A Few Insects Which Attack Parsnips

There are a few crops which are very easy to grow. One of these is parsnip which needs very little maintenance. Aside from that, they're also very hardy. They're resistant to several diseases and not a lot of pests bother them since they produce their very own natural pesticide called furanocumarins.

Even if they are hardy, there continue to be some pests that cannot seem to resist the taste of this humble root plant. A few of these pests are wire worms, carrot fly and aphids.

You are going to know that wire worms are attacking your parsnips once you see small holes on the root. These holes, if you look closely, will have shiny, wiry jointed yellow larvae. They dwell on the soil so if you notice them there just before you began to plant, flood the soil to eliminate them. You should also get rid of parsnips plants that have been infected to stop the proliferation of wire worms.

The carrot fly is small and slender. It is around 44 millimeters long with a yellow green color. It isn't really a typical parsnip pest because they would rather feed more on carrots, but once they do attack, they could  create substantial damage.

Carrot flies are attracted by the smell of parsnips so it will be useful to grow onions or garlic nearby to drive them away. To stop them from attacking your parsnips, you may also use a fine mesh around your crops. Spraying foliar sprays on your parsnips and around the boundaries of your crops would likewise help.

If the leaves of your parsnips are turning yellow and distorted, its growth stunted, they are most likely being attacked by aphids. This pest sucks out the sap of the leaves, stems and fruits, distorting the tissues in the process. This creates a leaf curl and also the mentioned symptoms.

It is possible to treat infected crops by spraying them with soapy water or utilizing a hosepipe to knock them off the parsnips. Introducing predator insects like lady beetles could also help. If this doesn't get them under control, feel free to use chemical sprays instead such as fenitrothion, malathion or menazon. Aphids have a dormant period which is the perfect time to control them.

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About the author

The author is a nutritionist and is currently working for a non-profit health care corporation. For more information about the topic, visit the following link: Parsnip Recipes

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