Reliable options to combat this insect and its larvae have been troubling many gardeners for quite some time. Endless damage, expressed in the destruction of strawberry bushes, the root systems of trees and other plants quite often creates a huge number of problems and disappointments for gardeners, that most of the works were in vain. Let's see how and what you can fight and protect the berry from the larvae of the May beetle.
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Where the larvae of the May beetle on strawberries come from
The pest is considered an insect rather large. His little body is painted in black or red-brown shades, reaching three and a half centimeters in length. In terms of natural existence, it lives in forests and forest-steppe. Transfers and breeding occur in the last month of the spring season. Mating, females burrow into the soil composition, where they lay eggs. One individual is able to lay up to seven dozen eggs, then it dies. In about a month and a half, white moving larvae, rather large, are removed. They seem to be twisted into a ball, which makes it easy to distinguish them from other pests.
Lhrusch lives in the soil from three to four years, then turns into a pupa that looks like an adult. By the end of summer, a young beetle appears, remaining in the soil for the winter, and only in spring appearing on the surface of the beds.
Signs of presence on the berry
Pest is considered one of the most harmful to strawberries.. An adult insect, eating berries and foliage, does not cause much damage. The main danger is the larvae (Khrushchi).
They are found as follows: if the plant begins to lag in growth, then it must be excavated. Most likely, that on the root system will be found thick, curved white larvae.
Causes of
The most favorite delicacy of the pest is strawberry. To protect berries from it, you must first follow one simple rule - during the transplanting bushes carefully examine their root system. Finding Khrushchi, they should be carefully removed and destroyed.
They, eating the roots, are the cause of depletion of the plant, slow its growth, cause death from malnutrition. In addition, strawberry pests can cause tissue necrosis and various insect-borne infections.
How to deal with bruises and protect the crop
How to deal with the strawberry jam? As a preventive measure, it is recommended to dig narrow grooves between the strawberry rows,process (pour) karbofosovym solution.
There are several more ways to fight:
- beds can be protected by infusion on the onion and garlic peels (one hundred grams per bucket of water). Plants they spill at the root;
- in the spring season, when warm weather sets in, strawberries are treated with ammonia, diluted with water. Ten liters is enough to add just a few drops;
- cabbage leaves or mustard leaves are buried between the rows.
- next to the planting of strawberry plants, you can plant cabbage or radish;
The use of special tools to destroy the larvae
Many gardeners believe that pristvolny circles of garden trees should be sown with white clover. This is due to the fact that nodule bacteria living on the roots of plants are able to absorb nitrogen from the air, while synthesizing protein. Nitrogen, located in the ground, turns it into a place where the crape cannot live. By completing a similar way of sodding, gardeners will be able to get rid of the harmful parasite without any problems, by improving the quality of the fruits and their appearance.In addition, the clover sown near trees will drive out the weeds and provide the root system with nitrogen.
Recently, biological compounds, one of which is Nemabact, have begun to enjoy great popularity. This insecticide is capable of destroying crunches at their early stage. The basis of the biological product is a nematode, represented by a round microscopic worm. It can live in the soil, feeds exclusively on the larvae, penetrating into them and destroying, within a day, a maximum of three. Then the nematodes leave the corpse and are looking for another victim. The drug is not considered harmful to humans and animals;
Using popular methods of struggle
One of the sensible and effective ways to fight is catching adult beetles. If we take into account that one female will lay a large number of eggs, then the rationality of this method is quite understandable and explainable. To catch beetles, several means of protection are known:
- light traps. A shallow vessel is prepared in advance, coated on the inside with a sticky liquid. At the bottom of the dish placed the source of illumination, it remains only to wait for the onset of dark time of day. The trap remains in the open so that it can be seen from afar;
- glue traps. In the store you need to buy a glue mass for flies, put it on paper strips. Beetles stick quickly enough;
- natural enemy. Larvae of bugs that are harmful to the garden like to eat hedgehogs. If there is an opportunity, then in the garden you need to have such a small animal. Another serious enemy of the beetle is the starlings. It will not be superfluous to place birdhouses in the trees.
If, with the onset of spring, your garden was attacked by a May beetle, and Khrushchi are going to eat strawberries - you should not waste time. Dangerous insect is recommended to provide stubborn resistance using the above recommended advice. This is the only way to save the harvest.