| Delia radicum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Anthomyiidae |
| Genus: | Delia |
| Species: | D. radicum |
| Binomial name | |
| Delia radicum | |
| Synonyms | |
Delia radicum, known variously as thecabbage fly,cabbage root fly,root fly orturnip fly, is apest ofcrops.[3] The larvae of the cabbage root fly are sometimes known as thecabbage maggot orroot maggot.Delia brassicae (orHylemya brassicae) was the most common name in literature prior to 1981.[4] The adult flies are about 1 cm long and are grey in colour, but otherwise resemble the commonhouse fly.[5]
The flies can be found all over Europe. After overwintering aspupae in thesoil, the flies emerge in spring, feed onnectar, and layeggs close to plants of thegenusBrassica. The eggs are white and about 1 mm in diameter. They hatch into whitemaggots after about six days and thelarvae feed for about three weeks on the roots and stems of the cabbage plants. After this, the larvae are typically 0.9 to 1 cm in length and form reddish-brown pupae which hatch into adult flies after around 20 days. This species isunivoltine (has one generation per year) in northern Europe and bi- or trivoltine in central Europe.[6]
The first sign of the presence of the larvae is a delay in plant growth accompanied by the withering of leaves which develop a bluish tinge. The larvae are found on cabbage, turnip, swede, radish, and other cruciferous crops. Sometimes, 300 larvae can be found on one plant, damaging the inner parts of the main root and disrupting the transport of water and nutrients to the stem and leaves causing the death of many plants.[6]
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