What's eating my parsnip?

Parsnip is most seriously affected by carrot fly maggots, which tunnel through the root and make it unmarketable. Celery fly (leaf miner) blotches the foliage, and aphids colonize the tops. Slugs attack germinating seeds and young roots. Grow under enviromesh, rotate annually, and sow after the main carrot fly spring flight to reduce damage.

Creamy white larvae tunnel into the root, leaving rusty brown galleries that invite rot; foliage turns reddish. Grow under fine enviromesh barrier; delay main sowing until late May/June to miss peak spring egg-laying flight; rotate beds.

White blotchy mines on leaves reduce plant vigor, particularly in midsummer. Remove and destroy mined leaves; use barrier mesh to exclude adult flies; keep plants well-watered and growing vigorously.

Colonies on flower stems and foliage; vector parsnip yellow fleck virus causing yellow leaf spots. Spray with insecticidal soap; encourage natural predators; avoid growing near willows which are the primary host.

Attack germinating seeds and newly emerged seedlings at soil level; particularly damaging in wet springs. Apply iron phosphate bait; thin to final spacing early so seedlings establish quickly; sow into warm, dry soil.