Pest identification
What's eating my nantes carrot?
Carrot fly (Psila rosae)
Signs: Cream maggots tunnel into roots producing rusty brown channels and a bitter taste; foliage yellows and collapses.
Control: Insect-proof mesh (1.3 mm) from sowing to harvest; 60 cm polythene barrier around beds; avoid sowing near hedgerows where adults overwinter.
Willow-carrot aphid (Cavariella aegopodii)
Signs: Yellowing, distorted foliage; honeydew; carrot motley dwarf virus transmission markedly reduces root size.
Control: Mesh excludes flying adults most effectively; reflective mulch in open gardens; insecticidal soap if infestation is spotted early.
Slugs & snails
Signs: Chew soft leaf tops; occasionally scar smooth Nantes-type roots near the surface in wet, clay soils.
Control: Ferric phosphate pellets; slug nematodes on moist soil; water in the morning rather than the evening.
Cutworms
Signs: Nocturnal moth larvae sever seedlings at soil level; can remove whole plants overnight.
Control: Hoe around plants to expose larvae; Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes into moist soil; collar transplants with a cardboard ring.
Keep nantes carrot pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats carrot — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What eats nantes carrot — our other guide for the same plant
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common nantes carrot problems & fixes
- Nantes Carrot watering schedule
- Nantes Carrot light requirements
- Full nantes carrot care guide
Nantes Carrot pests — FAQ
What is eating my nantes carrot?
Nantes 2 carrot is a classic thin-skinned, tender variety making it particularly susceptible to carrot fly, whose maggots burrow through the smooth roots leaving unsightly rust-brown tunnels. Aphids vector virus and weaken foliage. Growing under continuous fine mesh is the single most effective control across both UK and US gardens.
How do I get rid of carrot fly (psila rosae) on nantes carrot?
Cream maggots tunnel into roots producing rusty brown channels and a bitter taste; foliage yellows and collapses. Insect-proof mesh (1.3 mm) from sowing to harvest; 60 cm polythene barrier around beds; avoid sowing near hedgerows where adults overwinter.
How do I get rid of willow-carrot aphid (cavariella aegopodii) on nantes carrot?
Yellowing, distorted foliage; honeydew; carrot motley dwarf virus transmission markedly reduces root size. Mesh excludes flying adults most effectively; reflective mulch in open gardens; insecticidal soap if infestation is spotted early.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on nantes carrot?
Chew soft leaf tops; occasionally scar smooth Nantes-type roots near the surface in wet, clay soils. Ferric phosphate pellets; slug nematodes on moist soil; water in the morning rather than the evening.
How do I get rid of cutworms on nantes carrot?
Nocturnal moth larvae sever seedlings at soil level; can remove whole plants overnight. Hoe around plants to expose larvae; Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes into moist soil; collar transplants with a cardboard ring.