Carrot fly
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| Carrot fly | ||||||||||||||||
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| Psila rosae (Fabricius, 1794) |
The carrot fly (Psila rosae) is a pest of gardens and farms, and mainly affects the crop of carrots, but can also attack parsnips, parsley and celery.It is a member of the "Diptera" family Psilidae.
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[edit] Larvae
It is the larvae of the carrot fly that harms crops. The creamy-yellow maggots feed on the outer layers of the carrot root. In autumn they may penetrate further into the root. The larvae are legless and up to 10 mm in length.
[edit] Symptoms of infestation
Foliage becomes wilted and discoloured. Rusty-brown tunnels are seen under the outer skin of mature roots.
[edit] Control
The flies lay their eggs around the developing carrots, the larvae, once hatched, burrow into the root. As female carrot flies are very low flying, the best method of prevention is to erect a barrier around the crop at least 60cm high. Alternatively horticultural fleece may be used as a floating mulch to cover the crop. Newer varieties of carrot which claim to be resistant to carrot fly (eg "Flyaway") may be used.
[edit] External links
- Web page on carrot fly
- Poster Washington State University
[edit] References
- Christopher Brickell (2002). The Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Gardening. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0-7513-0862-5.
