The invasion of weevils on strawberries can reduce the yield by 2/3. Beetles are especially dangerous in spring during the ripening of buds.
Weevil Description
Strawberry weevil or raspberry beetle - black beetle up to 3 mm long, covered with gray bristles. It stands out by a long proboscis.
Pests awaken in the spring in mid-April. Strawberries are the first target plant for insects, which also include raspberries and blackberries. Strawberry leaves and petioles are a favorite treat for beetles. Weevils lay eggs inside the buds, on average, one egg per bud, and this is their main danger. One female is able to infect up to 100 buds. After 6-7 days, a larva appears that eats up the inside of the bud.
It is white in color, curved with a yellowish-brownish head. On average, after 24 days, the larva pupates, and after another 10 days in the second decade of July mature individuals emerge from the pupae. First of all, early strawberry varieties are affected. By the second half of August, the life of insects ceases, they leave for the winter.
Adverse conditions, including winter, are transmitted by beetles under dried leaves or in the upper soil layer.
Terms and methods of processing strawberries
The insect has been active since mid-spring, when the ambient temperature begins to exceed +10 ° C - the weevil females have a favorable time for laying eggs. In summer, bushes can also be targeted by beetles. The seasonal activity of insects leaves an imprint on the control measures taken.
Spring
After winter, you should get rid of dried plants. The earth must be loosened, nitrogen fertilizer applied, laying a thin layer of mulch.
Folk remedies for spring processing
The arsenal of useful folk remedies includes:
- Garlic tincture, prepared by pouring 100 g of dry garlic arrows with a bucket of water (8 l). After 24-48 hours, the solution is filtered and the bed is irrigated with a spray gun, at the rate of 1 liter of solution per 1 square meter. After a week, the procedure is repeated.
- Ash. The solution is prepared at the rate of 1 glass of ash per 1 bucket of warm water (8 l). Typically, several KMnO4 crystals are added to the solution. 1 liter of funds is spent per 1 square meter. Spray the green part of the plant.
- Ammonia (aqueous ammonia). Ammonium chloride has a pungent odor that repels insects. Half a tablespoon of alcohol is diluted in a liter of water. 1 liter of funds is enough to process 1-1.5 square meters. m. of land. Watered with a regular watering can.
- A solution based on mustard has a deterrent effect. For its preparation, 100 g of dry mustard powder is dissolved in 3 l of water. The green mass is treated with a spray gun.
- Soap solution. It forms the thinnest protective film on stems and leaves. To prepare the solution, 100 g of laundry soap chips are dissolved in a bucket of warm water. Spraying is performed three times with an interval of a week. Sometimes, in order to enhance the effect, 30 drops of an iodine alcohol solution are added to the prepared product.
- Onion peel and celandine. To prepare the product, the initial dried components in a ratio of 2/1 are crushed and the pan is filled to 33% of the used volume. Plant mass is poured with boiling water. After filtering, the agent is applied from the spray to the green mass of plants. To enhance the effect, the procedure is recommended to be repeated after 2-3 weeks.
- Infusions of tobacco, garlic (use 200 g of dry weight per 10 l of water) or bitter pepper (500 g per 10 l). It is recommended to use for processing plants during the formation of buds.
- A solution of baking soda at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water (for irrigation).
- Decoction of tansy flowers. Prepare by soaking 300-400 g of dried flowers, or 1.5-2 kg of fresh flowers in 5 l of water. Insist 48 hours. Then the solution is boiled and 50 g of laundry soap are added, after which the volume is adjusted with water to 10 l.
- Fir based oil. To prepare, mix 2 tablespoons of green soap, fir oil and 10 liters of water. The resulting solution is treated with the green mass of the plant.
Mechanical methods
Used when insect pests attacked fruiting bushes.
Hand picking pests on strawberries involves three simple steps:
- Laying out newspaper sheets around the plant.
- Shaking the bush in the morning.
- Folding newspaper sheets and their subsequent burning along with fallen insects.
You can use a trap from a saucer filled with sweet syrup. If such a container is placed next to a strawberry bush, in the morning some of the insects will float in it.
In spring, before the shoots appear, effective methods of weed control include digging the soil, manually picking up infected buds, and pouring hot water (+ 60 ... +65 ° С), which is considered safe for the plant, since strawberry roots do not suffer .
Chemicals in spring and during fruiting
Keep in mind that pungent chemicals can scare away bees pollinating plants. Therefore, the choice of chemical protective equipment should be treated selectively.
Approximately 28 days before harvesting, pesticides should be discarded so that ripening berries do not absorb them.
The weather conditions should also be considered. Processing should be carried out only in dry, calm weather. Rain or strong winds negatively affect processing - chemicals are washed off or blown away.
Chemicals are used when other methods of protection against insects are ineffective. The biological remedies Fitoverm and Spark have proven themselves well, capable of protecting plants for several weeks. It is recommended to apply in the spring and in the fall.
Insecticides (Karbafos, Intavir (Intavir), Metaphos) are not only able to save plantations of cultivated plants from pests, but also cause significant harm to human health. In this regard, they should be resorted to only as a last resort, carefully observing security measures. To avoid poisoning, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment for the skin and respiratory system. Usually, 10 ml of water is diluted with 10 ml of water before spraying.
Autumn
In the autumn, suspicious plants with thickened stems and deformed leaves are disposed of. The remaining bushes are treated with broad-spectrum insecticides.
Mr. Summer resident advises: prophylaxis against weevil
Prevention measures will minimize possible harm or even eliminate the invasion of weevils. It is recommended that you follow simple rules:
- grow strawberries away from other fruit crops (raspberries, currants);
- use varieties with a short flowering period;
- dig the soil in the spring, sprinkling it with ash;
- remove dried leaves and shoots;
- plant garlic, onions, mint, calendula around the periphery of strawberry beds;
- dig the soil in late autumn, mulching it with pine needles.
