Carrot Rust Fly

Order: Diptera
Family: Psilidae
Species: Psila rosae

Pests as larva (maggot in soil)

Appearance

• Adult: slender metallic-green fly
• Larvae: 1/3-inch long wiry, legless straw-colored "worm"

Host plants

• Carrots
• Parsnips, celery, parsley, dill, caraway, coriander, fennel

Symptoms

• Rust-colored root rots
• Wilting and stunting above ground

Biology

• Overwinter as pupae in soil, larvae in roots
• 2-3 generations per year

Control Options

Physical

• Floating row covers over seed beds

Cultural

• Late-planting (after mid-June) to avoid oviposition
• Harvest by late September
• Destroy culls
• Eliminate alternate host plants
• Rotate beds

Biocontrol

• Natural larval and pupal parasite

Pesticides

• Check the Database of Pesticides Registered in Idaho (Kelly Database) for pesticides registered in Idaho