What are Root Maggots?
Root maggots are pests that feed on succulent roots of vegetable crops such as carrots and turnips. These pests can cause a lot of trouble as they infest your vegetable garden creating black rot and destructing newly planted seedbeds. Fortunately, there are a number of natural solutions you can easily do to get rid of these garden pests.
Frequented Areas
You can usually find root maggots in newly planted seedbeds. During their adult form, they are black flies that measure about the same size as a common housefly. Root maggots lay their eggs at the roots of the crop of their choice, root vegetables or tubers such as radish, rutabaga, carrots, onions, and flowering crucifers such as cauliflower and cabbage.
Normally, they thrive in areas with moist soil, vegetables of choice and tender roots at the early season of planting. Root maggots are typically found across the globe including North America. They are considered as one of the most destructive pests, which affect home gardeners.
Identification — Physical Characteristics of Root Maggots
Root maggots are flies during their larvae stage, which belongs to the insect family Anthomyiidae in the order of Diptera. During their adult stage, root maggots measure about 1/5 inch in length. They are bigger in their larvae stage, which measures about ¼ inch long. Yellowish-white in color, root maggots also have a tapered head. This is what they use to tunnel through the crop’s base and to feed on roots.
An infestation of root maggot is highly destructive. An adult fly can produce about 100 eggs on a single plant approximately in two days or at times, even less. Within 3 to 10 days, the eggs will hatch and become larvae. They will then begin to tunnel into the roots of the vegetables causing grave damage to your crops.
Special Characteristics
The root maggots are famous for their enormous appetites as well as the tunnels they make in any crop of their choice. If your garden has been infested, deep tunnels in the roots, stems and leaves will be visible. Because of the tunnels and surface scars that root maggots leave on plants, the crops will be more vulnerable in having an infection from soft-rot bacteria or be plagued by thrips or springtail pests.
Removal and Preventative Procedures
Eliminating and preventing root maggots from infesting your garden may be hard at times but there are some steps home gardens can do to regulate infestation. If there are any signs of infestation such as surface scars, feeding tunnels or maggots found in your plants, it is highly suggested to implement the checklist below.
· Apply diatomaceous earth at the base of seedlings
At the early stage of the planting season, just right after each rainfall occurs, apply diatomaceous earth (a sand-like material). Once applied, it will result in having a soil that is less attractive to flies and keep them from laying eggs anywhere near your crops. Fortunately, this method is environmentally friendly too.
· Rotate crops each season
Prior to planting crops, make sure that the soil has not been infested with root maggots during the previous season. If the soil has been previously infested with root maggots, it will more likely result in further contamination or infestation in your planted crops. As it can be difficult to perform crop rotation for most home gardeners, it surely is an effective way to reduce and control root maggots.
· Put protective coverings over transplants or seedlings
Making use of protective coverings can limit the root maggots’ capacity to thrive. This procedure is done by placing floating row covers over transplants and seedlings.
· Use cotton or waterproof discs to protect plants
When your garden has been infested already, make sure to add cotton or waterproof discs near the stem of plants. This could make a strong barrier between the flies and the plants or even the soil in which their eggs are laid.
· Use biological control methods via parasitic wasps or rove beetles
Parasitic wasps feed on maggots that are near the surface of your garden soil. Some species of beetles such as the rove beetle can be very effective too in regulating root maggot populations.
In Store or Chemicals
For pest control, pesticides can be bought both in garden stores and online as they are widely available. But you have to be careful when buying chemicals for the control of root maggots. To date, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not registered any pesticides yet for the control these insects. If you decided to regulate root maggots in your garden through the use of chemicals, it is best to consult a pest control professional.
