Carrot Fly

[mc55]

help, what do carrot flies look like ?  Last year I suffered terribly, despite keeping the carrots under fleece.  This year they are in the bath, next to the hedge, but I find it hard to believe that they don't fly above a certain height - otherwise how do they get about when faced with walls  / hedges ? 

Noticed when I took the perspex off the carrots to water on Thursday evening that there were quite a few brown flies buzzing around. Will I be able to see the eggs ?

What about those little nemo thingy's - will they eat them ?

[mc55]

[jennym]

No idea what they look like - reckon they must be tiny! it's the eggs they lay which turn into larvae which eat the roots which cause the problem and I've seen them ok. Why not try fleece as well as your bath? can't hurt. We've got them and they are a pain - have taken to growing larger size carrots like Autumn King so that the bad bits can be cut out and the good bits used.

[tuinman]

This is how i solved the problem;

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n31/valleydaz/DSC00741.jpg

glass round the sides and really fine plastic mesh around everything (no messing around)

[davyw1]

The carrot fly is 4 to 5 mm in size i think thats just under 1/2 inch
Type in your search box..... carrot fly images

[soozie]

I grow mine in pots with copper tape stuck round the top too beat the slimies. Not a problem yet and clean carrots!!

[Tee Gee]

The fly;



The maggot/larvae;



The damage;



The protection; The gap in the covering was staged to show the carrot tops under

[Gillysdad]

A photo of the culprit and the answer to the problem, all at the same time...... I wouldn't expect anything less from you Tee Gee. ;) :)

[jennym]

The carrot fly is 4 to 5 mm in size i think thats just under 1/2 inch ..

4 - 5 mm was well under a quarter of an inch when I went to school  ;D

[ACE]

Be very carefull when you are thinning, and if you are new to gardening do not transplant your thinnings. Take them as far away from your plot as possible. It is the smell of the bruised young carrot that attracts them.

[davyw1]

The carrot fly is 4 to 5 mm in size i think thats just under 1/2 inch ..

4 - 5 mm was well under a quarter of an inch when I went to school  ;D

Sorry for being taught i Feet and Inches and now being to old to convert

[shirlton]

I grew mine under fleece last year as my enviromesh was being used for the greens and it was fine.Much cheaper than mesh too.