Mushroom phorid flies. A review

Abstract

Diptera are among the most serious arthropod pests affecting mushroom crops. Phorid flies, especially Megaselia halterata, have traditionally been globally considered as a minor pest, alt-hough they are a very important problem on Spanish mushroom farms. The concerns with respect to the phorid fly populations have recently increased, notably jumping from being a minor to major pest in India, UK and the USA, where yield losses ranging between 10 and 40% were reported. This review updates and summarizes the available literature regarding mushroom phorid populations, stressing the natural distribution of phorids and their seasonal distribution, their biology within the growing substrates and the initial sources of infestation on mushroom farms. Moreover, the review also highlights the scarce available tools for their control and the current alternatives to chemical products.