The onion fly looks like an ordinary housefly. The difference is in size (it is slightly smaller, its length is 5-10 mm), the insect is ash-gray in color, and the back has a greenish tint. It appears at the end of spring, when cherry and dandelion bloom.

The onion fly lays its eggs in the soil or in the dried scales of the bulbs. A few days later, larvae appear from the eggs, resembling tiny white worms. The habitat of the larvae is the pulp of the onion. After 2 weeks, they turn into pupae, and by July, a new generation of onion flies is ready to ruin the crop.

The real threat is larvae that damage the bulbs of not only onions, but also leeks, chives, garlic and bulbous flowers. Seedlings begin to turn yellow and dry out. And damaged bulbs, which have a soft surface, can rot from the rain and be affected by the fungus. As a result, an unpleasant odor will envelop the garden.

If on garden plot an onion fly has appeared, urgent measures must be taken to destroy it. Otherwise, you can say goodbye to the bulbous crop. It is undesirable to use pesticides in the fight against this pest. The fact is that the plant accumulates insecticides in its bulbs. And the use of such a product will not add health. Insect control should be built comprehensively: you need to apply preventive measures and use folk methods to destroy the pest. Then the grown crop will be environmentally friendly and useful.

Prevention measures

Attack Prevention harmful insect is reduced to creating unfavorable conditions for its appearance and reproduction.

Particular attention must be paid to the preparation of seedlings for planting. Planting material should be reviewed for integrity. If traces of decay are found in the bottom area, the onions are discarded and destroyed.

Seedlings can be processed before planting in two ways:

• hot water;
• potassium permanganate.

When choosing disinfection planting material hot water (50 ° C), you need to lower the seeds for 10-15 minutes in prepared water, and then dry. And only then planted in the ground.

A solution of potassium permanganate is prepared at the rate of 1 tsp. manganese in a bucket of water. Onion sets are lowered into the prepared solution for half an hour. Then the planting material is dried.

Do not plant onions in one place, use crop rotation. And choose a place away from previous landings. You can return to the old site only after 4 years. And in between, you can grow cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers on it.

Deep autumn digging plot helps to get rid of the larvae of the winged insect. The pest hibernates in the ground at a depth of 20 cm. When digging, the larvae move to the surface of the soil or to its upper layers, where they die on frosty days.

Another condition for getting rid of the pest is the removal of all post-harvest residues after harvest.

Does not tolerate the fly and the smell of tomatoes. Therefore, it is better to place a bed with tomatoes close to the planting of onions. The insect does not like the smell of wild rosemary and lovage.

Spraying crops with odorous tinctures and decoctions will help get rid of the pest. It can be wormwood and valerian, needles and mint. The method is absolutely harmless, so spraying can be carried out as often as you like. There will be no harm to plants and soil.

Many gardeners use tobacco dust in the fight against winged insects. You can buy it in a specialized store that sells accessories for the garden and garden. You need to take 200 mg of tobacco dust, pour it into a 10-liter bucket of hot water, leave for 2 days. Spraying is carried out 2 times with an interval of a week. Another option is to scatter tobacco dust between the rows of onions (1 tbsp of tobacco dust is needed per 1 m²).

Top dressing and ammonia

The most effective remedy in pest control, according to experienced gardeners, is ammonia. A solution is prepared from it at the rate of 3 tbsp. l. ammonia in a bucket of water and water the soil well in the evening. Processing should be carried out 3 times with an interval of a month. This is due to the fact that during the season the insect can settle on the site 3 times. And the nitrogen contained in ammonia is necessary for onions as a fertilizer. It nourishes the seedlings, gives them strength and prevents yellowing of the feathers.

Another effective remedy is ash. It can be wood ash or dead weeds. It is diluted with water, and the beds with bulbous crops are watered with the resulting product. You can add manure, tobacco dust, powdered red pepper to the solution. Ash, like manure, fertilizes the earth and repels the onion fly.

You can also treat the soil with a dry mixture consisting of 1 tsp. tobacco dust, 200 g of ash and 1 tsp. ground pepper(red or black). It is sprinkled along the rows and the ground is loosened to a depth of 3 cm. Two treatments must be carried out during the season: before the appearance of the 1st and 2nd generations of pests. The recommended dose is 1.5 kg of the mixture per 10 m².

Manure and peat can be applied to the soil before planting: the number of larvae and pupae will decrease several times.

Other methods of struggle

The drug "Bazudin" has proven itself in the fight against harmful insects. To process a 20 m² plot, 30 g of a granular preparation should be mixed with ½ liter of sand (sawdust is also suitable) and applied to the soil. Work should be carried out in the spring, in mid-May.

Some summer residents use an infusion of dandelion roots. For this, boiling water is poured into a 10-liter bucket, 200 g of roots are poured into it and insisted for 7 days. Then the beds are watered at intervals of 2 weeks. Other gardeners prefer the solution table salt. The method is effective, but it has one but. The soil is salted, and other crops subsequently do not grow well on it.

Let's write down step by step how to deal with onion fly saline solution:

1. 1 1/3 packs of table salt per bucket of water. Processing time - when the length of the sprouts reaches 5-8 cm.
2. 2 ½ packs per bucket of water. Processing time - 2 weeks after the 1st treatment.
3. 3 2/3 packs per bucket of water. Processing time - 3 weeks after the 2nd treatment.

Using a spray bottle, spray the soil abundantly, and wash off the salt from the sprouts clean water. After 3-4 hours, the onion should be poured under the root with plain water.

If time is running out, and there are no herbs and preparations at hand, you can take a piece of ordinary laundry soap (50 g), dilute it in a bucket of water and spray the beds with soapy water.

Mulching the soil with peat protects bulbous beds from harmful insects: this prevents the pest from laying eggs next to the sprouts.

Knowing how to deal with an onion fly, you can choose the most affordable one. The work will not take much time, and the result will please with an abundance of onions and garlic.

The onion fly is a dangerous pest. In addition to being harmless at first glance, this insect damages crops, and especially onions, it can make the soil unsuitable for bulbous crops, so you need to prevent this pest from appearing in your garden. Well, if, nevertheless, an onion fly appeared in a summer cottage, it must be destroyed as soon as possible. Let's figure out how to deal with onion fly and what methods of prevention will help prevent reappearance this pest in the garden.

Before you start fighting a pest, you need to recognize its species. The onion fly looks like an ordinary fly, so many do not pay attention to the insect until they begin to notice that the pest is spoiling the onion crop.

The body length of the fly does not exceed 7 mm, so it can only be seen in the enlarged photo, its color is gray. In the study of this pest, scientists came to the conclusion that larvae are engaged in damage to the crop. This does not mean that you need to fight only with the larvae. The danger of adults lies in the fact that they reproduce offspring.

Often, adults lay their eggs directly on the onion, so before planting, you need to carefully examine the planting material for white oblong eggs. Their size does not exceed 1 mm. If you plant an infected onion, then it will be impossible to save the crop.

Onion fly control methods

Herbal tinctures

Onion fly treatment can be done using herbal tinctures. The insect does not tolerate strong odors, so gardeners treat beds with onion crops with tincture of valerian, pine needles, wormwood, mint or wild rosemary. The advantage of these funds is their low cost and safety. It is advisable to treat the beds with herbal products several times a season.

soap solution

A solution made from laundry soap is another remedy for onion flies. To prepare the solution, we need 50 g of soap and a bucket of water. We apply the solution with a spray bottle. We spray not only infected plants, but also the soil around onion crops.

Fertilizer

Some fertilizers are also effective means against the onion fly. The insect and its larvae die after the treatment of onion crops with ash. It is advisable to use wood ash, although the ashes obtained from the burning of dead wood are also suitable. You can also remove the onion fly with the help of manure or peat used as soil fertilizer.

Ash can be used both in the form of a powder, which is sprinkled on plants, and in the form of a solution. Gardeners who have tried both methods recommend diluting the ash in water and watering the soil with this solution.

The same goes for manure. It can be simply spread out on the surface of the soil, or it can be diluted in water and watered on the beds with onion crops. The latter method is more efficient.

Tobacco

In the fight against the onion fly, you can also use tobacco, or rather, its leaves. We need 500 g of tobacco leaves, which we fill with a bucket of water and leave for 48 hours, after which we apply it to the plants with a spray bottle.

In addition to the tincture of the leaves, you can use tobacco dust. She will not kill the pest, but will scare him away. Tobacco dust treats not only plants, but also the soil. It can be combined with other drugs. An effective combination against onion flies is tobacco dust and mustard.

Ammonia

You can spray the beds with ammonia, which must first be diluted with water. To prepare ammonia water, you need a tablespoon of ammonia and 10 liters of water. This amount of solution is enough to process 2 square meters. m of soil. Ammonia does not help get rid of the flying onion fly, but of its larvae.

Birch tar

Birch tar will help protect against the appearance of a pest. You need to process the onion sets immediately before planting. For 1 kg of planting material we take a tablespoon of tar. Then, mix onion and tar. It is most convenient to do this in a plastic bag.

You can use this tool to protect the crop and after planting. But in this case, the solution is prepared from a tablespoon of birch tar, 20 g of laundry soap and 10 liters of water. It is necessary to process the affected onion 2 times with an interval of 14 days.

The use of kerosene and creolin

Can be splashed onion plants a solution prepared from kerosene or creolin. In both the first and second cases, you need to take 2 tbsp. l. drug. But, if the use of kerosene is not dangerous to human health, then creolin is a toxic drug, so experts do not recommend using it.

Insecticides

If, despite the use of folk methods of pest control, it is impossible to get rid of it, you need to resort to extreme measures and treat onion crops from onion fly larvae with insecticides. But, we recall that onions, like garlic, after treatment with pesticides, should be used very carefully. The most effective today are the following drugs: fly-eater, medvetoks, tarantula, sova, aktara, zemlyan, intavir. You can also spray the onion with Fitoverm or treat it with the Iskra DE insecticide. It is sold in tablets, which are diluted with plain water. When treating the soil, follow the dosage indicated on the insecticide package.

Some gardeners claim that it is possible to kill an onion fly that has appeared in a summer cottage with a solution prepared using metronidazole tablets. However, this drug is intended to treat people, and not to use it in agriculture.

Tablets from worms

You can protect a crop that is partially damaged with deworming products. In particular, summer residents often use piperazine. This drug is harmless, so the onion after processing is suitable for cooking. The release form of the drug is tablets. They need to be diluted with water.

All of the above methods of pest control are equally effective. Most of the tools used to kill the onion fly, everyone has at home. They are inexpensive and safe to use. Many combine different folk remedies. Each gardener has his own recipes, which he uses as protection against onion flies. But the use of drugs separately gives good results, so it makes no sense to make pest control solutions, spending time and money.

Prevention of the onion fly

1. One of the most effective preventive methods is the organization of crop rotation. The same crop cannot be planted in the same place for several years in a row. And if, for example, strawberries need to be replanted once every 4 years, then it is advisable to change the onion planting site every year. On the same site, you can plant onions 1 time in 3-4 years.
2. Planting companion crops. When planning planting, you need to take into account that each pest does not like certain smells. So, for example, the onion fly does not tolerate the smell of carrots, so it is advisable to plant carrots next to onion crops. And it is better to alternate the beds, then the likelihood of onion flour will be minimal. In addition, the carrot fly is afraid of the smell of onions. By planting vegetables close to each other, you will be able to scare away 2 pests at the same time.
3. In autumn, you need to dig up the soil. Since the onion fly hibernates at a depth of 15-20 cm, the soil must be dug deep.
4. Before planting, it is advisable to warm up all planting material at a temperature of 25 ° C, and immediately before planting, soak the bulbs in a solution consisting of a tablespoon of table salt and 1 liter of water. If necessary, you need to increase the amount of solution without changing the concentration of salt. After 3 hours, you can get the bulbs, rinse well and dip in a solution of potassium permanganate, and then leave the planting material there for 2 hours.
5. Watering, which is an integral part of plant care, is advisable to produce decoctions of herbs that repel pests. The plant should not be watered every time with solutions, even if they do not contain chemicals. But 2 times a month it makes sense to water with means that protect against onion flies. After all, saving a crop is harder than preventing the appearance of a pest.

Conclusion

As soon as you notice midges flying out of the beds with onions, take a closer look at the plants. Most likely, a pest has begun to start up there.

We examined how to get rid of the onion fly and what methods of preventing the appearance of an insect exist. Onion fly control does not involve the use of chemicals, as crops such as onions and garlic are unfit for consumption after spraying with insecticides.

It is necessary to process onion crops several times per season. The use of chemicals is justified only if the fly that started up in the summer cottage cannot be destroyed by folk remedies. Thus, we protect not the crop, but the land.

The onion fly is a common and serious pest that can destroy onion crops. It is necessary to fight it from early spring to late autumn.

What does an onion fly look like?

The onion fly looks like a housefly, belongs to the Diptera order. The insect has a gray-yellow color, on the back there is a longitudinal strip, darker than the body itself. An adult onion fly reaches a length of 6-7 mm, it has transparent wings, males and females differ in the arrangement of their eyes.

The life cycle consists of several stages:

1. In late April - early May, a massive departure of insects from false cocoons that overwintered in the ground begins. At this time, dandelions bloom, the pollen of which the flies feed on.
2. The females lay elongated white eggs in the soil near the plants.
3. The larvae appear in about a week, immediately begin to actively eat the bulbs.
4. After 15-20 days, the larvae crawl from the bulbs into the ground and pupate there.
5. After two or three weeks, the next generation of flies emerge from the false cocoon. They repeat life cycle the first generation, then the larvae return to the soil, overwinter in the form of false cocoons.

Place and time of appearance in the garden

Depending on the climatic conditions onion fly appears in gardens from late April to early June. From the moment dandelions, lilacs and cherries bloom, gardeners must begin to fight the pest so as not to miss the moment of its mass appearance and not be left without a crop.

Onion fly larva

The onion fly damages the seedlings of the following crops:

• onions (onion, leek, chives, shallots);
• garlic;
• salad;
• bulbous flowers, especially tulips.

The onion fly is dangerous not only for crops grown in open field but also for greenhouse plants.

The pest enters the greenhouses through open windows and doors, begins to multiply and devour the bulbs.

Causes of the onion fly

It can be quite difficult to fight a pest, it is easier to prevent its spread in the beds. For proper prevention, it is necessary to know the reasons for the mass appearance of larvae in onions in beds and greenhouses.

Main reasons:

• violated the rules of crop rotation, i.e., onions and other crops affected by the pest were planted on the same site for two consecutive seasons;
• autumn digging was not carried out or the soil was dug to an insufficient depth;
• missing correct alternation garden bed(onions - carrots);
• bulbs were not inspected before planting for the purpose of processing in case of infection with onion fly larvae.

Can't deal with pests?

Rodents, insects, pests are a great danger to human health. They are often carriers of serious diseases: typhus, rabies, tularemia.

In addition, if pests appear on summer cottages, they can spoil the entire crop or damage the plants.

It has the following properties:

• Gets rid of mosquitoes, cockroaches, rodents, ants, bedbugs
• Safe for children and pets
• Mains powered, no recharging required
• No addictive effect in pests
• Large area of ​​action of the device

How does it harm plants in the garden?

Adult insects do not eat onions, they feed on pollen flower plants. Their harm lies in laying eggs, from which larvae appear. Onion fly larvae are small and difficult to see in the beds. They are very voracious, climb into the bulb and begin to eat it from the inside.

Signs of defeat

A change indicates the appearance of a pest appearance plants:

• its growth and development slow down;
• green feathers dry out or turn yellow and wither;
• bulbs begin to rot, as can be judged by bad smell from a plant;
• the bulbs become soft, cavities form inside.

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Preventive measures

What smells repel you?

Certain odors that it does not tolerate help fight the onion fly, this feature should be used when planning crop planting.

• Repel pest smells of tomatoes and carrots, so beds with onions and garlic should alternate with beds of carrots and plots planted with tomatoes.
• Unpretentious marigolds serve as recognized garden orderlies. that prevent many pests from multiplying.
• Infusions of valerian, mint or pine needles give a good effect if you process them with onions.

Agricultural measures

A bunch of onions with carrots

It is impossible to fight the onion fly and its larvae without the use of a set of agrotechnical measures, which are based on the characteristics of the insect's life cycle.

The systematic implementation of these measures makes it possible to combat the pest population, up to its complete destruction, and prevents the emergence of new pests.

The greatest effect is given by following the following rules:

1. Onions and similar crops are planted in the same area with an interval of 3-4 years.
2. The best neighbors for onions are beds with carrots and tomatoes.
3. Checking and preparing onion sets
4. Early planting of onions in the spring, so that they get stronger before the moment of mass departure of the onion fly.
5. The beds intended for onions are cleared of snow and dug up so that the earth freezes well and the false cocoons in it die.
6. During the period when the onion fly lays eggs, watering should be minimal, the soil is loose, mulched.
7. Remove weeds regularly.
8. Infected plants should be constantly collected and immediately destroyed.

After harvesting, all residues are removed from the garden, the soil is treated with liming.

Treatment

Carry out preventive measures to protect plants from onion flies:

1. She must not be allowed to start laying eggs near the onion.
2. In autumn, the beds are dug up on a full bayonet of a shovel, while the false cocoons located in the ground are at the top and subsequently die from the cold.
3. In the spring, before a mass departure, repellents are used to fight the pest.
4. The soil is sprinkled with tobacco dust mixed with fluffy lime in a ratio of 1:1, naphthalene mixed with sand 1:20.
5. Planting material is examined by throwing out infected bulbs.
6. Be sure to prepare onion sets for planting on a turnip, it should be peeled and cut off the tails. This contributes to faster and more friendly germination of the pen.

For soaking planting material is used:

• hot water (not higher than 50 degrees);
• saline solution;
• saturated solution of potassium permanganate;
• aqueous solution of birch tar.

How to deal with onion fly?

Struggling with dangerous pest via folk remedies and with the use of chemicals.

Effective folk remedies

Many products that are in any home can be used as pest control. Their use will help to avoid the use of pesticides.

The onion fly does not like the smell of tar. It is used both for watering and for soaking onion sets. A tablespoon of tar is added to a liter of settled water, then you need to soak the prepared seed in the solution for 2-3 hours. When planting onions, you need to shed the grooves with a solution at the rate of a tablespoon of tar per 10 liters of water, in the summer, water the onions 2-3 times.

Ammonia

Ammonia is used by many gardeners, because it protects plants from pests and enriches the soil with nitrogen, reduces its acidity and improves its structure. It is a solution of ammonia, has a pungent odor that repels not only the onion fly, but also other insects. Ammonia is used for watering and spraying plants.

• a weak solution is used - four to five tablespoons of the product are added to a bucket of water;
• the solution is spilled between the rows of onions;
• processing should be carried out twice in June and twice in July, preferably in the evening.

1. 25% ammonia solution is applied, a bucket of water needs 50 mg of such a solution; when using a solution of a lower concentration, the amount of ammonia increases.
2. Spraying is carried out in cloudy weather at or in the evening from a watering can with large holes. Before spraying, the onion must be watered.

saline solution

You can save yourself from onion flies with the help of regular salt. Onion beds are shed with salt water at the rate of 200 g of salt per bucket of water. Watering with saline is carried out if necessary up to three times. The first watering should be carried out at a feather height of about 5-6 cm.

When watering, the following rules are followed:

1. salt water should not fall on the plant;
2. the time interval between watering with saline is at least two weeks;
3. watering is carried out in the evening or in cloudy weather.

This method has significant drawbacks. Excessive salinization of the soil occurs, in the future, other crops grow poorly in these areas. It is better to carry out the treatment of planting material with a salt solution.

tobacco dust

Fight onion fly with tobacco dust - economical and environmentally friendly way. This universal remedy allows you to protect plants from many pests. When preparing the solution, care must be taken, especially people with allergies, because tobacco dust causes coughing, watery eyes, and a runny nose.

Pour 200 g of tobacco dust into a bucket of hot water, stir and insist for two days. Add 30 g to the solution liquid soap. The resulting solution is sprayed onions once a week. Tobacco dust is scattered between the rows of onions.

wood ash

Wood ash or ash is an excellent fertilizer, which is also a means of destroying pests. The onion fly and its larvae die if the onion is treated with ashes.

Can't be used to get Ash construction garbage, since it may contain chemical substances.

Environmentally friendly wood ash is obtained by burning natural waste:

• dry branches;
• dead weeds;
• last year's leaves.

For watering onion beds in a bucket of water (10 l), you need 2 cups of ash. You can add a little laundry soap to keep the mixture on the feathers longer. Watering with wood ash after rain is especially effective. Then the earth must be slightly loosened, mix the ash with the soil.

Potassium permanganate

Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) is used as a top dressing for onions in combination with salt and ammonium nitrate.

To prepare the solution, take:

• a bucket of cold water;
• one tablespoon of salt and nitrate;
• potassium permanganate crystals.

The solution should be pale pink, potassium permanganate should be used with caution. Watering should be carried out without getting on the pen, which can burn. This tool is very effective in preventing the appearance of onion flies and larvae.

Finished preparations - instructions for use

In advanced cases, folk remedies may not help, and insecticides are used to get the flies out.

Rules for the use of modern chemicals:

1. do not exceed the concentration specified in the instructions;
2. the harvest can be eaten after 2-3 weeks, it is better not to use onion feathers at all;
3. insecticides are used in exceptional cases, because onion turnip accumulates toxic substances.

Name of the drug	Description
Intavir	Intavir is a popular inexpensive remedy, often used by gardeners; with the help of Intavir, you can fight the onion fly not only in the garden, but also in the apartment. The solution is prepared at the rate of one tablet per 10 liters of water.
Alatar	This tool destroys almost all pests of garden and horticultural crops. Available in the form of ampoules of 5 ml. One ampoule is enough for a ten-liter bucket of water. Onion beds are sprayed with this solution, only in dry calm weather, better in the morning or in the evening. To destroy the onion fly, a double treatment with Alatar is used. The drug is not washed off with rainwater.
Zemlin	The drug helps to fight the onion fly when planting onions and during the development of the plant. Zemlin is not toxic to humans. Available in the form of granules, it is most convenient to use mixed with sand. Fill a half-liter container with sand to three quarters of the volume, add 30 g of granules, mix. When landing in the hole, add a little sand mixture. In the future, if necessary, the granules are scattered on the beds (3 g of the product per square meter), while the soil can be slightly loosened.
Creolin	It is a liquid with a pungent odor. The tool effectively fights the onion fly, but very toxic should be used with caution, only extreme cases if more safe methods didn't help. The following rules are required: use creolin when reaching a feather length of more than 10 cm; re-treatment is carried out no earlier than after 3 weeks; do not exceed the concentration (no more than two tablespoons per liter of water).
Piperazine adipate	This one of the safest, because it is a tablet for worms, which treat children. It can be used for prevention purposes. The drug will not help in advanced cases, but with systematic care of plants, at the first sign of the appearance of a pest, it will be very effective. After treatment of plants with piperazine, you can safely eat the crop. Dissolve 10 tablets in a bucket of water, water the beds with clean water, and then with a solution. Processing is carried out in dry weather.
Mykhoed	One of the most effective means - the fly-eater, which destroys larvae and adult insects, will help to fight the onion fly. The fly-eater is harmless to the soil and beneficial organisms. Produced in the form of granules, which are completely ready for use. Enough disposable preparation before planting onions. Granules are scattered on the beds at the rate of 5 g per square meter, the soil is slightly loosened. The fly-eater acts for two months, does not allow the pest to lay eggs near plants. sprinkle the granules in the morning or evening in calm weather; the air temperature should not exceed 25 degrees.
Aktara	The insecticide is highly resistant to moisture and sunshine. It is used during the growth and development of plants. To kill the onion fly 1 ml of the drug is diluted in a bucket of water, spray onions twice a season.
Karate Zeon	The drug is a new generation, used on an industrial scale. For a bucket of water you need 300-400 ml of the product, processing is carried out during the growth period.
Sochva	Sochva is an environmentally friendly preparation used for spraying onions during the growing season. In one and a half liters of water, 5 ml of Sochva is diluted, process 2-3 times, a week interval.
tabazol	tabazol is a mixture of tobacco dust and ash, used in the form of a powder or an aqueous solution. It can be used throughout the season, not only as a protection against onion flies, but also as a fertilizer.

The widespread use of insecticides leads to environmental degradation, obtaining agricultural products harmful to humans. Promising direction is the use natural methods pest control.

Aleohara beetles destroy the eggs and larvae of the onion fly. The laboratories are engaged in mass artificial breeding aleochara with subsequent release during the onion fly emergence.

How to deal with larvae?

It is necessary to fight larvae in the following areas:

• prevent the laying of eggs by female onion flies;
• destruction of false cocoons;
• destruction of emerging larvae.

Measures are used:

• correct crop rotation;
• digging beds in the fall and loosening the soil during the growing season;
• repelling adult insects with strong scents;
• treatment of plants with folk remedies and insecticides;
• pre-sowing treatment of planting material.

How to get rid of an onion fly in an apartment?

Onion flies can appear at home if not observed hygiene rules, in indoor flowers, in spoiled onions. It is very important to find the source of the distribution of insects.

You can fight the onion fly using the following means:

• baits in jars or bottles;
• fumigators;
• products with a strong odor (camphor, valerian, needles, ammonia);
• treatment indoor plants ash.

Summarizing

You need to fight the onion fly regularly, starting with the preparation of planting material and ending autumn processing beds. Preference should be given safe means to get an environmentally friendly and healthy crop.

All summer residents strive to obtain a rich harvest from their site. They fertilize the soil in time, monitor the health of plants, weed the site, getting rid of weeds. This is not an easy job, which can be significantly complicated by the appearance of garden pests that not only spoil vegetables, but also significantly reduce the overall yield of garden crops.

One of these pests is the onion fly. It is very similar to an ordinary fly, but has a different color. This pest is considered one of the most dangerous because it can completely destroy the onion crop. Today we will talk about how to deal with onion fly in the garden.

What is an onion fly?

The main difference between an onion fly and an ordinary one is color. The pest has an ash-gray, less often ash-green color. This color is great hides it from birds and other insectivorous predators.

In size, the onion fly is somewhat inferior to its counterparts. The length of her body does not exceed 10 mm. The body of an average onion fly has a length of no more than 6 mm. small size the bodies allow the pest to easily hide inside the plants and go unnoticed.

Onion fly appears on the beds in late April, early May.

Appearing in the garden, the first thing a fly lays its eggs in the already warmed soil, the remains of last year's crop, weeds. After a certain period of time, larvae appear from the eggs, which, at the first opportunity, move to onions growing in the garden. Tiny white worms feed on onion pulp. The more larvae, the higher the chance of crop failure.

Bulbs affected by pest larvae soften, become vulnerable to moisture and fungus. After some time, the onion rots and begins to exude an unpleasant odor.

It is worth noting, that pest larvae destroy not only the most common onion, but also other types of onions: leeks, chives, as well as garlic and onion flowers.

How can you identify an onion fly?

This pest perfectly knows how to hide from predators and gardeners. Finding her appearance in the garden is difficult, but possible. The following signs will help the summer resident:

• Bulb softening.
• The bow started to rot.
• The feathers of the onion began to break and turn yellow.
• A characteristic unpleasant smell departs from the bed.
• Some plants in the garden dry out completely.

The effectiveness of onion fly control depends on the timely detection of the pest. If time is lost, then it will be very difficult to cope with the pest. The fact is that the larvae of this insect go from larva to pupa in just 3 weeks. If you don't make it on time destroy the larvae, then very soon there will be even more onion flies in the garden, ready to lay new eggs. At the same time, the mature uterus lays eggs all the time. During its life cycle, it is able to lay up to 60 eggs. The scale of the disaster will increase exponentially.

Onion fly: how to deal with it?

Fighting an onion fly in the garden is a long and labor-intensive process, which does not always save the crop. Therefore, it is wiser to prevent the appearance of a pest in the garden. But first, let's talk about the methods of struggle.

You can fight the onion fly folk methods and with the help of modern chemistry.

Folk methods

Our ancestors have long figured out how to get rid of the onion fly. Experienced gardeners know about folk methods of pest control and successfully apply them. At the same time, all gardeners agree that spraying onion beds with the help of infusions, whose aromas repel pests, are considered the most effective.

It is worth noting that this method of struggle is not only effective, but also completely safe for both the plants themselves and for humans. For this reason, spray onions solutions of plants with a spicy smell.

Another effective method pest control - treatment of onion beds with ammonia. To do this, you need to dissolve 3 tablespoons of alcohol in 6 liters of water. The resulting solution should be watered onions 3 times during the summer with an interval between waterings of 1 month.

Pay attention to the fact that watering with a solution of ammonia is good for onions. Ammonia contains nitrogen, which contributes to the active production of protein.

Drive the onion fly out of the garden also possible in the following ways:

Modern chemistry

Many gardeners consider folk methods are not effective enough and prefer to use modern chemicals in pest control. And this despite the fact that chemicals often cost much more than folk remedies. In addition, chemistry can harm the onion crop. However, the risk is justified by the absolute effectiveness of chemicals.

How to treat onions from onion flies? Experts recommend the following drugs:

Prevention

Prevent onion fly on the beds you can carry out the following activities:

Conclusion

Folk remedies for fighting onion fly effective only if the infection was detected at an early stage. Therefore, it is very important to carefully inspect the beds in the spring. Otherwise, you can be left without a harvest.

However, onions can be saved even if the pest is detected late. For this, the beds need to be treated with chemistry. But then the risk of chemical contamination of plants remains.

The choice of method of struggle remains with gardeners.

Onion fly - pictured

The appearance of the onion fly, and why it is dangerous

Every summer resident at least once in his life faced with the appearance of an onion fly on the site. This small winged insect, no more than 7 mm, brings quite a bit of harm to the onion crop. What to do if an onion fly is wound up, how to deal with it? What methods are most effective in the fight against this pest?

The onion fly visually practically does not differ from the house fly, but is much smaller in size: an ash-gray body with a greenish tint on the back reaches no more than 5-6 mm in length. An insect pest appears in the spring, when dandelions and fruit trees begin to bloom.

If you don't know how to grow large onion, then you know, the onion fly chooses the dried scales of the bulbs as a place for laying, but if they cannot be found, it can lay eggs directly into the soil. The larvae are born in just a couple of days - these are small white worms that affect almost the entire bulb. In 2 weeks, they completely destroy the plant, pupate, and by the middle of summer, the young change of the onion fly is ready to destroy the crop!

onion fly

Note that the insect infects not only ordinary onions, but also bulbous plants- garlic and flowers with a bulbous root. The affected plant dies - both young shoots and adult parts begin to turn yellow and dry, the bulbs begin to rot, and a fungus appears.

If on personal plot an onion fly was noticed, how to deal with it? How to keep bulbous plants healthy? By not taking preventive measures, good harvest you can forget. It is important to know that it is highly undesirable to destroy this pest with pesticides. This is explained simply - the bulb retains chemicals and insecticides quite well, in the future the vegetable will simply not be suitable for food.

onion fly - pest

What smells can scare away an onion fly

The effect of such landings, as they say, is on the face - there is neither an onion fly nor a carrot fly, therefore joint landings in this case will only benefit. Reviews of experienced gardeners about the joint cultivation of vegetables, in most cases, are positive.

onions and carrots joint planting from an onion fly - in the photo

Spraying onions with strong-smelling decoctions of mint, valerian or pine needles will be effective. For plants, these decoctions are absolutely safe. One more folk method struggle - tobacco dust. This product is sold in outlets for gardeners. It can be scattered between the rows of onions or sprayed with a solution (the proportions are indicated on the package).

Folk remedies against onion flies

According to agronomists, the most effective method the destruction of the onion fly is ammonia, which must be diluted in a proportion of 3 tbsp. l. per 10 liters of water and water the soil under the plantings. Repeat the procedure three times, at intervals of 7-8 days. Nitrogen, which is part of alcohol, in this case also acts as a fertilizer for onions.

Among folk remedies, a tincture of dandelion rhizomes is quite popular among summer residents. 200 g of roots should be put in a container and pour boiling water. Let it brew for a week. Water the beds with a solution once every 2 weeks.

Folk remedies for onion flies - in the photo

Some prefer to use regular table salt. The tool is effective, but there is one significant drawback - the soil accumulates salt and becomes unfavorable for other plantings, so it is used once a year: dilute 250 g in 10 liters of water and pour onions under the root. After 3-4 hours, rinse well with clean water.

You're right, once a year is enough. If you follow the advice on the Internet, where they write that you need to add a kilogram of salt to the soil in several stages in a month, then you will simply destroy your land and after a couple of years of such skill, nothing will grow in your garden. In everything you need to know the measure!

Some farmers mix naphthalene with sand or ash in a ratio of 1:10 and sprinkle plantings. One or two procedures are carried out during the summer of the onion fly and egg laying.

Another folk method is laundry soap. Dissolve a bar of soap in 10 liters of water and spray the plants with the resulting solution. In addition, potassium permanganate is again in a hurry to help! Make a rich pink solution and water late in the evening so as not to burn the plants. Repeat the procedure if necessary, every 8-9 days. On the forum, according to reviews, many summer residents save the onion from the fly in this way.

Preventive measures and insecticides against the pest

Selected healthy bulbs must be processed before planting in the ground. You can do this in two ways:

Hot water - the onion is lowered into hot water(about 50 ° C) for 15 minutes, then dry well and land;

Potassium permanganate - the solution is prepared in the proportion of 1 g / l of water. The onion is aged in the solution for 30 minutes, after drying it is ready for planting.

It is worth noting that the processing of onions before planting is an important and necessary step in growing a vegetable if you want to grow a rich harvest. Unfortunately, many gardeners do not want to bother with sevka, and simply plant them in the ground, dooming their plantings to guaranteed low yields.

onion fly larva - pictured

Deep digging of the soil at the planting site in the fall will also help get rid of the onion fly larvae. The pest survives the winter at a depth of no more than 20 cm, which means that when digging, all the larvae will move to the surface, where they will die at the first frost. Another important rule- be sure to remove the remains of the crop from the beds, so there will be no favorable breeding environment for the onion fly.

I have an onion fly in my garden, how to deal with it? - often heard by sellers of gardening stores. In this case, you will definitely be recommended a drug such as Bazudin. 30 g of this product must be mixed with 0.5 liters of sand (can be replaced with sawdust) and poured into the ground. This must be done at the end of spring.

In addition, you can buy other drugs against the onion fly - Mukhoed, Diazinon, Dachnik, Medvetoks, Ant, Teradoks and others. Do not forget, if you grow onions for greens, some preparations cannot be used for processing. Fighting an onion fly is much easier if you understand how to do it! It will not take you much time and effort, but in the fall you will definitely feel the result!

How to get rid of onion flies - video