The bulbs are damaged by tarsonmid mites (Steneotarsonemus laticeps, barely visible, 0.2 mm) then the sitches are infected with red blotch, Stagonospora curtissi. Rotting material attracts these fingus gnats you are observing now. So, these are only the 3rd element within the chain of reasons and effects. The translucent maggots of these "mosquitos" can indeed become harmfull by themselves namely if get access to seedlings. Even fully intact seedlings might become substantially consumed by these little critters. Please consult your local plant protection bureau and ask for legal means against tarsonemid mites on amaryllis. bulbs. Insist on protection of the growing crop; not the hot water treatment.

I did the exact same thing with an allium that I bought. To be fair to me at the time, I was told it was A. cernuum, a weak species, but it was mislabeled. Whatever it is I have spreads by seeds, offshoots, and little bulbils that form on the seed head. I keep digging it out, spraying with roundup, and try to dry it out by withholding water, but it keeps marching on. At least it is only a problem in the spring. I have several more introduced weeds that are even worse. I'm contemplating getting a hold of some vapam, maybe I can find it next time I go to Reno....

For Southlatropical 9 - many thanks for your response. This is my first time to try cannas and I am not sure I will continue. At least now I know what the pests are and how to eliminate them; however, my plants are at least 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet high and I am still being bombarded by leaf rollers. Obviously here in Tennessee, they are much harder to control than in South Louisiana. By the way, I was born and raised in LA, near Lake Charles and DeRidder. Good to hear from you.

Hi, I'm far from being a pro at this but I live in the Bay Area and have the same temp drops sometimes. I was told to pull the plants in when temps drop to the low 40s but the nursery in Hawaii where I shipped one home from said to pull them in below the 50s! So far they have withstood a few low 40s nights but I don't have any flowers yet. Three of mine are rooted and 5 are cuttings I started in late June. I do have buds on one of the rooted plants, but because of the fog layer in the morning and not a whole lot of heat this summer (I'm assuming here) they are yet to bloom. And the two I bought at a local nursery here have spider mites too. Wrinkled leaves and little webs, etc. I have sprayed them once and will spray them again a week later with a mild insecticidal soap (made for all kinds of plants including veggies). I have also been spraying them with water under the leaves, but it's no jet spray, just set on shower. Hope this helps, someone more knowledgeable may come along and say something completely opposite, but this seems to be working so far anyway. Good luck, Leslie