Fighting onion flies with folk remedies. Onion fly: how to fight it on your property and at home

Onion fly - small insect, similar to a house fly. Its dimensions do not exceed 6-7 mm, its color is ash-gray. For a gardener, it can bring a lot of problems and poses a serious threat to the harvest of garlic and onions. Moreover, it is not the fly itself that is dangerous to plants, but its larvae.

Flies lay eggs in the soil next to plants or directly on onion scales. They are oblong in shape white. During the cold season, the masonry overwinters in the ground at a level of 10-20 cm. In the spring, with the arrival of warmth, the larvae hatch from them. Having quickly penetrated the plant, the larvae of the onion fly cause irreparable harm to it, eating the onion and garlic from the inside. Then its larvae go deeper into the ground, pupate there and turn into flies. During the life of the onion fly, there are two flight periods: late April and July.

Signs of crop damage by onion fly larvae

There are four main signs of a diseased plant:

1. Slow growth.
2. The leaves of the plant dry out.
3. Repulsive smell.
4. Bulb rotting.

How to prevent an insect attack

The fight against onion fly in the garden begins with prevention. In order not to lose the entire harvest, it is worth carrying out preventive measures fight against onion fly. Strict adherence to processing rules will help achieve excellent results. It is worth remembering that processed onions absorb toxic substances from some solutions.

Attention! Before planting, the seeds need to be treated: soak the onion in warm water for 5-10 minutes. Then dry it and plant it in the garden.

1. In order to prevent the pest from getting in, you need to plant all onion crops as soon as the sun has slightly warmed the ground.
2. Alternating arrangement of beds with carrots will help protect onions from flies. The carrot will scare her away from the onion, and the onion will protect the carrot.
3. It is better to place the beds in well-ventilated places.
4. To protect onions from larvae, do not plant the crop in the same place every year.
5. When the harvest is harvested, it is worth weeding all the soil in the garden. This will bring most of the larvae to the surface and winter cold they will die.

Plant and soil treatment

Methods to combat harmful insects are varied and simple:

• The deterrent is a saline solution. Dilute 300 g of salt in 10 liters of water. Pour the solution over young onion feathers. After a few hours, water the plant plain water. The procedure is repeated every 10 days.
• Treating the soil with a composition of wood ash, tobacco dust and black pepper. It is better to do this during both periods of onion fly flight and egg laying. You need to mix 1 tsp. pepper + 1 tsp. tobacco dust + 200 g of ash. The mixture is poured between the beds and loosened to a shallow depth.
• A peat substrate will protect the plant from onion flies. They water the soil or spray plants. Treating the soil with peat before planting will significantly reduce the number of larvae.
• A well-known remedy for onion flies is a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate. They water the beds every 10 days.
• You can also treat onions against onion flies with dandelion infusion. Take 10 liters of water + 200 gr. flower root. After a week of infusion, water the bulbous plants once every 2 weeks.
• A proven folk method of struggle is processing onions ammonia. Ammonia is an insect repellent solution. It should be diluted carefully, as you can be poisoned by harmful fumes. For 10 liters of water take 1 tbsp. spoon of ammonia. It is necessary to water the composition no more than once a week. Ammonia has a detrimental effect on garden predators due to its odorous vapors.
• The persistent smell of kerosene and turpentine will repel the annoying pest. They can be used to cultivate the ground between the rows.

Treatment with chemicals

How to fight onion fly with chemicals known to almost all gardeners and gardeners. There are fast and reliable methods combat it and are completely safe if you protect crops using these methods strictly according to the instructions, in compliance with the dosages prescribed by the manufacturer. Such control methods will help you forget about the annoying pest once and for all.

1. The insect will not start if the root crop is treated with the toxic drug Intavir" Its advantage is that it is safe for other living beings.
2. You can protect your onion and garlic plantings with the powerful drug Tarantula. This is why the larvae and adults will die very quickly. Over the next 3 weeks, the product will prevent new insect infestations.
3. Fly control is possible using the Zemlin solution. He will scare her away during landing. The product is mixed with sand and sawdust.
4. What else can you use to process onions? The strongest insecticide for watering onions against onion flies is “Dimethoate”. It penetrates deep into the plant and kills pests living inside. This is a very powerful crop protection against onion fly.

Attention! When using synthetic insecticides, you must strictly follow the treatment regimen and the exact volume of the drug so as not to harm the plant and protect yourself from poisoning by toxic substances.

What to do if there is a winged pest at home

If there is an onion fly in the house, how to fight it? The insect often appears on onions growing in the apartment. How to get rid of onion flies and protect your plantings is described below:

• before planting onions on a windowsill or balcony, it is necessary to treat the soil with special solutions;
• good to plant nearby tomato seedlings, which is why the fly will not be happy;
• cover the home garden on all sides with fragrant herbs: pine needles, fir, mint, tansy;
• you can water the plants with a solution of ash and tobacco;
• the smell of camphor, widespread throughout the house, has a detrimental effect on insects;
• Keeping your home clean and tidy will help prevent uninvited guests and allow you to keep the harvest intact.

Why are preventive measures necessary? Knowing and correctly applying methods to combat onion flies in the garden and at home, you can grow a rich harvest. After all, onions and garlic not only save you from various ailments during colds, but also enrich your daily diet with tasty, healthy dishes.

The onion fly occupies an honorable place in the list of “class” enemies of every gardener. Its larvae devour not only onions and garlic, but also tulips, for which there is a place even in tiny front gardens. If an uninvited pest is allowed to run wild, you can completely lose the entire crop. So everyone, even the most inexperienced, novice plant growers, is forced to protect their plantings from this pest.

Life cycle of an insect

The onion fly is widespread wherever onions grow, and it is very difficult to avoid its “visits”. Externally, this gray insect is the size of a fingernail; it is distinguished from an ordinary house fly by its yellow-greenish tint to its abdomen. Insects are the main pests of onion crops, which is why they even received the nickname “onion killers.”

In mid-May, when dandelions, cherries and lilacs bloom, in beds made of soil, after hibernation, onion flies come out. The first week of my life cycle The young feed only on flower nectar and pollen. But already in the second week the flies reach sexual maturity and look for onion beds in which to lay eggs. Usually the laying is done in the ground, closer to the turnips, or directly on the onion scales. After another week, larvae appear there. They are greatest danger for bulbous crops.

Once born, the onion fly larva bites into the turnip from above or from underground. Penetrating into the bulb, the larvae gnaw out entire voids inside. Maggots feast on the juicy onion pulp for several weeks, after which they move on to the next stage of their life. They leave the plant, burrow into the ground and turn into pupae there. And after another two weeks, the first summer generation of onion flies is born. In total there will be two or three of them per season, depending on the climate and weather.

Signs of pest damage to onion beds

Since fly larvae pose a serious threat to onion and garlic plantings, it is very important to follow all agrotechnical techniques for growing crops. Failure to comply with basic cultivation rules and ignoring preventive measures to combat insects increases the risk of losing the entire crop. Damage can be determined by the following signs:

• The onion feathers wither and dry out;
• Plants slow down or stop growing;
• Onions or garlic acquire a specific unpleasant odor;
• The turnips are rotting;
• Under the upper scales of the bulbs you can see swarming white worms.

The widespread distribution of the onion fly allowed plant growers to develop effective measures insect control. At the same time, not only methods were developed to get rid of existing pests, but also a wide range of preventive measures. Preventing onion beds from being damaged by fly larvae is the main task, both for beginners and for experienced gardeners.

Preventive measures

It is not difficult to kill insects and larvae, but all highly effective insecticides leave their mark on plants. Onions have the ability to gradually accumulate toxins, which in the future can make the crop potentially hazardous to health. Therefore, it is much better to prevent onion flies from appearing in the beds than to get rid of them later. To preventive measures brought maximum benefit, they should be carried out methodically and sequentially - from the time of harvest of the previous season until the pest awakens from hibernation in the new season.

The first measure should be to carefully dig up the soil after harvesting the onions. Dig the beds to a depth of at least 20 cm. Flies and pupae that have settled in for the winter will be lifted to the surface with a shovel. With the onset of the first frost they will die.

Before planting, adhere to the following recommendations:

• Choose the right disembarkation time. All bulbous crops should be planted as early as possible. Don't be afraid of return frosts. Onions and garlic are cold-resistant crops.
• Process the planting material. Soak the sets for 5 minutes in hot water at a temperature of about 55°C. Then air dry.
• When planning planting, choose well-ventilated areas. For prevention purposes, alternate onion and carrot beds. Onions effectively repel onion carrots.
• Follow the rules of crop rotation. You cannot plant onions in the same place from year to year, since not only fly larvae, but also other pests and pathogens will accumulate in the soil in the beds. You can find out which crops are best for alternating planting of bulbous crops.

After planting, before the start of insect summer, regularly spray the beds with an infusion of tansy, wormwood, pine needles, fir, mint - optional. The smell of these plants will scare off the onion fly that appears later and force it to look for a place to lay its eggs away from your garden.

Once pests begin to emerge, preventive control measures lose all meaning. Save future harvest only possible through radical measures. There are two ways to get rid of timely detected insects:

• Use traditional methods;
• Use medications.

The first ones are most preferable at the early stage of onion fly appearance. The latter will allow you to get rid of insects if the former are ineffective.

Folk remedies

Watering plants saline solution:

• 10 liters of water;
• Salt 250-300 grams.

Processing is carried out after the crop puts out its first feathers. The beds are watered with saline solution once every ten days. A few hours after treatment, it is necessary to water the beds clean water.

Treatment with dandelion infusion:

• Dandelion root – 200 grams;
• Water 10 liters.

The product is effective until the insects awaken. Pour crushed dandelion roots with water and let it brew for 7 days. Before processing the onions, strain the working solution and generously spray the plantings with a spray bottle. The frequency of spraying is once every two weeks.

Using potassium permanganate solution:

Prepare a saturated solution of potassium permanganate in required quantity clean water. Spill the soil on onion beds regardless of whether there is a fly and its larvae or not. The frequency of repeating the procedure is once every 10 days.

Wood ash treatment:

• 200 grams of ash;
• A teaspoon of tobacco dust;
• A teaspoon of ground black pepper;

An excellent tool for killing larvae and scale insects. Mix wood ash with tobacco dust and ground pepper. Sprinkle the plantings. Treatment is carried out in two stages: before the insects begin to fly and during egg laying.

Treatment with tobacco dust infusion:

• Tobacco dust – 200 grams.
• Water 10 liters.
• A little liquid or laundry soap(gram 30)

Boil water and pour in tobacco dust. Add grated laundry soap or use liquid soap. Stir and let the solution brew for 10 days. Spray the plants and soil around the turnips generously. The procedure can be repeated after a week.

If you find rotten bulbs, use a scoop to carefully remove them from the ground and place them in a bucket of water. Those gathered in dead plant the larvae die. This means that they will not be able to turn into a new generation of flies.

Such simple means can provide the harvest with reliable protection from onion fly. The main condition: all activities must be carried out on time and very carefully.

Use of industrial drugs

If you need maximum results with minimum costs time and effort, insecticides are used against onion flies. The list of approved drugs includes:

• “Mukhoed”, “Medvetoks”, “Zemlin”- based on diazinon. Apply to loosened soil simultaneously with planting the bulbs. They damage the chewing-suction apparatus of the larvae;
• "Aktara" - based on thiamethoxam. The product is sprayed throughout the entire growing season. Valid on nervous system insects;

If used to kill insects chemicals type of insecticides, you are likely to spoil the crop, since harmful substances when cultivating the soil get inside the bulb and remain in it. Over time, poisons accumulate in the fruit and can affect the health of the person who eats such vegetables. Unlike drugs, folk remedies are completely safe both for the land and for summer residents, so you can use them to treat crops without fear for yourself and your loved ones.

Preparations for onion fly

• Karate Zeon;
• Bezudin;
• Aktara;
• Metronidazole;
• Fly eater.

Preventive measures to combat onion fly

Rather than trying to fight insect pests that have already established themselves on a crop, it is better to take care in advance to prevent their occurrence. How to protect onions from onion flies:

1. It is worth doing crop rotation regularly.
2. The location of the plant should be changed annually.
3. In the fall, it is necessary to dig up the garden (the fly remains in the soil for the winter and falls asleep at a depth of 20 cm).
4. After harvesting, you need to remove all organic debris from the garden, leaving no food for pests.
5. It is necessary to spray the garden with saline solution three times a year (when the sprouts grow 5 cm, then after 2 weeks, and the third time after another 20 days). After treating the soil and plants with a spray bottle, wash off the salt from the sprouts, and three to four hours after the procedure, you need to water the onions with plain water.

How to fight onion fly with folk remedies

Like other pests, the fly brings a lot of problems to gardeners, but it is not at all difficult to fight it. There are several proven means that can quickly eliminate the pest and save own harvest. In this case, there is no need to use different aggressive chemicals, poisoning the soil and plants. Find out how to treat onions against onion flies.

Use of wood ash

Treating onions with salt to prevent onion flies

• a third of a pack of salt should be dissolved in a ten-liter bucket of water (the amount is indicated approximately);
• You need to water the onion shoots with salted liquid when they reach 5 cm;
• after watering, 4 hours later, it is worth thoroughly rinsing the tops of the plant with clean water;
• to consolidate the result, after 10 days the procedure is repeated, increasing the amount of salt (take 400 g).

Uses of potassium permanganate

Treating onions against onion flies with ammonia

It is worth starting the fight against insect pests with the use of ammonia, since this is one of the most effective means. How to deal with onion fly:

Methods for controlling onion fly larvae

Video: How to save onions from onion flies

Publication about the pest of onion plantings - the onion fly. The morphological and biological features pest, as well as methods of combating it, including agrotechnical, chemical and folk methods.

Every year, gardeners and farmers are faced with a specific pest of onion plantings - a small gray fly that can cause great damage to the crop. Effective fight with a pest is only possible when used integrated approach: agrotechnical, chemical and folk remedies that help protect plants from death and grow environmentally friendly products.

Features of the structure and activity of the onion fly

Description of the pest

Onion fly (delia antiqua) is an insect appearance similar to normal house fly, up to 8 mm in size and color from yellow-gray to ash-gray. The female is active from mid-May, during the flowering period of dandelion and cherry.

Oviposition occurs on the soil next to plants or in dry onion residues. Over the entire period of her life, she produces from 40 to 60 white, oblong eggs about 1 mm in size.

How onion fly harms plants

The larvae that appear after a week bite into the bulb from the bottom. Insects from the same clutch stick together and form an empty space inside in the form of a single cavity. After three weeks of development, they pupate in the ground near a damaged plant, and after 20 days, adults emerge.

At the beginning of July, the second generation of the pest appears and begins laying eggs. During the entire period of intensive feeding, the larva reaches a size of 10 mm. in length. In appearance, it is a white, legless worm with a constriction at the front, equipped with black mouth hooks, which feeds on the fleshy tissues of the bulb. The damaged plant begins to lag in growth, wither and dry out, and the bulb rots, becomes soft, and acquires an unpleasant odor.

Valentina Kravchenko, expert

The fly overwinters in the ground at a depth of 5-20 cm in the form of a pupa. The pest is widespread in agricultural areas occupied by the cultivation of onion plants, including shallots, leeks, chives, and even garlic, in the territory of not only Russia, but Europe, Asia and North America.

How to fight onion fly effectively

Agrotechnical control methods

The fight against onion fly includes the mandatory use of agricultural practices that reduce the number of the pest. At the same time, conditions are created that are unfavorable for the life of the insect.

Effective pest control techniques are as follows:

1. Mandatory annual rotation of crops in areas occupied by planting vegetables.
2. Placing onion plants next to carrots.
3. As early as possible spring planting crops so that the plant has time to get stronger before the fly begins to become active.
4. Planting onion crops on the same area no earlier than after 3 years.
5. Loosening the soil near the plants every 4 days and clearing the plantings of weeds.
6. If a pest lays eggs en masse, water only when absolutely necessary to keep the soil surface dry.
7. Moldboard tillage after harvesting crops in the fall. Allows winter frosts kill the pest in the larval stage.
8. Collection of damaged plants and their mandatory destruction.
9. Use only healthy planting material and carrying out its pre-planting treatment.
10. Fertilizing plants with urea in May to accelerate growth.
11. Mulching between rows with peat or rotted manure. The fly doesn't like loose soil and does not lay eggs on it.
12. Treat the soil with liming after harvesting and a month before planting onions.
13. Removing snow in winter from areas planned for onion plantings to allow deeper freezing of the soil.

Chemicals against onion fly

To protect onion plantations from pests, products are used chemical protection, which do not create a danger of accumulation of pesticides in finished products:

1. Medvetox - applied to the soil surface during planting along with loosening.
2. Fly beetle - introduced into the soil when planting a crop.
3. Zemlin - added when planting and loosening onions.
4. Karate Zeon is a preparation for spraying during the growing season.
5. Tabazol – spraying during the growing season.
6. Aktara - spraying during the growing season.
7. Soil - spraying during the growing season.
8. Diazinon is applied to the soil during planting, but onions should not be used on feathers.

Folk remedies for onion flies

There are the following traditional methods to combat onion fly:

1. Dust the crops with a deterrent consisting of 200 g of ash, tobacco dust and red pepper powder (1 tsp each) during the summer and egg laying. After processing, shallow loosening of the soil is carried out.
2. Tilling the soil with a mixture of dry mustard and ash in a ratio of 1:3. The first time the rows are sprinkled before the start of shoots, the second time at the first shoots.
3. Treatment of plantings with tobacco infusion against larvae. Prepared from 200 g of shag and 3 liters. hot water, infuse for 2 days. Before processing, the volume of liquid is brought to 10 liters, 1 tsp is added. red pepper and 1 tbsp. l. liquid soap. After filtering, spray the plants and the soil around them.
4. Treatment of crops with fragrant infusions - pine, fir or mint, a decoction of wormwood with valerian, lovage or wild rosemary with the addition of a small amount of laundry soap as a fixative.
5. Spraying onion plantings with saline solution. For this 300 g. table salt diluted in 10 liters. water and cultivate the beds, trying not to catch the feathers of the plant. After 10 days, the treatment is repeated, increasing the amount of salt to 400 g. Sometimes a third treatment is carried out after 3 weeks, with an amount of dissolved salt of 600 g. It is undesirable to use the method on heavy soils, where the likelihood of salinization is high.

Traditional methods of combating onion fly are preferable to pesticides, as they are cheaper. They also guarantee the ecological purity of the crop.

The damage caused by the onion fly is much greater when the plantings are damaged early. To successfully combat the pest, it is necessary to use the entire complex of agrotechnical and chemical means of protecting areas occupied by onion crops.