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, and place horticultural fleece over the seedlings, which will provide a physical barrier against the pest. Some carrot varieties - 'Resistafly', 'Sytan' and 'Fly Away' - are less prone to attack.carrots, celery, parsley, parsnipsspring Common problems when

-autumn.Treat the lawn with an insecticide containing imidacloprid from May to October.lawns, strawberries, brassicas, some ornamental plantsspring to autumnMore common garden pestsPea and bean weevilsCaterpillarsFlea beetleEarwigs

When apple trees are in flower, the sawfly, Hoplocampa testudinea, lays its eggs in the developing fruit. In June, the larvae tunnel their way under the skin of the fruit and into the core, causing the apples to fall. When they're ready, they tunnel out of the apples, creating a ...

Adult and immature leafhoppers suck sap from the leaves of plants and cause mottled discolouration. The 3mm-long adults readily spring from the leaves when disturbed. The pest usually overwinters as eggs laid on the plant. These hatch in spring

Earwigs, which can be up to 14mm long, hide during the day and emerge at night to feed. The females lay eggs in late-winter, usually in the soil, which hatch in spring. Although earwigs can damage plants, they also eat small pests and their eggs

, moving to a host plant to overwinter. They breed at an alarming rate - females can give birth to live young when only a week old. They are sap-sucking pests and the excess sap is excreted as honeydew. This sticky residue falls on to the lower leaves

Capsid bugs are sap-feeding pests. The 6mm-long adults vary in colour from green to red-brown, depending on the species. Look for the distinctive diamond shape when their wings are folded. When they feed, they release a toxic saliva that kills off

of vitamin A, beta-carotene and antioxidants.Unfortunately, the rich scent of carrots attracts the attention of a pest called carrot root fly. Female flies lay their eggs at soil level near the shoulder of the carrot, and the larvae then eat into the roots

, the moment the symptoms appear. Wait a minimum of two weeks after spraying before using leaves in the kitchen.bay leavesmid- and late-springKeeping garden pests at bayWhiteflyMealybugsScale insectsRed spider mites

anythingearly spring, summerMore common garden pestsLeatherjackets on lawns, brassicas, strawberries and ornamental plantsElephant hawk moth on fuschia plantsWhitefly on greenhouse plantsMullein moth - affecting verbascum, buddleja and figworts.