Swimming maggots.

[Ricard with an H]

This is my second year of comfrey water production, one dustbin and one plastic ex-chemical container about twice the size of a dustbin with an onion sack full of leaves in each. This not only stinks but I always get maggots (With tails) swimming in the juice for ages, I don't understand why they don't drown.

I water everything with this stuff and my plantation keeps me in juice all year round but I've never seen maggots in the soil where I poured this disgusting nutritious liquid, just in the water.

I have never regarded maggots as aquatic-life, does anyone know if I should be concerned ?

Ok, if I'm concerned about the maggots I could put a netting cover over the containers. I'm not altogether sure I need to be concerned because I don't get maggots in the soil.

What do you think ?

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Richard, are you sure they are not Gnat/Midge larvae?

[retropants]

We get those too Richard, as OH says, I think they are larvae of some kind, although i dread to think of what, as they are quite gruesome looking.

[Ricard with an H]

I don't know what they are, they look about the same size as a maggot but they have a little tail and they swim.

What I have seen lots of are a type of fly on the comfrey leaf onion sack that look like the carrot fly, a sort of ginger colour.

[robo]

We have a lot of mosquito larvae here look similar

[Diane]

Could they be these....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat-tailed_maggot

[Ricard with an H]

That is exactly what they are and here are the photos I took just before I read your post, thanks for tracking it down.

Horrible.

[oldherbaceous]

Reading the link, i would be very careful i didn't sit on any.....

[Ricard with an H]

I'll be wearing chainsaw pants.

[retropants]

agreed, I felt a bit queasy after reading the link.....

[robo]

Not the thing to have swimming in your pool

[Ricard with an H]

I knew this fly was a ginger. I have nothing against ginger but just wish this little bugger wouldn't lay it's eggs in my comfrey containers. As if the comfrey water isn't disgusting enough.

Do you know, if I don't wear rubber gloves to handle the watering can I use to get the juice out I can't wash the stink of my hands for ages.

Maybe RP's has a soap that will do the trick, so far, beer and naked ladies didn't help.

[retropants]

oh dear Richard! you'll need the kitchen garden bar, it is made with coffee and coffee is a natural deodoriser. it also has tea tree oil, which would help! I am always very careful with the comfrey water for that exact reason, the idea of getting some on me makes me a little queasy! we have a tap on our drum, so it makes it a little less fussy.