Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: snow white on November 07, 2018, 11:47

Title: maggots in carrots
Post by: snow white on November 07, 2018, 11:47

I grew carrots in my polytunnel this year to get an early crop - which I did.  However when I pulled the last harvest from them, inside were massive maggoty type creatures.  I never get this outside.  Does anyone know what they where and how do I get rid of them?

Title: Re: maggots in carrots
Post by: mumofstig on November 07, 2018, 13:00

It's probably carrot root-fly
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=485

Title: Re: maggots in carrots
Post by: sunshineband on November 07, 2018, 15:15

Were they thin and whitish? Have they left black tunnels? If so, they may well be carrot fly larvae, as MoS suggested

If they were brownish orange and about 2-2.5cm long, leaving round tunnel-holes in the carrots, they may have been wireworm

Title: Re: maggots in carrots
Post by: snow white on November 10, 2018, 12:33

They were huge about an inch long, white with a brown head.  diameter of about half a centimetre.  The carrots were grown in tubs about four foot off the ground.

It baffles me.  :(

Title: Re: maggots in carrots
Post by: JayG on November 10, 2018, 14:05

Sounds more like a cutworm (there are several different species.)

If so, you're very unlucky (you don't need to be nearly as unlucky to encounter carrot fly larvae.)

Title: Re: maggots in carrots
Post by: sunshineband on November 10, 2018, 15:14

Quote from: JayG on November 10, 2018, 14:05

Sounds more like a cutworm (there are several different species.)

If so, you're very unlucky (you don't need to be nearly as unlucky to encounter carrot fly larvae.)

Or even chafer grubs.. there have been people in this are with them in containers this year

Title: Re: maggots in carrots
Post by: snow white on November 10, 2018, 15:48

I think it is a chafer grub   :(

Title: Re: maggots in carrots
Post by: sunshineband on November 11, 2018, 17:28

Quote from: snow white on November 10, 2018, 15:48

I think it is a chafer grub   :(

They are a bit big for our robin to tackle, but the blackbirds managed to choke them down  :lol: :lol: