Pests & diseases › Carrot Fly
Carrot Fly
Tiny black fly whose larvae tunnel into carrot, parsnip, celery and parsley roots. Triggered by the smell of crushed foliage.
Symptoms
- Rusty-brown tunnels running through carrots
- Foliage turning reddish then yellow
- Roots rotting in store
- Damage often unseen until you lift the crop
Lifecycle
Two generations per year — May to June and August to September. Adults fly low (below 60cm).
What to do
- Lift affected roots — chop out tunnels and use damaged parts straight away
- Burn or bin tunnelled roots — don't leave on soil surface
If it's bad
- No effective home-garden insecticide
Stop it coming back
- Cover crops with insect-proof mesh (Enviromesh) from sowing to harvest
- Sow sparingly — never thin in warm evenings (the smell summons them from miles)
- Build a 60cm-high barrier of fleece or fine mesh around the bed
- Companion plant with onions, garlic or chives to mask the carrot smell
- Resistant varieties: Flyaway, Resistafly, Maestro, Sytan
Crops it goes for
Plan the plot, track every sowing, cook the harvest
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.