Pest Control on Daffodils

Daffodil Pests

• Bulb mites (Rhizoglyphus species) -- tiny, translucent, white, spider-related pests -- feed on daffodil leaves and tunnel into daffodil bulbs, carrying bulb-rot producing organisms. White, gray or yellow lesser bulb fly (Eumerus spp) larvae and white or gray narcissus bulb fly (Merodon equestris) larvae overwinter in daffodil bulbs, eating tunnels throughout the bulb tissue. Nematodes are tiny stem- and bulb-infecting worms.

Chemical Control

• Give daffodil bulbs a 30-minute, pre-planting soak in a suspension of dicofol-based pesticide to kill bulb mite infestations. Ohio State University's Dr. Richard Lindquist recommends this as an off-label use of the pesticide.

Hot Water Treatment

• Immediately after digging them up, soak fly- or nematode-infected infected bulbs in a container of 111 degree Fahrenheit water. Soak fly-infested bulbs for a minimum of 40 minutes and nematode-infested ones for 4 hours. Add water as necessary to maintain the temperature. Hotter water will damage the bulbs.

Biological Control

• Release Hyoaspsis mites into your garden to feed on daffodil bulb mites. They'll also prey on thrips and fungus gnats that may go after your other plants.