Symptoms
The main symptom is center of bulbs are hollowed out and the flower
bud is destroyed. Many infested bulbs rot away although some
survive to send up a few scrawny grasslike blades the following
year.
Spot them
The adult flies are 9 to 12 mm long and resemble bumble bees,
although some are more reddish brown, orange, or tan. Unlike bumble
bees, narcissus bulb flies have a very rapid flight and also tend
to hover in flight. Newly hatched maggots are about I mm long.
Third stage maggots are about 19 mm long and are a dirty tan
colour. The maggot is plump and slightly arched, and the skin is
tough and wrinkled. The mouth hooks and breathing tube are almost
black.