[Eblana]

Hi folks, I dug up a couple of bunches of carrots today only to find that they are covered in black marks.  Is this carrot fly or something else?  If carrot fly are they safe to eat.

[Salmo]

Can you describe the black marks in more detail please, or add a photo?

[DD.]

If they look like this:

http://www.gardenhealth.com/weeds-pests-diseases/pests/carrot-fly-control

then it's carrot fly. You can cut out the unaffected bits, but often there's not a lot left. I don't suppose it would do you a lot of harm if you ate the whole carrot, but I'd prefer not to!

Incidentally, I've just discovered this link by Googling for a picture and I didn't realise there was chemical control now available. I'll stick to my Enviromesh, though.

[Eblana]

That's it alright DD.  I had an idea that it might be carrot root fly but I was t sure because they are growing in a raised bed.  I will have to use enviro mesh next year.

[DD.]

A raised bed would need to be at least 24" high, even then, whilst carrot fly are not good flyers, they can glide in on a good breeze!