How to get rid of an onion fly

How to deal with the onion fly, there are many different ways. To effectively destroy the pest, several methods should be combined - biological, agrotechnical, chemical, and folk. Observe crop rotation rules, plant carrots nearby. The remedy for onion flies is prepared on their own or purchased in a hardware, specialized store.

What does a pest look like and traces of its vital activity?

Outwardly, the onion fly looks like apartment (home). It differs only in color - ash gray, ash green and size. The body length does not exceed 10 mm, the average size is 6 mm. Transparent wings, head with well-defined eyes, three pairs of legs. A photo of an onion fly at the adult stage is presented below.

The main pest of onions is a larva - a white worm with a body size of 1 to 8 mm. The larva lives and develops in the bulb, makes numerous moves, eats juice. At the last stage of development, it is selected outward, buried in the soil to a depth of 13 cm from the surface, pupates. A few days later, an onion fly is selected to the surface, which after a day becomes sexually mature. A photo of an onion fly larva can be seen below.

The insect hibernates at the stage of larvae, pupae. It has been active since the end of May during the flowering period of cherries. Waits for a culture in fertile soil or falls into a favorable environment with sowing.

On a note!

Maximum activity is observed in June, significant damage can also be seen in July. As parasitization spoils the bulb, interferes with growth. Larvae are able to completely destroy the entire crop.

Signs of defeat:

• growth retardation;
• dry tips on feathers;
• pale spots;
• unpleasant odor;
• damaged or rotten bulb.

A photo of an onion damaged by an onion fly is presented below.

Methods of struggle at different stages

To get rid of the onion fly, you need to take emergency and global measures.

• After collecting a healthy and damaged crop, you should collect the leftovers, dig a bed. The larvae focus on the remains of the culture, in the depths of the soil, will wait for a new garden in the spring. Digging the soil in late autumn will bring the larvae to the surface, after which they will freeze.
• It is imperative to comply with crop rotation rules. Do not plant onions in one place for two years in a row. It is recommended to alternate and plant garlic carrots nearby. Carrot fly does not tolerate the smell of onions, and onions - carrots. The garlic fly is more familiar with the aroma of onions, so you should plant the garlic beds after the carrot beds.
• In the immediate vicinity and throughout the garden, it is recommended to plant plants with a persistent odor that will play the role of a natural repellent. Calendula, marigolds, peppermint will help protect onions.
• Before planting seed in the ground, it must be well examined. If there is any damage to the bulb, it should not be planted in the ground. Among gardeners, seeds are soaked in hot water for 5 minutes or in a potassium permanganate solution. The water should be light pink.After heat treatment, the sevka is laid out on a dry surface and dried. For protective purposes and in order to accelerate growth, pre-place sevoc in the refrigerator for a day.
• Onion care after planting consists in the timely removal of weed grass, loosening the soil, watering. To save onions will help ordinary cold water, high humidity in the garden.
• During the growing season, you can fight onion flies with folk remedies, biological products. Spraying feathers, watering the beds is carried out 1-2 times a week until the signs of damage disappear.
• Chemical products should be cultivated in the fall, after harvest, or in early spring. Spray onions during the growing season with insecticides is allowed no later than 20 days before harvest. About a month you can not use greens for food.

To fight with onion flies in the garden you need to thoroughly, always remember about prevention, the rules of crop rotation, fertilizing the soil.

Folk remedies

To destroy the pest in the garden use odor repellent substances. Processing the culture is carried out by spraying, watering, some means are crushed in the beds between rows.

Watering salt

The easiest and most affordable way to fight. 10 liters of cold water will require a glass of table salt. Thoroughly stirred, watered with the expectation of 1 cup of solution per 1 plant. In order to prevent soil from salting, the next day they repeat abundant watering, but with ordinary cold water. Saline solution is used 1 time in 14 days.

Ammonia

Fighting with ammonia is just as easy. For 10 liters of cold water, 3 hours of a spoon of ammonia is consumed. Prepare the solution immediately before use.

Important!

Carry out the procedure ammonia treatment It should be 3 times per season with a break of 1 month. This is associated with a risk of reinfection. During the warm season, 3 generations of pests are replaced.

The ammonia solution is watered in such a way that it does not get on the feathers. The method will not only help protect onions from pests, but also accelerate the growth of greenery, the formation of the bulb. A similar solution is chicken manure, which also contains ammonia.

Tobacco dust

To remove the larvae, to scare off the onion fly can tobacco powder or cigarette butts. They are scattered around the bed, sprinkled with tobacco dust on pre-moistened soil. You can also display tincture, broth. Cigarette butts or tobacco are poured with cold water, they insist for a day. Water the onions in the evening or early in the morning. Repeat after 3 days. To prepare the broth, use a fresh plant, fill it with boiled water, boil it for a minute, insist for a day.

Wood ash

Wood ash can save onions and increase productivity. It is one of the most effective means in the fight against many pests. Sprinkle the beds with powder. The action lasts for 1-2 weeks, depending on the layer. With a solution, you can spray the beds, the green part of the plant, till the soil before planting the sowing and after harvesting on the site. Ash is added to a bucket of water, a little laundry soap. Pour into a household spray bottle or a spray bottle. Ash penetrates the culture juice, makes it bitter for larvae, and also irritates the skin by contact.

On a note!

You can treat onions from an onion fly by decoctions of some herbs, a usual soap solution. Use household, tar soap, tansy, wormwood, valerian, peppermint, lemon balm. At home, pour the selected potion with hot water, insist for about a day, filter, add a little soap.

Chemicals

Insecticides are allowed to be used in the spring, at the beginning of summer, and also in late autumn after harvesting for application to the soil. With the right approach, it is possible to save onions, to provide infection prevention in the next season.

Active substances are absorbed by the tissues of the plant, kill larvae during feeding, flies are also destroyed by contact in the first days of treatment. The tool disrupts the functioning of the central nervous system, causes paralysis, death. It remains to act in the soil from 10 days to 2 months, they will save from re-infection. A solution for watering, spraying is prepared immediately before use, in the dosage specified in the instructions.

Effective drugs:

• Actara;
• Actellik;
• Onion fly;
• Bottom;
• Angio;
• Calypso;
• Lannat;
• On the spot.

Important!

Chemicals destroy adults flies, larvae. It should not be used during the period of active flowering of other crops, since the drugs kill insect pollinators, especially bees.

Biological products

In the market of modern products are presented in a wide range. They act similarly to insecticides, but are safe for the environment and human health. Repeat the process of watering, spraying 1 time per week throughout the growing season. The result occurs after 7-10 days, lasts no more than 2 weeks.

Before use, they will be dissolved in water at the indicated dosage. Usually one packet or ampoule is enough for a bucket of water. Apply onions, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and other garden crops.

Effective drugs:

• Fitoverm;
• Spark Bio;
• Actofit;
• Mikosan;
• Fitosporin;
• PhytoDoctor;
• Ecosten.

It is allowed to consume greens after thorough washing under running water. It is allowed to use at any stage of the growing season.

An onion fly can start at any stage of the growing season, so you should always remember about prevention, periodically inspect the beds, take timely measures.