Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Cabbage root fly forecast 2023

The forecast outputs below are based on weather data provided by Agrii. The forecasts predict the timing of fly activity. They do not predict the number of insects present in the crop, as this depends on the size of the local fly population. For control purposes, we consider that the pest has become active when 10% of the insects have emerged/laid eggs and that the peak of activity has occurred when 50% have emerged/laid eggs. The predictions will change over time depending on weather conditions.

Second generation - at present the forecasts suggest that emergence will start from the middle of June at the warmest sites and egg-laying will start about a week or so later.

Late-emerging cabbage root flies

The forecasts in the table below are for ‘early-emerging’ cabbage root flies. There are some areas of the UK where a proportion of the cabbage root flies emerge later in the spring than would be expected. We call these ‘late emerging’ flies and they are genetically different from ‘early-emerging’ flies. Relatively large numbers of late-emerging flies occur in some parts of Devon and south-west Lancashire. The first generation of late-emerging flies was predicted to start laying eggs around now in Devon (10% eggs 25th May) and in mid-June in Lancashire (10% eggs 19th June).

Early-emerging flies

Location

First generation

10% eggs

First generation

50% eggs

Second generation

10% eggs

Second generation

50% eggs

Third generation

10% eggs

Third generation

50% eggs

Cornwall - Hayle

4 Apr

30 Apr

24 Jun

7 Jul

25 Aug

9 Sep

Kent - Sandwich

24 Apr

10 May

30 Jun

12 Jul

26 Aug

8 Sep

Suffolk - Ipswich

25 Apr

13 May

4 Jul

15 Jul

29 Aug

11 Sep

Warwick, Wellesbourne

23 Apr

9 May

24 Jun

9 Jul

22 Aug

4 Sep

Norfolk, Norwich

3 May

21 May

7 Jul

18 Jul

30 Aug

14 Sep

Lincolnshire - Holbeach

30 Apr

16 May

7 Jul

19 Jul

31 Aug

15 Sep

Nottingham - Stubton

23 Apr

7 May

21 Jun

7 Jul

20 Aug

10 Sep

Lancashire, Southport

2 May

23 May

8 Jul

20 Jul

29 Aug

10 Sep

Yorkshire, York

27 Apr

15 May

28 Jun

14 Jul

26 Aug

8 Sep

Perthshire, Scotland

11 May

24 May

18 Jul

26 Jul

-

-