Cabbage fly »Recognize damage patterns, combat and prevent infestation

the essentials in brief

• Cabbage fly larvae eat their way into plant tissue, where they are well protected from pesticides. Infested plants should be disposed of. Beneficial insects prevent the hatched larvae from boring into the root neck.
• Larvae leave feeding ducts in various cabbage plants in which there are feces and crumbs. Over time, infested plants wilt until they eventually die.
• An infestation can be prevented by thorough tillage, mixed cultures and culture protection nets. Two types can appear in the garden: the large one Cabbage fly is less harmful than the little cabbage fly.

Can I control cabbage flies with home remedies?

Most of the time, the infestation is not discovered until it is too late for treatment

If the vegetables eat cabbage flies, it is worth digging up the affected plants and examining the extent of the damage. If the infestation is in the early stages, you can collect the maggots from the roots and replant the plants. If the stem tissue is already partially dead, only the complete disposal of the plant will help.

How to prevent further spread:

• no composting
• Compost offers cabbage fly larvae optimal living conditions
• Disposal of infected plant parts in household waste

Natural regulation by beneficial insects

The natural enemies of the cabbage fly include predatory insects such as ground beetles and spiders. The raven beetles of the genus Aleochara parasitize the pupae of the flower flies, while the parasitic wasp Trybliographa rapae prey on larvae. It is therefore advisable to plant species-rich fringing biotopes to promote such beneficial insects.

Create a border biotope

Sow the seed mixtures on a finely crumbly seedbed in autumn. The seeds are worked in lightly so that they are not covered by more than 1.5 centimeters from the substrate. Light and dark germinating conditions find favorable germination conditions at this sowing depth. To increase the germination rate, you can press the seeds down with a board. Avoid fertilization in order to suppress unwanted and competitive weeds. For the first two years you should avoid spontaneous weeds like thistle, dock and Couch grass weeding.

Beneficial animals feel at home here:

• Mix as 50 to 60 percent comb, stalk grass and upright brine
• a maximum of two percent legumes such as clover and vetch
• Corn poppy, Arabledelphinium, Kornrade and Cornflower as a conspicuously blooming annual
• pioneer biennial species such as Evening primrose, Wild carrot, adder's head and white carnation

Do pesticides help?

Cabbage flies are one of the mining insects. Your larvae eat their way into the plant tissue, where they are well protected from pesticides. Even in commercial horticulture, the control of the plant pest is difficult, because the larvae are not caught by the poisons.

This is how you can recognize damage to the cabbage fly

In spring, the infestation often extends over the edge rows. This first generation does the most damage. Seedlings that grow between March and May up to the formation of the first pair of leaves are at risk. During the further course of the season, the pests penetrate the interior of the plant population.

• Feeding tunnels in the root neck, stem and cotyledons
• Food crumbs and droppings in the corridors
• Plants wither and rot

Affected plants

Cabbage fly maggots cause damage to cabbage plants that grow close to the ground. Cauliflower is particularly vulnerable. The insects are considered dangerous pests on oilseed rape. In the private garden, they are based on the seasonal availability of various food plants. While from April onwards, fast-growing vegetables such as radishes are attacked by the first generation, In midsummer, the second generation prefers to eat Chinese cabbage, but also radishes and Kohlrabi. Late-ripening species such as Brussels sprouts and swede are on the menu of the third generation in autumn.

background

This is how cabbage flies multiply

This is how you prevent an infestation

Wood ash spoils the appetite of cabbage flies

Since there are no pesticides for private use and the effectiveness of home remedies quickly becomes apparent reaches the limit, you should avoid the spread of the plant pest through optimal gardening counteract. A thorough tillage is before everyone sowing Duty. After the harvest, no stalks or leaves should remain on the bed, as cabbage flies prefer to overwinter here.

• Early and late sowing bypasses the main flight time for flower flies
• Put wood ash in the planting hole and sprinkle on the ground
• Rock flour(€ 12.33 at Amazon *) Sprinkle around the root neck
• Spread a layer of mulch made of fern leaves
• vegetable fertilizers increase the attractiveness of the soil for females

Ecological balance through mixed culture

An important measure to prevent pest infestation is mixed seeds, in which opponents appear naturally. Tomatoes and celery are good partners for cabbage family, as they keep cabbage flies at a distance with their intense scent.

Protect crops with a net

Since cabbage flies infiltrate a plant population, a protective net is considered to be the safest method to ward off the pests. It should be particularly close-meshed so that the flies, which are up to five millimeters in size, cannot access the food plants. The culture protection nets ideally have a mesh size of 1.8 millimeters. They are stretched over the bed immediately after the susceptible species have been sown and remain there until harvest.

What types of cabbage flies are there?

The little cabbage fly actually looks quite harmless

Cabbage flies belong to the genus Delia within the flower fly family. Well-known pests are small and large cabbage fly. While the small cabbage fly is active from April, the large cabbage fly (Delia floralis) only flies between August and September. It produces one generation per year and is therefore less harmful than the related species. Delia floralis mainly uses radishes and radishes as host plants.

Appearance

The little cabbage fly is reminiscent of a miniature version of the housefly. It grows up to five millimeters long and feeds on nectar and pollen. Their larvae develop near the roots. They are colored white, legless and headless. Their pupae appear brown and barrel-shaped. They can be found in the ground and are carried away by ants.

way of life

The first generation of the little cabbage fly hatches in spring. The chestnut blossom, which takes place in the Palatinate at the end of April, serves as a guide. In such mild regions, three to four generations can hatch per season. Egg development is favored by warm temperatures under foil and fleece.

• April: Oviposition
• May to June: Larvae hatch, eat and pupate after two to three weeks
• July: Oviposition
• July to August: Development of the second generation of maggots
• September: Oviposition
• September to October: Third generation larvae hatch and leave behind feeding damage until pupation

frequently asked Questions

Are there white cabbage flies?

Adult cabbage flies are not colored white. Their appearance is reminiscent of the appearance of a housefly. Your larvae do not live under the leaves but in hiding and are only visible when you pull infected plants out of the ground. If you see white flies on the plants, they are probably whiteflies.

Risk of confusion:

• Whiteflies: white flies on the underside of the leaf, fly up when touched
• Cabbage white butterfly: first lays greenish and later yellow eggs on the underside of the leaf
• Cabbage moth: green caterpillars eat leaves
• Mealy cabbage aphid: powdered aphids suck on the underside of the leaves

Why do cabbage flies infest cabbage plants?

These insects have specialized in cabbage family, because here they compete with a few food specialists. Many cruciferous vegetables contain mustard oil glycosides, which have antibacterial and antimicrobial effects. This protects plants from potential predators, but cabbage flies can digest the substances.

What damage can cabbage flies cause?

Because of its high reproduction rate and rapid development, the cabbage fly is one of the most dangerous pests on oilseed rape. It is capable of completely destroying a crop. Since the flies are extremely mobile, they are hardly ever caught by insecticides. Their larvae develop protected in the root tissue. Since the largest plants are more strongly infested than less developed plants, early seeds show a greater infestation than late seeds.

Does plant manure from garlic or nettle help against cabbage flies?

Plant brews are used to strengthen weakened plants. Since cabbage fly larvae prefer to burrow into vigorously growing plants, manure made in-house does not provide reliable protection against infestation. Because of their intense smell, brews can be administered as support.