Description of parasite plants: characteristics with photos and videos

As the name suggests, these creatures disguise themselves as small tree branches. Most of all, they resemble eucalyptus branches and it is no coincidence, because eucalyptus is the main food source for these unusual creatures. They have a long slender body, and they can also fly. Stick insects grow up to 18 centimeters in length. They are mainly found in Australia, preferring to live near the water, although they are also often found in the woodlands of New South Wales and Victoria.

Plants are parasites: what are they?

In nature, they are not so rare. They form a whole group of angiosperms and flowers. They have several classifications, which we will consider in more detail.

Characteristic signs

1. These plant organisms in the course of long evolution have lost the ability to participate in the process of photosynthesis, which is characteristic and necessary for all ordinary plants.
2. Parasitic plants cannot form organic compounds in order to receive nutrition, and do not produce the required amount of energy to exist independently in nature. They cannot independently assimilate carbon dioxide from the air and do not assimilate minerals and water.
3. These plants find hosts (grasses, flowers, trees and bushes growing nearby). Parasites are attached to them with the help of root processes (haustoria). They attach to the tissues of the "victims" and take nutrients from them. There are also rhizoids or suckers, with which parasitic plants attach to their “victims”, invading plant tissues, for example, the root system or the layer of bark.
4. Parasitic shoots are formed either in the embryonic root, or from the stem of a plant - a parasite.They also have, in most cases, a flexible and plastic stem, which is able to quickly move to the owner, entangle him and his neighbors.
5. In the classical version, leaf plates may be absent, and in their place came pale counterparts that do not contain chlorophyll. The root system is poorly represented. In its place, those same suckers come.
6. There are specimens growing exclusively on the bark, but you can find variants of such parasitic grasses and flowers that live in meadows and near shrubs. They take all mineral and organic substances from the owners.

Almost all parasites bring a lot of trouble to gardeners, because they have no benefit. Some are very decorative, but they cannot exist on their own. There are herbs like mistletoe, which they love to use in bouquets for Christmas.

Basic classifications

The main division, which was made by scientists, provides for the division into 3 main groups:

• parasites (obligate);
• semi-parasites (optional);
• predators.

By the formation of haustoria (suckers):

• stem (the formation of haustoria from stem tissue);
• root (formation of haustoria from root tissues).

Semi-parasites can participate in photosynthesis and live independently, but in the presence of other plants, they take away some of the nutrients. Parasites themselves absolutely cannot exist.

4) Rag picker

This "seahorse" is very reminiscent of marine vegetation. On closer inspection, you can see that this is not algae at all, but a fish, which is a close relative of seahorses. Underwater, these creatures resemble the leaves of marine plants. Their leaf-like body parts are not actually used to move underwater at all. These accessories help to disguise themselves as the environment. Transparent fins, which are difficult to see, help them to swim, so the rag-picker least of all resembles an animal, but more like a plant, the appearance of which is trying to imitate.

How to kill a wireworm?

The wireworm devours potatoes, beets and carrots, but avoids legumes. He himself looks like a dense beige worm, which is inactive on the surface. No wonder he was given just such a name, he really looks like a piece of wire. To prevent its occurrence in much larger quantities, vegetables should be planted. further apart... Can be applied every three years to the soil dolomite flourthat will reduce the acidity of the earth that this worm loves so much.

Weeding should occur more often if the summer resident once noticed this insect. There should not be any weeds even in potato plantings. By the way, if you plant vegetables and legumes in a disordered manner, then the harmful destroyer will die. He gets used to one type of food, even his favorite potatoes and beets will not replace each other, such alternation is an effective disposal. It is not difficult to hedge your crop by planting something across a row of peas or beans. The gardener will not lose anything, it will only improve the quality and quantity of the fruit, and the wireworm will die as soon as possible.

When planting potatoes, add a little to the holes ash or add potassium permanganate solution... The acidity of the soil will decrease, which means that there will be no temptation. Periodic loosening the soil also contributes to population decline. Wireworms living in the soil will be on the surface, so the gardener can easily collect and destroy them.

Can be easily constructed trapsplaced at the end of the season. Do not rush to remove heaps of foliage before wintering, it is better to leave them on the site. The wireworm will climb the burning hill for the winter, and the gardener needs to collect these traps and burn them as soon as the cold comes.

There are a sufficient number of options for getting rid of this parasite, you can choose any, but if you use several methods at once, you can guaranteed to achieve very good results.

6) Sea Dragon Kelp

Another relative of the seahorse and the rag-picker, the sea-dragon-algae cannot boast of the same amazing appearance as, for example, the rag-picker, but it also looks very funny. This fish species Phyllopteryx taeniolatus

easily hides among seaweed due to its processes, we look like leaves. This species is native to the southern coast of Australia and can be found in waters ranging from 3 to 50 meters deep. When the fish moves in shallow water, it can easily be confused with a piece of seaweed that has come off.

We take the bear out on our own

One of the most harmful insects is the bear. It destroys both young and adult plants. If the seedlings die in the open field, despite sufficient watering and the consumption of sunlight, then, most likely, this earth crayfish has started up in the garden.

Please note: how is the bear different from the beetle larva?

It is very difficult to figure out for sure if this pest is in your garden. In its habitats, you can see small burrows or bumps that resemble the tracks of moles on the surface of the earth. This is an amazing insect, it can fly, crawl and even swim. It gets more active in the late afternoon, and during sunset you can hear characteristic sounds like chirping grasshoppers. A mole cricket can appear on a particular site quite by accident, having chosen it for its permanent residence.

Dung heaps and compost pits serve as a place for the bear to lay eggs, there is warmth and enough food. However, under a simple dry bed, she can also feel good, feeding on the roots of vegetable crops. Despite the benefits in medicine, they are a real disaster for the gardener, in order to get rid of them, you need to take a responsible approach to business, otherwise a large amount of the crop will die, and next year there will be much more of them.

Folk methods of removing a bear

Without resorting to chemical methods, you can use popular advice. Kapustyanka, as summer residents call her, loves to huddle in manure, she is attracted by dung heaps, in which they lay their eggs and remain for the winter. Using traps from this fertilizer, you can significantly reduce the number of insects or get rid of them completely.

At the end of the season, several holes about 50 cm deep are dug on the site and manure is poured into them. As soon as the temperature drops significantly, you can dig out the contents and scatter them in those places on the surface where you need to so as not to waste fertilizer. In order not to think and not guess when to do it all, it is better to focus on the snow. With the first snow, you can go to check traps. Although it is not necessary to check, having pulled everything out of the recesses, the bear will simply freeze, because it is in a dream, it will no longer find a new place.

In the spring, you can place traps throughout the territory, scattering piles of manure 2-3 shovels. It is necessary to make embankments as often as possible, at a distance of 2 to 4 meters from each other. Before checking the traps, it is worth waiting at least three days so that this earth crust has time to get to it and understand that this is its new home.

If the supposed burrow of the bear was found, you can pour water into it with the addition of a small amount oils... Solution soapy water is also suitable for such a case. She will get to the surface or die without crawling out into the light. The bear is still afraid the smell of needles, kerosene and rotten fish, of all the above, the most pleasant option is definitely the first.

Insecticides against the bear in the garden

There is also a chemical method of exposure, but it is not as simple as the previous ones. A drug Metaphos added to corn or wheat porridge with butter, and then laid out under the same manure traps or under the beds to a shallow depth. The method is effective, but not very convenient, because when planting on a garden bed, you don't really want to think and bother about digging holes for placing poisoned porridge, all the more, this should be done more often than simple manure trompe l'oeil.

It's up to the gardener to decide everything, because in addition to Metaphos, there are other poisonous drugs, but they all require a careful and deliberate approach. Using such products can harm the crop, you should always remember this and use it with caution.

7) Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko

These geckos are mainly found on the island of Madagascar, and have received several interesting nicknames. Some call this creature "eyelash leaf-tailed gecko", others - "fantastic leaf-tailed gecko". The latter name was given due to the amazing, almost fantastic appearance of this creature. This gecko has an absolutely flat tail that resembles a leaf, the body itself also looks like dry foliage, so it costs nothing to hide in anticipation of prey, as well as hide from enemies.

How to get rid of wood lice and two-tails in the garden?

Two-tailed and wood lice live only where it is damp and dark, if it is daytime. They go hunting at night, so only after sunset can you estimate their number. Often, earwigs crawl into the house and can no longer get out of there, this does not mean that they are more comfortable in the room. On the contrary, they do not really like being close to a person, because there is no food for them in a clean and tidy house. They creep in by chance, but this is a sign for a person, which means that the adjacent territory is the home of these insects. They hide under the porch, in the trash, in the crevices of the foundation, or anywhere near the front door.

Perhaps the rainwater from the roof is flowing very close to your home, creating ideal conditions for dwelling lovers of humidity. In this case, it is necessary to build a drainage system that will take the collected drops away from the building.

All kinds of rubbish, garbage containers, broken bricks or stones, deposits of various objects should be removed to a special place or away from the front door and windows. Cracks and crevices are sealed to prevent possible entry for two-tails.

Woodlice in an apartment or house are less common, their favorite place is stumps, rotting tops, rotten boards, which summer residents use as paths between the beds. By lifting one such board, you can see which species of insects predominantly live on the site. Only there will be only those who are accustomed to increased dampness. Wood lice can start in the bathroom or shower for the same reasons - high humidity and the presence of places for shelter.

Traditional methods

It is very easy to get rid of earwigs and wood lice using the most common method. You need to find the places of their accumulation and go out on a real hunt, having previously boiled the kettle. Hot water leaves no chance of survival, so the population will decrease significantly if you walk through all such places. After treatment with boiling water, you can sprinkle the found dwellings saltso that no one else will return there.

Insecticides

The drug copes well with insects Tetrix and Dichlorvos... It is necessary to use them according to the instructions, because they are released in different forms and packaging. Boric acid also helps, which must be mixed with water and sprayed with this solution especially likely places of occurrence of parasites.

Devil fish

One group of fish that is renowned for its ability to imitate, the monkfish are adept at camouflaging.Thanks to such an inconspicuous appearance, it easily catches prey and hides from predators. Some species of this group mimic rocks or corals, others turn into ascidians or sponges. Some of them can imitate other underwater creatures, for example, sea urchins, others disguise themselves as rocks covered with algae. Without this kind of careful camouflage, the fish-devils would be too vulnerable, so they adapted to hide from enemies with the help of a strange appearance.

The main plants are semi-parasites

In these representatives, we can see green foliage, which is involved in the process of photosynthesis. They take moisture and the necessary part of mineral elements from their victim.

In most cases, they are completely undemanding to the composition of the soil, and settle on the stem or root part of plants. They grow on grasses and shrubs or vines with a lignified stem or well-formed bark.

Ivan - yes - Marya

• The scientific name of this plant is Maryannik oak. It is attributed to the Maryannikov family and the Norichnikov family.
• A pretty plant with yellowish-purple flowers is a semi-parasite. The root system is very poorly developed, but there are plenty of suckers. They join the herbaceous plants that live in the meadows, as well as the trees.
• The hosts include alder, spruce, willow, walnut, clover, lungwort and shepherd's purse. The semi-parasite takes salts, minerals and moisture from their root system. When enough strength is gained, a young offspring grows up - a semi-parasite.
• In this family there are also such varieties that also belong to semi-parasites: eyebright, rattle, mytnik, trotsia.

Mistletoe

• Surely many have seen this semi-parasite on tall trees in parks or garden plots. Mistletoe happily settle on conifers and fruit trees.
• The circumference of the bush is at least 1 m, the plant is represented by small green leaves, the fruits are expressed by small berries, sticky to the touch.
• Mistletoe is very harmful to trees, completely destroying and de-energizing the bark over time. The yield of fruit crops drops sharply.
• It is sucked to the surface of the tree using powerful suction cups - rhizoids. Mistletoe leaf plates are involved in photosynthesis, and it takes minerals and moisture from trees.
• You can often find this semi-parasite on trees such as apple and pear often found in gardens, as well as on alder, birch, poplar and willow.
• Despite the harm that mistletoe does to trees, it also has a useful function - it is often used for medicinal purposes to prepare medicines.

9) Scorpion Fish

This creature also knows how to disguise itself as fallen leaves. Only under water. They use this disguise to remain undetected for prey. Fish hide between corals near the bottom, resembling plants. Their movements are smooth, driven by underwater currents. The victims of these creatures, not suspecting anything, swim closer to the fish, thinking that these are plants. A cunning scorpion fish at the same second grabs the unfortunate victim.

Why do insects appear on the site?

The appearance of various insects on the site is quite normal, if they are there - this does not mean that you need to fight them. Only an excessive number of them speaks of the need to sound the alarm. For example, bugs and many spiders are not dangerous for young shoots and further harvest. Only those who can use for food what the summer resident is trying to grow all summer are harmful. There are not many of these pests, but if their number forces them to resort to searching for a method for destruction, then it is time to study information about the species, threats and ways to drive them out of their territory.

Many factors contribute to population growth and rapid reproduction.Cluttering of the site, the location of the garden, overgrown territories of neighbors, during not weeding the grass, acidic soil - all this leads to an increase in the number of threatening and ordinary insects.

First you need to put things in order in your garden, free the earth from rotting stumps, logs and boards. It is necessary to remove flat objects from the ground, which do not allow the sun to dry and warm the soil. Watering should only be done in the beds; water in shaded areas can maintain constant moisture, which attracts some species.

Tree trunks must be whitewashed, dry bark is removed, cracks and crevices are sealed with a special mixture. Various pests (aphids, beetles, butterfly larvae and others) are taken into the bark, they find in this dwelling for the winter. Many do not even think to deal with trees, thinking that everyone creeping under their feet is a big delusion.

In the ruins of broken bricks and large stones, a two-tailed beetle, wood lice, various spiders and large beetles are hiding. Anything that might become a pest's home should be cleaned up if possible.

Under the tank for watering water, its own atmosphere reigns, the grass is better there, it is always wet and there is something to profit from. This place is very attractive for crawlers; in order to avoid this, it is necessary to place the tank on a flooded foundation or on a pillow of dense gravel, to create an environment that is not suitable for pests to live.

It is recommended to carry out cleaning in early spring, as soon as the snow melts, when the awakened insects did not have time to give offspring. At the end of the season, a thorough cleaning should also be carried out, because everything that was not removed will give "fruits" the next year and the work will double.

To know how to deal with harmful creatures and other methods, it is necessary to understand how they used to spend their day of life. This will provide a useful advantage to the gardener, which will speed up the release of the earth from excessive insects.

The main diseases of humans and animals caused by saprophytes

Saprophytes and living organisms were not left alone in search of a nutrient medium. Many animals and humans are infected with spores of certain parasitic fungi. Basically, the skin in contact with the external environment, hair and nails are affected.

The main fungi are parasites of humans, cause all well-known diseases - scab, lichen, all kinds of mycoses, and due to the decomposition of the waste products of the fungus, serious poisoning of the host's body.

Saprophytes - parasitic fungi, the table of which is presented below, is quite amenable to effective destruction, both by drugs and folk remedies.

It is important to know that fungal infections are very hardy. Under natural conditions, fungal spores die only at very high temperatures. They are not afraid of frost, and a long stay without food. Therefore, only boiling or treatment with aggressive chemicals can be considered effective preventive measures.

Pests of cereal crops

Hessian fly

Winter wheat pest

Larvae of the older generation overwinter in cavities of winter wheat stalks. Seedlings damaged by a fly stop growing, the stem becomes discolored and dries up. In case of damage at a later date, the stems bend and droop.

Control measures: for the destruction of larvae - carrying out post-harvest stubble plowing; immediate plowing of the land. Insecticide treatment: Cruiser, Eforia.

Cereal leafworm

Pest of wheat, barley

Butterfly years take place in June-July. Overwintering of hatched caterpillars takes place in forest belts, not far from fields. In spring they fly over to winter crops. The main pests of the caterpillar penetrate into the leaf axils, gnaw out cavities, and feed on grains.

Control measures: During the period of larvae emergence, the marginal territory adjacent to the forest belt is treated with the preparation "Karate Zeon".

Common cereal aphid

Pest of all cereals

They overwinter at the stage of fertilized eggs on the foliage of cereal crops. With the beginning of spring, larvae emerge from the eggs. They reproduce in a parthenogenetic way. It gives about 10 generations per season.

Control measures: Crops are treated with preparations "Karate Zeon", "Eforia".

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Wheat thrips

They hibernate in the form of larvae in the ground at a depth of 10-20 cm. During the earing period, adult thrips emerge. Females in spikelet scales lay several eggs in each, in total fertility is 20-30 eggs. Larvae develop in 2-3 weeks. At this time, the larvae feed on the pouring grain, which affects the mass and quality of the grain, subsequently, the yield loss is over 20%. In hot dry weather, it actively reproduces.

Control measures: Post-harvest stubble plowing; plowing; insecticide treatment "Aktara", "Karate Zeon", "Eforia".

Bread beetle

Pest of winter crops

Beetles damage during the period of filling, feed on dairy grains of wheat. After harvesting grain, it hides in the remains of straw and under haystacks, as well as in forest belts. At the end of summer, females lay 10-15 eggs in the soil. The larvae feed on the leaves of winter crops. With the onset of frost, they go into the soil until spring.

Control measures: Quick harvest, stubble plowing, deep plowing. Before sowing, the seeds are treated with Kruiser preparations. Against the larvae of the first instars - treatment with insecticides "Aktara", "Eforia".

Harmful turtle

In our territory, it is quite common in the southeastern regions. With mass reproduction, it causes enormous damage to wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn, sometimes sunflowers, sainfoin and beets.

The adult has a broad-oval body 9-13 mm in color: from light brown to dark gray.

Adults overwinter under fallen leaves, in the remains of various plants in field-protective plantations.

There are two types of harmful turtles: migratory (travel from 150-20 km from the wintering site to grain crops and back) and sedentary (short flights from 20-50 km).

Small seed nutcracker

In Russia, it is widespread. Larvae are pests of: cereals, potato tubers, beet and carrot roots, seeds and seedlings.

Adult beetles overwinter in the soil at a depth of one meter; at the end of May, the beginning of mass summer and oviposition; feed on pollen of flowers and leaves of cereals. The larvae born in June feed on the roots of cereals, harming seeds, underground stems and tubers.

Six-point cicada

A pest of wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, rice, millet, buckwheat, sunflower, beet, perennial legumes.

Philippine leaf

The Philippine leaf-beetle (Phyllium philippinicum) is an insect with a wide and flat body, similar to a leaf. Found in the rainforests of South Asia, the islands of the Indian Ocean and Australia. The Filipino leaflet has sizes from 28 to 100 mm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, males are smaller than females. The leafy parts of the insect's body mimic leaves in color and structure. They can also disguise themselves as damaged leaves: holes sometimes appear on some parts of the body.

The movement of the insect imitates the swaying of the leaf from side to side, as if the wind was blowing on it. Due to its appearance, the Filipino leaflet is relatively protected from potential predators. These insects reproduce sexually, but females sometimes have a form of reproduction called parthenogenesis.

Weed harm

The amount of weed in the garden will accordingly determine the harm caused to it. He literally crushes his support. Under the yoke of a parasitic plant, vegetable crops are deformed and dry out over time. If the affected bush manages to survive, then its development slows down significantly, and there will no longer be the benefit that was expected to be obtained from it.

The dodder parasite plant can cause tremendous harm. In addition to the fact that the weed selects juices from other plants, it serves as a carrier of many viral infections that subsequently infect healthy crops. Through haustoria, the pest introduces pathogenic bacteria into its victim.

Pet owners need to be especially careful when mowing. Fields of clover and alfalfa are often littered with dodder. If harmful grass gets into the hay, it contributes to the formation of mold. Such food loses its beneficial properties and taste. There were cases when, with a large amount of dodder in the hay, poisoning of cattle occurred.

Pest of cereals and legumes

Striped root weevil

Pest of annual and perennial crops: peas, beans; perennial types of legumes.

Beetles hibernate shallowly in the soil and under vegetation debris in fields with perennial legume grasses. They come out in droves at the end of April.

Control measures: Early sowing of peas. Plant legumes in isolation from perennial crops. After harvesting the peas, plowing the field. Spraying of crops with permitted types of insecticides in the germination phase.

Pea moth

Pest of peas, lentils.

Caterpillars overwinter in the soil in cocoons. Pupate in April.

Control measures: Carrying out autumn plowing, adherence to optimal sowing dates, timely harvesting of grain legumes. In case of mass defeat - the use of insecticides in time before the appearance of caterpillars.

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Views

Despite the simple structure of the weed, there are more than 100 species of it. The most common are the following plant varieties:

• Field. A pale yellow bindweed entangles the middle and lower parts of the support. It blooms in white and has abundant fruiting.Plants that can infect the field dodder include: weeds, peas, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, melons, yellow melilot, beets, alfalfa, clover, vetch, tobacco.
• Thyme. The red parasitic herb is distinguished by curly stems and intensive growth. It is common for this species to be located at the bottom of the host plant. A bundle of branching filaments forms an "impenetrable jungle" with pink-white flowers, which are grouped into spherical inflorescences. Thyme dodder is considered a thin-stemmed and abundantly flowering plant. It parasitizes potatoes, weeds and many industrial crops.
• European. In terms of its external characteristics, this species is similar to thyme dodder. The only difference is that it has a slightly thicker stem. European dodder settles on trees, shrubs, seed plants of vegetables, beans, tobacco, various weeds, hemp and many plants grown for animal feed. Reddish strands with pink flowers often twine around the hops.
• Single-column. A powerful weed that has fleshy, thick, but not too branching stems. It has a greenish color and spike-shaped inflorescences. It affects grapes, cultivated shrubs, beets, sunflowers, cotton. It spreads to weeds such as wormwood, quinoa and nettle.
• Clover. Dodder has thin, red stems, white or pink flowers, spherical inflorescences. Before flowering, she manages to create a thick lump of threads, and then crawls to the tops. It infects many weeds, potatoes, beets, alfalfa, clover, flax, and nick.
• Linseed. The weed is yellow-green in color, the filaments of medium thickness do not have much branching, but rather juicy. Parasitizes flax, hemp, alfalfa, clover, beets and weeds.

Differences from symbionts and parasites

Unlike parasites, saprotrophic fungi do not harm the "host" on which they settled, however, under the influence of a number of factors, they are able to start a parasitic lifestyle. So, with a decrease in immunity (when the maximum permissible number of microbes in the body is exceeded), saprophytes become the cause of the development of infectious diseases of fungal etiology.

The main distinguishing features of saprophytes from symbionts and parasites are the peculiarities of their nutrition and structure.

Food

Saprophytes need a nutrient substrate to maintain their vital functions, from which they absorb nutrient components through the mycelium. Their way of feeding is diffuse-osmotic, consisting in the absorption of nutrients.

The "diet" of saprophytic fungi includes dead remains, while parasites (for example, tinder fungus, ergot, late blight, smut) feed on living cells, poisoning the "host" organism.

In contrast, for example, symbionts for their nutrition form a symbiosis with other organisms, more often - with trees, algae, other fungi and bacteria.

Structure

The main share in the structure of the saprophyte is the mycelium, which is especially well developed in species such as yeast and mold.

Agrotechnical method.

The agrotechnical method (or forestry for the conditions of forestry) in the system of measures to combat pests and diseases of green spaces has a leading place. This method is widely available and very effective. Agrotechnical measures create favorable conditions for plants to grow and increase their resistance to damage by harmful organisms.

The most important of the agrotechnical measures are as follows.

Alternation of cultures.

Limits the number of pests and diseases, especially specialized ones, affecting certain crops. The alternation of crops is of great importance in nurseries and flower farms. To avoid losses, you should not plant flowers and other plants in the same areas every year.

Use of resistant plant species and varieties.

For each natural and climatic zone, decorative tree-shrub and flower plants can be selected that are resistant to the complex of the most dangerous pests and diseases for this zone. For example, forms of oak that sooner or later bloom in spring have different resistance to pests. Maples are relatively weakly damaged by pests, although they often suffer from fungal diseases, Central Asian species of elm are resistant to Dutch disease.

The sustainability of plantings is achieved not only by the selection of resistant species and varieties, but also by their placement and combination. It is not recommended to plant together species that are reciprocal transmitters of diseases, such as poplar and pine. The stability of the plantings is also achieved by the uniform closure of the crowns, the creation of dense edges of shrubs. Mixed stands, consisting of several species, are always more resistant than pure stands. This is due to the fact that in mixed plantings there are always more beneficial birds and insects and the conditions for the spread of many plant diseases are limited.

Selection of seed and planting material.

Various pests (for example, bulb mites) and causative agents of many fungal diseases (fusarium seedlings of coniferous and deciduous species, wilting of floral plants, etc.) can be introduced into the soil with seeds, tubers, bulbs, seedlings and cuttings. When infected seedlings and trees are planted in gardens, parks and urban plantings, various types of pests and diseases can be introduced, which under new conditions will continue to damage and infect other plants. Therefore, all seed and planting material must be carefully selected and, if necessary, disinfected.

Soil processing and fertilization.

The soil is home to many harmful insects and plant pathogens. In some insects (bear), the entire life cycle takes place in the soil, where they feed on underground parts of plants. Other harmful insects are associated with the soil only at certain stages of their development. A number of pest insect species lay eggs in the soil (click beetles, darkling beetles, lamellar beetles), and their larvae eat seeds or eat plant roots. Many insects go into the soil for pupation or wintering.

Correct soil cultivation causes the death of many pests and pathogens of plant diseases that are in the soil, on its surface or on plant debris. With deep soil cultivation, insects and pathogens in the surface layers of the soil are plowed into deeper layers, and insects in the lower layers, on the contrary, are plowed to the surface of the soil, where they die. Loosening the soil creates favorable conditions for predatory insects to live in it, destroying pests. When processing the soil, the burrows of mice are destroyed.

Fertilizing the soil and feeding plants accelerates growth and increases their resistance to pests and diseases. Some fertilizers directly affect pests, for example, superphosphate causes the death of slugs.

The liming of acidic soils creates unfavorable conditions for the development of the larvae of click beetles and many pathogens of plant diseases.

Weed control.

Weed vegetation is a breeding ground for harmful organisms. Weeds serve as a habitat and a source of food for them. Spider mites, cruciferous fleas, chrysanthemum nematodes and other pests feed and multiply on weeds, and then migrate to various crops and damage them. Some weeds are intermediate hosts for some pathogens. So, pine rust parasitizes on sow thistle, mother-and-stepmother. Therefore, it is recommended to systematically and thoroughly destroy weeds and keep the plantings clean.

Sanitary and preventive measures.

Aimed at eliminating sources of infection and eliminating foci of pests and diseases. For this purpose, fallen leaves, needles, cones, fruits, dead branches and dead plants are removed from gardens and parks. Pruning of diseased and dried branches and shoots, care of crowns, sampling of trees freshly populated with stem pests, debarking and uprooting of stumps, removal of fruit bodies of mushrooms, treatment of wounds and filling of hollows are carried out.

Pruning is usually done prior to the start of the growing season. If pruning is carried out during the growing season, then the cutting sites are disinfected and covered with garden putties. The sampling of trees inhabited by stem pests is usually carried out in two periods - in the spring to early June and in the autumn-winter period.

Freshly populated trees are felled, debarked and removed from plantations. Trees that die from fungal diseases (resin crayfish, root sponge, Dutch elm disease) are also cut down and removed from the plantings. A shrub (buckthorn, barberry) is cut down if it is a transmitter of infectious diseases.

Debarking and grubbing of stumps is carried out in order to destroy harmful insects that settle under the bark and in the stumps themselves, as well as fungal diseases (honey fungus, root sponge, tinder fungi). For the same purpose, it is necessary to collect and destroy the fruiting bodies of tinder fungi.

Wound healing and filling of hollows is an important and widespread measure in urban plantings, which significantly lengthens the life of damaged trees. The wound is first cleaned of decayed wood, cutting it out to a healthy layer, then disinfected. For disinfection, a 3% solution of copper sulfate, a 3% solution of sodium fluoride and fluorosilicate, emulsion of generator shale resin, creosote or shale oil are used. The cleaned and desensitized wound is covered with resin or garden putty on top. During the treatment and filling of hollows, they are preliminarily cleaned, shaped and disinfected. The purpose of the formation of a hollow cavity or wound is to prevent the flow and accumulation of rainwater in them, to create conditions for the firm retention of the putty and the subsequent overgrowing of the wound.

If the hollow remains open after treatment, then its inner walls must be covered with a waterproof compound, for example, shale resin or other resinous compounds. In order to prevent stagnation of water, the exit is made at the base of the hollow, but it is better to completely seal the cavity. A good material for filling is a mixture of asphalt (1 part) with sand or sawdust (3-6 parts); this mixture is prepared by heating the asphalt and gradually adding sand or sawdust to it while stirring. After filling, the entrance to the hollow is covered with tin or other material.

Gaboon viper

The Gabonese viper (Bitis gabonica) is a snake that lives in the tropical forests of Africa. This predator is at the top of the food chain in its native habitat. With huge fangs and a body from 1.2 to 1.5 m long, the Gabonese viper prefers nocturnal hunting and moves slowly enough so as not to frighten off its prey. When a threat is detected, the snake hides among dry leaves on the ground.

The color of the Gabonese viper makes it difficult to identify this snake as potential predators and prey in its natural habitat. This species usually feeds on birds and small mammals.

How to save beets

Melon aphid

Numerous placers of the smallest green or black aphid beetles can destroy many plantings of vegetable and berry crops.

Important!

Aphids settle in colonies. Feeding exclusively on plant sap, which they suck from young growth, they poison the plants with injected poison, they can carry infections and viruses. In the absence of timely measures to destroy aphids, it is capable of completely destroying most of the crop.

Aphid control methods are carried out in several ways:

• mechanical, washing away insects with a stream of water;
• using a solution of wood ash and soap, decoctions of medicinal and other plants (tansy, yarrow, garlic, dandelion, tobacco, etc.);
• the destruction of populations of ants that become carriers of aphids;
• chemical insecticidal agents.

Melon aphids and spider mites

General information

What does it look like plant parasite?

The long leafless flexible stem of the weed is strewn with many small flowers of white, pink and olive flowers. Outwardly, the parasite plant resembles a ball of red, yellow or green threads.

Attention! Dodder seeds disguise themselves as the fruits of their prey, so there is a high probability of falling into flower beds and beds along with seeds of cultivated plants. It is almost impossible to manually separate dodder seeds from cultivated plants. Their cleaning is carried out on special mechanical sorting systems of large agrotechnical complexes.

How does dodder breed?

At the place of flowering, seed pods with 2-4 seeds are formed. Dodder grows well, only a few seeds are capable of sprouting to fill an area of ​​several square meters. The fruits have a high germination ability, they can give shoots even after waiting for five years in the ground.

Attention! Dodder is incredibly dangerous to animals due to the poisonous alcoids it contains. If dodder gets into hay, it becomes toxic and can harm livestock.

For whom is it dangerous?

The quarantine weed is capable of parasitizing on plants with completely different class, family and species affiliation. It affects trees, shrubs, grasses, melons, vegetables, fodder and ornamental crops, berry and vineyards.

Where does dodder live?

Most of all, this weed is widespread in Africa and America. The plant is highly adaptable to new climatic conditions. Therefore, it can often be found in the regions of Russia. More than 30 varieties are found in the middle lane, the Far East and Siberia.

Leaf butterfly

The Indian leaf butterfly (Kallima paralekta), despite its name, is native to Indonesia. These butterflies, when they fold their wings, become very similar to the dead leaves of trees. They live in tropical forest areas and come in a variety of colors, including gray, brown, red, olive, green, and pale yellow. The shading on the wings mimics the characteristic features of the leaves, such as veins and petioles.

The wings cover spots that resemble mold or other fungi that attack dead plant leaves. Instead of consuming flower nectar, the Indian leaf butterfly prefers to feed on rotten fruits.

The need for complex processing

The above are not all pests that can spoil crops and destroy seedlings. There are a huge number of them, so you should pay attention to your garden and orchard in order to notice the appearance of harmful insects at the time. When resorting to the complex treatment of a summer cottage with poisonous drugs, you need to know that beneficial insects that protect garden plants can also die.

There are many practical tips that did not appear in vain, people have used one method or another for many years to achieve results and find an effective recipe.It is not necessary to sound the alarm, today these tips are available to everyone, so you can easily grow a good and large crop.

Biological method.

The biological method in the fight against plant pests is based on the use of natural enemies of pests - entomophages - parasites and predators, as well as on the use of microorganisms - pathogens of pests.

In the fight against plant diseases, microorganisms are beginning to find use - antagonists of pathogens and antibiotics.

Parasites are animals that live inside or on the body of other host animals. The difference between parasites and predators lies in the fact that the predator kills its prey immediately, and the parasite, feeding on the host insect, leads it to death only at the end of its development period. Among the predators, many species of beetles from the family of ladybirds are known, eating aphids, scale insects and scale insects, from the family of ground beetles, which feed on caterpillars and larvae of other insects. Predatory species are found among hemiptera (bugs), retinoptera, hymenoptera (ants) and other orders of insects, as well as among ticks.

The most important parasitic insects are representatives of the orders of Hymenoptera and flies. Adult individuals of parasites lead a free lifestyle, feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. Most of Hymenoptera parasites lay eggs inside the body of the host insect, due to which they parasitize. There are various ways of laying eggs in parasitic flies, but their larvae also penetrate into the host's body and develop there.

The effectiveness of entomophages largely depends on their specialization.

For example, aphelinus, a parasite of the apple aphid, a serious pest of the apple tree, is able to independently control the reproduction of the pest. There are also many examples of the suppression of mass reproduction of such pests as the gypsy moth by several species of parasites and predators from the group of oligophages simultaneously. Among polyphages, predatory red ants of the genus Formica can be of great importance for the protection of forest parks. Methods for relocating anthills to new places where they do not exist have been developed.

In general, the methods of using beneficial insects in the fight against pests of urban and park plantations remain poorly developed, although there are a number of examples of the successful use of entomophages. In the southern regions of the country, against the Australian fluted worm, a pest of acacia, citrus and other woody and shrub plants, accidentally brought into our country, the predatory beetle rhodolia, originating from Australia, was used. The breeding grounds of the pest were suppressed.

To combat mealybugs, which damage many plants, the predatory beetle cryptolemus, also from Australia, was used. Cryptolemus can be cultured and has been successfully used to control mealybugs outdoors and in greenhouses.

In greenhouses, the predatory phytoseiulus mite, originally imported from Algeria, is used against the spider mite.

Of the local parasitic insects, the ovaries of the genus Trichogramma are used, which can develop in the eggs of more than 80 species of harmful insects, mainly butterflies. Trichogramma is propagated in special biological laboratories, using the eggs of a grain moth, easily reared in artificial conditions. An adult Trichogramma is released into natural conditions during the egg-laying period of harmful insects. Trichogramma, undoubtedly, can find application for the control of many pests of parks and forest parks.

To combat the ringed silkworm, which damages many deciduous species, the oviduct telenomus is used. When caring for the plantings, the eggs of the ringed silkworm (in the form of rings on the branches) are usually cut off and destroyed.It turned out that at the same time, at the same time with the pest, a large number of useful egg-eaters, which are inside the silkworm eggs, are destroyed. To preserve telenomus, branches cut in spring or autumn with clutches of eggs of the ringed silkworm are placed in bags and kept openly, under a canopy. Silkworm caterpillars hatching in spring are destroyed. When the telenomus begins to emerge from infected eggs (during the flight of the silkworm), it is released into the plantings.

The successful use of entomophages is possible only if favorable conditions for their development are created. For many entomophages, a source of additional nutrition is needed - nectar and pollen from flowering plants. In places where nectar-bearing plants are abundant and their flowering is long, many entomophages accumulate.

It should be borne in mind that pesticides used against harmful insects can also destroy entomophages. To avoid this, you need to know the biology of pests and their main entomophages. It is advisable to carry out chemical treatments against pests at times that are safe for beneficial insects, for example, in early spring before bud break.

A rational combination of various methods of struggle gives the best results.

For plantings in cities, birds are especially useful, destroying harmful insects. To attract birds in plantations, artificial nests are arranged (birdhouses, nest boxes), bird feeding is done in winter.

Bats, hedgehogs, and shrews also destroy pests, and they must be protected from extermination.

Recently, great success has been achieved in the use of microorganisms in the fight against plant pests and diseases.

The domestic biological product entobacterin used against insect pests is harmless to humans, bees and other beneficial insects. It can be used in any phase of the growing season of plants, including during flowering and harvesting, when any chemical treatment of plants is unacceptable. Entobacterin is effective in the fight against more than 45 types of pests - apple, fruit, bird cherry, euonymus, lilac and cabbage moths, hawthorn, winter moth, willow wolf, pine, Siberian, ringed and unpaired silkworms, golden buds, rosacea and rosacea. The drug enters the insect's body along with the food, therefore it must be used during the period of active nutrition of the pests. Entobacterin has a stronger effect at a temperature of +17 - + 30 ° C. For spraying on 10 liters of water take from 1 to 10 g of entobacterin, stir, forming an aqueous suspension, the consumption of the drug is 2.5-5 kg ​​per 1 ha.

Dendrobacillin, used to control many pests, especially from the order Lepidoptera, boverin, which causes in many harmful insects (butterflies, beetles, bugs) a disease called muscardina.

Bacterial preparations are widely used in the fight against mice, rats and voles. Isachenko bacteria are used to kill rats, Merezhkovsky bacteria are used against mice. Other bacterial preparations are also used. Bacterial cultures are prepared in special laboratories and stored in hermetically sealed jars. On a bacterial culture, flour is kneaded by adding grain and vegetables. The prepared dough is cut into pieces and scattered in rodent habitats.

The best results of combating harmful rodents with the help of bacterial preparations are obtained when they are used in the autumn-winter period in places of accumulation of rodents.

The biological method of combating plant diseases has not yet found wide practical application.

For the destruction of phytopathogenic fungi inhabiting the soil, it is recommended to use trichodermin preparations. Trichodermin, prepared by propagating the culture of the fungus on peat, preheated to + 100 ° C for 20-30 minutes.

The biological method of combating organisms harmful to plants (both pests and diseases) is usually used as an integral part of systems of measures, which include chemical, agrotechnical and other methods.

Name and description of saprophytic fungi

There are edible mushrooms among saprophytic organisms. These are champignons, morels, raincoats, umbrella mushrooms, dung beetles, summer mushrooms.

Champignon

Most buy mushrooms at the store. They sell mushrooms grown on a special substrate under cultivated conditions. Few people know that champignons can be found in the meadow and even in the forest. Wikipedia lists as many as 20 types of mushrooms. Among them, only 2 are poisonous and 4 are conditionally edible, the rest are quite suitable for food and even very tasty.

Everything is clear about cultural varieties. Let's talk about forest and meadow mushrooms. In the meadow, you can most often find field and meadow mushrooms. They grow where the land is fertilized with manure or bird droppings, in a word, on grazing livestock and poultry. Both of these species are especially good when young, while their hat looks like an egg, the plates have not yet darkened and are pink in color, and the coverlet has not yet burst to form a characteristic skirt. In meadow and field mushrooms, the cap is snow-white, only in the first it is egg-shaped at a young age, and in the second it looks more like a bell. His flesh turns yellow from touch, and the bedspread can be two-layer, forming the same ring.

The forest mushroom has a brownish-brown cap, covered with brown scales. The forest mushroom is found in mixed and coniferous forests, often grows near anthills.

Mushroom umbrella

It is a relative of the champignon, as it belongs to the same family, but its size is much larger. In an adult mushroom, a light cap, covered with dark brown shaggy scales, can reach 35 cm in diameter, and the stem can grow up to 40 cm in height and have a thickness of 4 cm. It is also covered with small scales. The mushroom has a blanket that turns into a ring with age, which moves freely along the leg. Russian mushroom pickers treat it with caution and most often bypass it. And in vain. This mushroom is delicious, especially at a young age when it is more tender. In Europe, the umbrella is sometimes added to salads, even raw. He loves light forests, begins to bear fruit in June and ends in late autumn.

Morels

They open the mushroom season. This mushroom is difficult to confuse with something. The dark brown conical cap is pitted with indentations and this makes it seem tracery. The leg is white, hollow inside. These mushrooms love to grow in light forests, on the edges. They begin to collect morels immediately after the snow melts. The mushroom is considered conditionally edible. It is used after boiling for 20 minutes. The broth must be drained.

Enemy number 5 - the worst pest of the Colorado potato beetle

A dangerous beetle pest for potatoes, as well as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants - Colorado. Adults are rather large with a bright orange-yellow body covered with longitudinal black stripes. Beetle larvae completely eat up the leaves of crops, therefore, at the first signs of the appearance of a pest, measures must be taken.

You can fight the scourge with a proven mechanical method, collecting beetles and larvae by hand, destroying the egg-laying. Additionally, after the end of the assembly, the plants are treated with a tincture of wood ash, liquid soap and crushed wormwood tops, mixed with hot water and infused for several days.

Ready-made insect control agents - "Akotfit" and specialized "Coloradocide".

Yellow gooseberry sawfly

Caterpillars (insect larvae) cause significant damage to plants in a short time. They destroy the leaves of red currants and gooseberries, completely eating them away. As a result, only thick veins remain, and the bushes may be completely devoid of leaves. In addition, the growth and development of fruits stops - the berries remain small, wither and fall off.The plants themselves, affected by the pest, do not tolerate the winter well and may die.

During the period of pupation of sawflies, it is necessary to carry out autumn digging of the soil and loosening.

To protect plants from these garden pests, infusions and decoctions of insecticidal plants (garlic, wormwood, tobacco) are also used and sprayed with an infusion of ash. In addition, they carry out manual collection of insects, as well as shaking them off the bushes on newspapers or cloth.

Feeding leaflets

Javanese leaflets are fed with raspberry, oak and blackberry leaves; they can also be given strawberry, guava, privet leaves.

It should be borne in mind that young leaflets prefer tender parts of plants, but they should not be given leaves that have just unfolded from the buds, since they contain substances poisonous to insects.

Keeping a leaflet at home will require special attention to the food these insects feed on.

You cannot feed the dried leaves of leaflets, so you will have to solve the issue with winter feed: you will need to plant bushes of indoor strawberries and germinate oaks from acorns. It should be borne in mind that with a sharp change in food, the insect may die, therefore, leaflets are gradually taught to new food.

Grasshoppers

Some species of grasshoppers from the family (Tettigoniidae), in order to avoid encounters with predators, imitate plant leaves in the smallest detail. These insects have flat bodies and disguises that resemble leaf veins and decay spots.

When alarmed, they freeze motionless in the hope of avoiding detection. If they feel threatened, they fly away.

Amazon slingshot

The Amazonian slingshot (Ceratophrys cornuta) is a frog from the rainforests of South America. The body color and warty ridges give the frogs a resemblance to leaves lying on the ground. Amazonian slingshots hide in leaves and then attack their prey (such as small reptiles, mice, and other frogs). This is a rather aggressive species of frogs, eating almost anything that moves past their large mouths.

Acacia dodder (Pakistan)

Holoparasite Hyobanche sanguinea

, Richtersfeld Nature Reserve, North Cape Province, South Africa