Strawberry weevil - features and pest control measures

Strawberry weevil is a dangerous pest that can completely destroy crops. It is also called raspberry-strawberry, since one type of parasite lives on these two plants, as well as on strawberries, blackberries and even rose bushes. It is dangerous both at the mature and at the larval stage - the beetles feed on leaves and young shoots, and then lay their eggs in the buds, thereby causing irreparable harm to the culture. There are several ways how to deal with a weevil on strawberries, strawberries, raspberries and other plants - it remains to choose the most suitable one and start acting.

Strawberry weevil - how to recognize

The pest belongs to the class of insects, the order of beetles, the weevil family. This black beetle is only 2-3 mm long, with an oval body covered with light hairs. Strawberry weevils are active in mid-spring, when the temperature reaches 13-15 ° C. They feed on young shoots of strawberries and strawberries, and then move on to later plants - blackberry, raspberries and others. They damage the leaves and drink their juices, completely gnaw the inner parts of the buds.

Adult beetles lay larvae inside the buds, in each - 1 piece. Females gnaw the stalks so that the buds fall to the ground. Otherwise, the larvae cannot develop. Their development lasts about 20 days, then - within 7-9 days the formation of pupae occurs, also in the middle of the buds. Beetles emerge at the end of July and feed on shoots of strawberries, raspberries and other cultivated plants. When the temperature drops to 10 ° C, they go to winter in the topsoil or in the litter. The next year, the cycle of their development is repeated.

Beetles inflict maximum harm by damaging the buds of plants - this leads not only to loss of yield, but also to the death of plants. For this reason, the fight against weevils on strawberries, strawberries and raspberries is carried out in early spring, before the ovaries appear.

Control measures

If weevil beetles appear on the site, you need to get rid of them urgently. One female per season can lay up to 50 eggs, which turn into adults in the second half of summer. Weevil control in spring, summer and autumn includes mechanical and chemical methods. You can also use simple folk remedies.

Mechanical methods

The first rule of how to preserve the crop is not to plant strawberries with raspberries in neighboring beds. It is better to place these crops at different ends of the plot, as well as choose strawberry and strawberry varieties with the shortest flowering period.

Other mechanical pest control measures include:

manual collection and destruction of beetles;
collection of fallen buds with subsequent destruction - they may contain larvae;
autumn digging of soil under the bushes;
collecting fallen leaves after harvest.

An effective way to deal with weevils is with traps. You can make them yourself using the available ingredients. For 500 ml of water, take 50 g of yeast and 100 g of sugar, leave the mixture in a warm room until the first signs of fermentation appear. Then the solution is poured into containers with a narrow neck - when the beetles fall into the trap, they will no longer be able to get out of it.

Chemical methods

For the destruction of pests, there are special preparations on sale - insecticides.Modern products are developed taking into account the type of plants and parasites, have minimal impact on the quality of the crop and are suitable for home use. Treatments should be carried out 7-10 days before the flowering of strawberries, when the first buds begin to appear. So the components of the funds will not damage the flowers and will not jeopardize the future harvest. When working with chemicals, you should follow safety rules, wear protective suits, gloves and face masks.

Processing strawberries from weevils in spring and summer can be carried out with the following preparations:

Karbaphos, Metaphos are simple and affordable options, but they act for a short time and destroy insects only when they directly hit them;
Inta-Vir is a broad-spectrum drug that leads to poisoning of beetles and blocks their nervous system;
Nemabakt (analogs - Fitoverm, Akarin) is a biological defense agent containing a nematode that destroys insects, is introduced routinely into the soil at any time of the warm season.

If strawberry weevils appear during the flowering period, it is best to pick them by hand. Using insecticides can harm bees that pollinate flowers.

Traditional methods

Folk remedies for weevil on strawberries, strawberries and raspberries safer than commercial insecticides.

They can be prepared from simple ingredients that can always be found on the farm.

The easiest method is to plant beds of garlic and onions around the berry bushes. The smell of these plants will scare away the weevils.
Wood ash is not only a valuable fertilizer, but also a popular insecticide. It can be scattered around bushes or garden beds, or diluted in water for irrigation.
Infusion of tansy and calendula also repels pests. It is sprayed onto the leaves and buds of plants, and also applied to the soil. Grass fern has a similar effect, so it can be laid out around bushes.
Garlic infusion is one of the most popular ways to control pest beetles. 100 g of garlic gruel is infused in 10 liters of water for a week. Then they spray the plants. You can add 2 tablespoons of boric acid to the mixture.
Common potassium permanganate is also used in the garden. It is enough to dissolve 5 g of dry raw materials in a full bucket of water. Spread over the soil surface, leaves and buds. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can take 300 g of ground hot pepper.

The strawberry weevil is common in temperate climates. If it appeared on the site, it will quickly continue to multiply, destroying cultivated plants. If you intervene in time, you can forget about beetles and get a high-quality harvest.

Strawberry protection from weevil - video

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