What do these flies want?

[strantor]

I went out to water my tomato plants and these large flies are all over. I have not seen flies like this before. They are the biggest flies I have ever seen, not including horseflies (the giant biting type). They are not horseflies, but are very big. They don't seem to be eating my plants, but are enamored by my tomato cage. It's got me a little stressed. They are not behaving normal. They do not fly away when I approach or wave my hand at them. Some of them have pale glassy eyes and I think they are blind. Even when I kicked the cage, only half flew away. The others remained in place. There is stinky trash right next to them in the bed of the truck but not a single fly was interested in the trash; they were all on the tomato cage. Only 4 or 5 flies were actually on the plants.

 

[curly_kate]

No idea why they'd behave like that, but it sounds weird to me!

 

[catjac1975]

GROOOOOOSSSSSSS!
Try a fly strip-but they may be too big to catch!

 

[desertlady]

We have them here right before the rain comes. they are bad, and they are not eating my plants, but they can be laying eggs all over the place !! yuck!

 

[so lucky]

That reminds me of the old Hitchcock movie, "The Birds" when they were just lining up in the trees and on the utility lines, silently landing and sitting and watching.......waiting.........

 

[strantor]

They were creeping me out... Like silent protesters with unspoken motive. I don't know what their presence means, but I don't think its anything good. I killed them. Ant spray did the trick. Tried hard not to get any on the plants. Hope it will be OK.

 

[strantor]

They were back again today. On the tomato cage again like before. Same thing as yesterday, just hanging around, creeping me out. I sprayed them again.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You might want to look through this link. http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/

Check under ORDER DIPTERA, which is flies.

Id especially look at the black soldier flies, but you are looking at them and Im not. You can see details I cant.

You might want to contact your extension service and ask them. You might be able to send in a close-up photo to Texas A&M and get them to identify them for you. Its possible those are either beneficial or harmless.

 

[baymule]

You need some muscovies!!

 

[journey11]

Ewwww! We see them swarm here in the fall, on the south side of the houses, trying to get inside for winter. But I don't think the timing is right in your area for it to be that. Perhaps they all hatched out simultaneously from something nearby? I'd go ahead and kill them by whatever means you prefer. Flies are yucky.