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Studies of British Anthomyiid Flies. VII.—The Onion-Fly Complex

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Mary Miles
Mary Miles
Affiliation:
Wye College (University of London).
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Extract

Onions are attacked by larvae of Anthomyiid flies from May to August. Two species are concerned, namely the onion fly, Delia antiqua (Mg.), and the bean seed fly, D. cilicrura (Rond.). The onion fly, which in some seasons is mainly univoltine, attacks the crop in June and July. The bean seed fly, which has. 3–4 generations a year, is most injurious to spring-sown onions in May and to summer-sown onions in August. Attack by D. antiqua is the result of the chemotropic response of the species to its host-plants. Attack by D. cilicrura follows the disturbance of the soil during cultural operations in April-May, and occurs again when seed-beds are prepared for August sowings.

The recognition of this complex pattern of attack makes it necessary to reconsider the value of established control measures. The calomel (mercurous chloride) seed-dressing is unlikely to give control of onion fly because its ovicidal efficiency is impaired by exposure to the air during the three months between the sowing of onion seed (end of February) and oviposition (end of May), and by the growth of the plants, which results in the eggs being laid at some distance from the old seed-coat which carries the ovicide. It is also unlikely to have a direct effect on infestation by bean seed fly, because the eggs of this species are not necessarily laid on the seedlings and, in the case of August sowings, the eggs may have hatched before the seed is sown.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , April 1955 , pp. 21 - 26
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1955

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