the Gymnostoma Napomyza , commonly known to farmers as the leek fly, is a pest because it lays its eggs inside leek plants. Once hatched, the larvae inside dig tunnels that destroy the leek, completely ruining the harvest.
The insects that affect leeks are different, but it is undoubtedly one of the worst pests, so it is good to learn to distinguish it, know its habits and know how to prevent and combat it with natural methods , suitable for organic farming.
As the larvae of this insect pierce the plant by digging it, the parasite is also called leek leafminer.
fly damage . If you find the leeks broken and with the larvae of this diptera inside, it is too late to intervene: the leaf miner has already done its damage and all that remains is to remove the affected vegetables to eliminate the parasites from our garden.
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biological insecticides
The fly can be killed with organic insecticides, against Napomyza Gymnostoma pyrethrum, spinosad or neem oil can be used. The problem is that if the larvae are inside the plant, it is difficult to reach the insect and the treatment is ineffective, whereas insecticides are a good way to kill the adult diptera before they lay eggs. their eggs.
Prevention of insect attacks
However, the leek fly can be effectively prevented knowing their habits: these insects reproduce in several generations, only a few have wings to be able to move and their reproductive flight period is between september and october . Therefore, we can cover the leek harvest with non-woven fabric during these months to prevent the mine fly from laying eggs and solve the problem in an easy and natural way without any treatment. For growers of spring leeks, it is recommended to also cover between march and april .