Carrots, parsnips and radishes all damaged by tunnelling insect? ID?

[Inastate]

Last year my carrots, parsnips and radishes were all damaged by a tunnelling insect. It tunnelled through the vegetables leaving little holes which went a bit manky.

Can anybody please tell me what this pest is, and furthermore, how to combat it? Thanks

[Jungle Jane]

Is it carrot fly? Google some images see if it matches your veg? There's times of year when it's best to sow carrots to avoid the fly.
10 ways to deter carrot root fly - Features: Fruit & veg - gardenersworld.com

[Aberdeenplotter]

Undoubtedly carrot fly and only one surefire way to make sure you don't have your crops infested. Cover them with fleece or environmesh immediately after sowing and keep covered until harvest. you will have to uncover to weed and to thin out the seedlings but do this as quickly as possible and then get them covered up again as soon as you can.

[Martin H]

Hmm. Carrot flies will attack carrots and parsnips but won't touch radishes, so they have probably been eaten by something else. In my plot, radishes are attacked by flea beetles, cabbage root fly and slugs.

[Inastate]

Okay cheers. Hmm, so would cabbage root fly attack carrots and parsnips? Or do I likely have two different pests. The damage looked pretty similar across the board.

[Kristen]

would cabbage root fly attack carrots and parsnips?

Nope (Well ... not that I know of)

do I likely have two different pests

Yep

Carrot Fly will significantly damage carrots, and (I think) it will do some minor damage to Parsnips which will, in turn, enable Canker to get a hold and mess up the Parsnips

[Inastate]

Yep

Carrot Fly will significantly damage carrots, and (I think) it will do some minor damage to Parsnips which will, in turn, enable Canker to get a hold and mess up the Parsnips

Ahhh, well this could be problematic seeing as my raised beds are full to the brim with brassicas.

Any ideas on the best solution to this?

I have some mesh for the carrot fly, but these things are probably everywhere!

[Kristen]

I don't have a problem with Cabbage Root Fly (which is not to say that you, in your area, won't either ...). I believe that collars around the plant (e.g. a disk cut from something heavy, like carpet underlay, with a single slit-cut to the centre to slide it onto the plant) is enough.

Whether you have a problem with Cabbage Root Fly, or not, I think you are very likely to have a problem with Cabbage White Butterfly - their caterpillars will decimate the leaves. If you are happy to make a check daily it is easy enough to rub the eggs off the undersides of the leaves - they are bright yellow, laid in clusters, so easy to see and do. Its a tedious job though ...

I net mine with Scaffolders Debris Netting - cheaper than purpose designed netting, in fact "free" if you can blag it off a building site as the scaffolding is coming down

Then there is winter time ... best to remove the debris netting then as it is fine-weave and if it snows will collapse under the weight. I use a bird netting (holes are a couple of inches wide, so doesn't collect any snow), but without it the pigeons would eat all my brassicas ...

[Jungle Jane]

Ahhh, well this could be problematic seeing as my raised beds are full to the brim with brassicas.

Any ideas on the best solution to this?

I have some mesh for the carrot fly, but these things are probably everywhere!

Do you have any yellowing leaves on the brassica,have a look under the leaves for any aphid/whitefly? I don't think carrot fly would want brassica but you can plant onions & other herbs with it,if you can squeeze them in,hides the scent of any carrot. If you leave carrots in the ground over winter it provides a breeding ground for them. I wonder what got your radish,mine were attacked by flea beetle-little holes all over the leaves.

[Inastate]

Do you have any yellowing leaves on the brassica,have a look under the leaves for any aphid/whitefly? I don't think carrot fly would want brassica but you can plant onions & other herbs with it,if you can squeeze them in,hides the scent of any carrot. If you leave carrots in the ground over winter it provides a breeding ground for them. I wonder what got your radish,mine were attacked by flea beetle-little holes all over the leaves.

I can remember seeing one burrowing inside. It was a little grub/maggot type thing. Looks pretty similar to cabbage root and carrot fly - I can't really distinguish a difference, especially from memory.

Everything looks fine at the moment, but I'll keep an eye out. I think that I had a few yellow leaves last year.

They wouldn't effect chard, would they?