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| Cabbage root fly |
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Adult fly
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The small white maggots of this fly live in the soil and eat the roots of cabbages and other brassicas.
Infested plants wilt, especially in dry weather, and young plants may be killed.
The adult flies are active in April and May when they lay their eggs on or near plant stems at soil level.
Three generations of adults develop during the summer and attacks may persist until mid-September.
In many areas this pest is now resistant to insecticides that formerly gave good control.
A suitable soil drench to established transplanted seedlings may be the most effective insecticide.
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