I'm sure that that chore is a pain in the you-know-what for your 'specialist' but it's an important part of the job.
willylynn
12 years ago
Seeing that the water sits so long could it be mosquitoes?
calliope
11 years ago
Could even be drain flies. Fungus gnats need a terrestrial environment for part of their life. Yuk. Drain flies live in the slimy gunk inside drains. Old rotten flower water is full of slimy gunk. I'm surprised management hasn't gotten complaints or noticed. That's cutting short the life and quality of your flowers. When I handle cuts, the stems are trimmed under running water each night, and replaced into fresh water. How many droopy flowers does your establishment suffer?
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
You know, calliope...drain flies are a good possibility.