Why does your Lycopersicon esculentum have tiny black flies? Diagnose the cause and fix it with our step-by-step guide.
These tiny black flies are the larvae of fungus gnats, which thrive in overly moist organic matter. The adults emerge from the soil to feed on plant tissue and lay eggs, while their larvae consume fine root hairs, potentially damaging the tomato's nutrient uptake.
If there are overripe or decaying tomato fruits on the plant, fruit flies may be attracted to the fermentation. While they don't directly attack the living plant tissue like fungus gnats, their presence indicates a secondary rot issue in the crop.
Similar to fungus gnats, Sciarid flies are attracted to high humidity and decaying organic matter in tomato potting mixes. They can cause minor damage but are often an indicator of poor soil aeration or excessive irrigation levels.
Your plant might also be experiencing one of these issues:
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