His name is pink chamaepsila or also psille but is better known as carrot fly a name that immediately makes us understand which plant is most attacked by this insect.
This diptera has the unpleasant habit of going to lay its eggs in the root of the carrot, the larvae then completely ruin the vegetable. Its spread and type of attack make this psyllid one of the worst insect enemies of carrots.
In an organic garden we have several possible methods to reject and fight this pest.
How does this bug work?
carrot fly lays its eggs on the ground, near the base of the plant . The main culprits of damage to the garden are its larvae , which attack the plant from the primary root, so in the case of carrots, they directly hit the vegetables. Carrots are eaten while still in the ground, creating small internal tunnels which then promote the entry of moisture and inevitably cause to rot .
In addition to carrots, chamaepsila can attack other umbrella plants, such as parsnips and fennel.
Meet the carrot fly
This mosquito belongs to the Diptera family, it has a maximum length of half a centimeter and is black, the larva is somewhat longer and yellow, the eggs, on the contrary, are tiny and are found in clusters. It is not easy to notice the attack because (thixag_12) the larvae act directly on the roots (thixag__12), from the outside you can see the plant growing with difficulty and in the worst case deteriorating.
Like almost all insects, this fly play fast : chamaepsila eggs hatch in less than ten days, the insect usually has two generations per year, in some cases three. The first generation lays its eggs in early spring, the second in summer. The larvae hatched in July and August These are the most damaging to crops.
Damage caused by chamaepsila rosae.
Defending against the carrot fly by natural methods
Killing the carrot fly is very difficult , pyrethrum could be used on adult diptera but it is almost impossible to exterminate them all because the insecticide acts by contact. Also, hitting the larvae is problematic because they never come out into the open – the eggs hatch in the ground and start burrowing directly into the root. In professional organic farming, nematodes that affect this insect can be used, it is a method of biological control that is not convenient to apply on a small scale in a home garden.
The best way to avoid damage from this fly is to prevent it. deter it with repellents . The most common and effective system is the combination of carrot and onion. Planting carrots and onions in alternate rows prevents the arrival of the psyllid because the onion plant is not well received by the insect, which is good is that at the same time the onion fly is remote, since she does not like carrots instead: a natural synergy to try absolutely. In order for carrots to be as effective as possible, onions should be sown or transplanted a week in advance. Leek and shallot can also be used in the same way.
Other natural methods to prevent carrot fly are treatments with tansy and garlic macerate, undesirable essences in this diptera.
If there is damage to the carrot crop, avoid growing carrots on the same plot for at least three years without this crop rotation you may end up with the same problem.