Identification

• Root maggots are the white-to-yellow colored larvae of small flies resembling houseflies. The females lay their eggs near the plants' crown. The emerging larvae feed on the infested plants' roots. Of all the root maggots, the seedcorn maggot causes the most damage to pumpkins and gourds, cites the University of Georgia Extension.
  
  

Description

• The adult fly is dark gray in color with black legs, light-gray wings and three stripes on its back. The females lay their eggs below the soil surface, preferring fertile, tilled ground. The emerging larvae are legless, yellowish-white and ¼ inch long at maturity with a blunt rear and pointed head. The pupae overwinter in the soil and emerge as adults as soon as the soil warms in spring. Seedcorn maggots produce four to five generations per year.
  
  

Damage

• Seedcorn maggots damage pumpkin seeds and seedlings with their feeding. Damaged pumpkin seeds are infection prone from rot pathogens, leading to a poor germination rate. The seedlings' damaged stems cause young plants to wilt and die. The plants that do survive grow poorly and are susceptible to numerous disorders. Pumpkins planted early in the season are most prone to infestation, as the pests thrive under cooler soil conditions.
  
  

Control

• Prepare site before planting. This includes turning the litter or weeds from the last crop deeply into the soil, allowing enough time for decomposition. Plant in soil and climate temperatures that lead to rapid seed germination and seedling growth. Keeping planting site weed free, well irrigated and fertilized reduces the seedlings' stress. Once pests appear on plants, there are no curative insecticides for control.