Carrot Root Fly in the Garden

Our Pest Control Expert, Julian Ives, has spent many years advising commercial growers and gardeners on the subject of safe and efficient natural pest control treatments.

Here he shares his experience on the problems Carrot Root Fly can cause in the garden...

Appearance and Lifecycle
Carrot root fly (Psila rosae) is about 8mm long with a red to brown head. The body is black and similar to ant with wings. The female adult carrot root fly lays eggs in the soil beside the plants it attacks. The first eggs are laid in April-May from adults that have emerged from overwintering pupae. There are normally 2-3 generations per year. The eggs hatch into larvae in about 7 days. The second generation appears through July and August.

Symptoms and Damage
The carrot root fly larvae feed on root hairs and then burrow into the stems and roots of plants. Seedlings and transplants are very vulnerable to attack. Carrot root fly attack carrots, parsnips, celery and parsley. First symptoms are a reddish tinge to carrot leaves appearing and plants wilting. The creamy coloured larvae of the carrot root fly burrow into roots and allow secondary rots to get into the carrots.

Natural Choice Treatments
There are now a number of products that can help protect carrots from carrot root fly. Invest in an essential early warning system in the form of carrot root fly traps to warn of carrot fly presence in crops and for more comprehensive control, we have nematode treatments for killing the carrot root fly larvae. There are also barriers and fleeces that can be used to protect carrots from attack.