Many gardeners who grow red currants have noticed ugly, ugly swellings on the leaves of this plant in the spring. In appearance, the signs resemble a disease, however, this is the "work" of an insect pest, namely, a gall aphid. The swellings on the leaves are called galls, hence the name of the pest.
The insect prefers to infect young foliage, which cannot but affect the health of the shrub and the future harvest. In the article, we will consider the causes and signs of damage to red currants by gall aphids, find out how you can cope with this problem, and what kind of prevention will help prevent the attack.
Distinctive features of gall aphid as a pest
The red-gall aphid is common across the globe. More often appears on the leaves of mint, lavender, sage, currant. Outwardly differs from the usual green gall aphid. These are insect pests that reach up to 2 mm in length. If you look at the spots on the leaves of the currant, you can see the hairs of a green-yellow color in the ovoid bodies of a short length.
Gallic aphid loves warmth and reproduces in spring and summer. One pest can breed from one hundred to two hundred individuals per season. The gall aphid was named for the holes it produces. The insect makes an injection, in this place tissue begins to form, which looks like a growth - gall.
If the currants are not cured in time, the aphids will "suck" all the juices from the plants - there will be no harvest. The pest is able to spread viruses - during a bite, the leaves become infected, in addition to fighting insects, plants will have to be treated.
Description and harm
The gall aphid is one of the representatives of the numerous family of these insects. Currently, gall aphids can be found all over the world - in places where there are berry bushes. This insect prefers red currants, less often white and black. Since this insect is covered with hairs under magnification, it is sometimes also called “hairy” aphids.
Gall aphid on red currant
Aphids do not live on currants all the time, but only until mid-July: during this period, insects grow wings, and they fly away. However, damage to the bush has time to be inflicted by that time already serious. Note that the aphid does not fly far away - if there is a lot of weeds and weeds around the currants, then the insect will perfectly settle on these plants in order to fly back to the currant bushes in the fall for wintering.
The harm from gall aphids is palpable: the insect, drinking currant juices, significantly depletes the shoots. The growths that are visible to the naked eye are the plant's attempts to heal its wounds. If you do not take measures to combat insects, aphids can lead to the complete drying out of the branches of the bush. You may also be interested in learning about why white bloom occurs on currant leaves.
In the video - what does the gall aphid on red currants look like:
Aphids attract other insects to the site, for example, ants. The latter use aphids as a "cash cow", while they themselves, in the meantime, also feed on the juice of berry bushes. On top of all the dangers, gall aphids often act as a carrier of dangerous diseases.
Note in addition that currant shoots affected by aphids are unlikely to catch up with healthy ones in growth, since their development slows down significantly.But how is the treatment of currants from aphids after flowering, and which means should be used, is indicated here.
Signs of defeat
What symptoms can indicate that the red currant is infected with gall aphid.
Infection with this pest begins with the apical buds, which bloom in the spring. But before the leaves appear, the insect usually fails to be found. When the green mass has blossomed, you can notice the deformation of individual leaves.
Galls are formed on the surface of the leaves - characteristic swellings in the form of dense lumps of an orange-red hue, ugly and disfiguring the entire appearance of the plant.
In addition, young shoots are deformed, as their growth stops, the petioles become crooked. If you notice these signs, do not be too lazy to look under the lower part of the leaves - there it is quite possible to see the insects themselves. But how to deal with aphids on currant bushes, and what means should be used, is indicated in this article.
What harm can currants do?
Usually gall aphids like to eat red currants - they have thin leaves that are easier to pierce and suck out the juice. A bump forms at the site of the bite. Those who are not familiar with aphids may think that the currants are infected with something. If you turn over the leaves, you can see the insects that have settled there.
10 best ways to get rid of aphids on currants
Gall aphids can harm currants as follows:
- deform the leaves;
- attract other insects - ants and pest beetles;
- deplete shoots;
- reduce the harvest to a minimum;
- infect shrubs with viral infections of various types;
- atrophy old and new shoots;
- stop the growth of fresh growths on the bushes;
- in the end - to destroy all shrubs that cannot be restored, followed by exploitation - the currants will simply dry out.
If the gall aphid is not eliminated in time, it will destroy the bushes.
What aphid attacks currants: types
2 types of aphids can settle on currant bushes: gall leaf and gooseberry shoot. The names are given to them depending on which plant organs these insects infect. Both the one and the other species attack the bush in May - June. Insects reproduce very quickly - 2 times a month, females lead a generation of 150 larvae.
Did you know? Aphids reproduce at a very fast pace - in one season, they can reproduce from 12 to 18 generations.
Gall aphid
You can suspect that aphids have settled on a plant culture by the appearance of characteristic red swollen spots on the leaves. If, after detecting these signs, you look under the leaf plate, then under it there will be an accumulation of small insects with a body size of up to 2 mm, green or black. This is the leaf aphid (Capitophorus ribis).
If you do not start treatment in a timely manner, then the leaves will gradually dry out, fall off, and soon the plant will completely die.
Gooseberry aphid
This type of insect leads to the fact that at the tops of the shoots, the leaves curl into a kind of cocoons. It is in them that parasites settle along with their companions - ants.
Gooseberry aphids have a green oval body 1.8–2.2 mm long. Their larvae live on the tops of the shoots. Adults live in colonies.
Signs of defeat
Some symptoms may indicate aphid infestation:
- Deformation of the leaves.
- The presence of blisters of red or orange (sometimes brown) - it seems as if the plant is "baked" in the sun.
- Cessation of the growth of new shoots.
- The presence of pests under the lower part of the leaves.
Due to inexperience, you can lose crops and shrubs. It is important to know how aphids visually look in order to eliminate them in time.
How can a bush be cured?
You can treat aphids from currants as follows:
- mechanically;
- resorting to the use of folk methods;
- using insecticides or biological agents.
In advanced cases, it is better to choose a chemical - the yield of currants due to the defeat of aphids will still decrease or disappear. But if you notice pests in time, it is better to choose a biological preparation or treat the bushes with tincture of marigolds, wormwood, soap, etc.
Effective ways to remove aphids from a summer cottage
Mechanical methods
Mechanical pruning of infected leaves, currant shoots from aphids is suitable in case of timely detection of parasites. Pests can be collected with your own hands. Then inspect each leaf, if some of them are deformed, you should immediately cut them out, burn them as far as possible from the bushes.
It's important to know! Mechanical treatment will be effective only at the initial stage of infection. In advanced cases, it will not help.
Insects usually live in the lower part of the currant foliage. If you burn the affected leaves on the site, there is a high likelihood of re-infection with aphids.
Traditional methods
Folk methods of dealing with aphids have their advantages. This is efficiency, speed, safety. More often used as a prophylaxis. Folk methods do not harm the shoots, the future harvest.
The most popular methods of "natural" processing are:
- the use of tobacco;
- infusions (from marigolds, needles, onions, tops, etc.);
- soap solution;
- fumigation;
- milk with iodine;
- wood ash;
- vodka;
- coca cola;
- Apple vinegar;
- green soap;
- garlic;
- boric acid;
- soda.
Each of the aphid control methods has its advantages. More often, infusions are made and shrubs are sprayed (poured) for prevention. But also these methods are suitable as pest control. Fumigation is especially effective. It is possible to treat gall aphids in a short time on currants with the help of tobacco, vodka or boric acid.
Tobacco use
Each currant bush must be sprayed with aphid tobacco solution. For 2 liters of water, you will need 600 grams of dry tobacco leaves. The ingredient is poured with water, set aside in a dark place for 4 days. Then it is filtered and mixed with tar soap (200 g). Concentrated solution - before spraying, it is diluted with water 2: 5, then applied to shrubs using a spray bottle.
Infusions
Infusions effectively fight against gall aphids on red currants.
It's important to know! The infusions are intended for spraying greens - not for flooding the roots.
To process currants from aphids, you will need a large spray bottle or a special device that treats a large number of potato bushes from pest beetles.
- From marigolds. Aphids avoid marigolds - they taste bitter. From the ingredients, you should take chopped flowers - 500 g, pour 8 liters of water. Stand for 3 days. Strain. Pour in 100 g of liquid soap (tar is suitable). Mix thoroughly, you do not need to dilute with water in the future.
- Mustard. For infusion, you need to mix dry mustard powder (30 g) per 1 liter of water at 80 degrees. Insist 2 days. Dilute in 8 liters of water and 75 ml of liquid hand soap. The solution is ready.
- Coniferous. Stir 250 g of spruce needles with 1 liter of water and boil for half an hour. Cool and set aside in a dark place for 3 days. Strain and dilute in 9 liters of water.
- From onion skins. Aphids flee from their "place of residence" if sprayed with a solution with a pungent odor. You will need 500 g of onion husks and 6 liters of water. Boil for half an hour. Cool, leave to infuse for 8 hours. Strain, remove the onion skins, and pour another 5 liters of water over the dark brown liquid.
- From potato or tomato tops. Used in combination with chemicals or biological agents to combat aphids. You will need 2 kg of tops of both types. They should be finely chopped, pour 10 liters of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Cool, leave in the refrigerator for a day. Dilute with 5 liters of water and process the bushes once a day for a week.
- Ash with wormwood.Ingredients: liquid soap (100 g), ash (250 g), wormwood (650 g), water - 7 liters. Grind the wormwood, mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and boil for half an hour. Cool, leave in the refrigerator for 7 hours. Then dilute with water 1: 2.
- From celandine. Celandine, like marigolds, is considered a repellent plant. You will need 3 kg of celandine and 10 liters of water. Grind the ingredient, add cold water. Set aside for a day. You do not need to dilute - you will need a highly concentrated solution.
- From horse sorrel. The roots of horse sorrel (take by eye, taking into account the number of infected currant bushes), pour water and set aside for 5 hours. Strain, spray the plants. For effectiveness, add green soap, tar or liquid. Garlic feathers are added to prevent and stimulate the growth of shoots.
Important! Spraying is carried out after 5 o'clock in the afternoon, in the late afternoon, in dry weather. It is necessary to ensure that each leaf is treated with a solution - then the gall aphid on the currant will die.
Soap solution
Often, soap is used to combat aphids and other pests on currant bushes. It is usually mixed with garlic and other ingredients. Sometimes they are used separately. For 10 liters of water, you will need 400 ml of liquid or tar soap. The solid is grated and mixed with warm water.
Fumigation
Fumigation is an effective way to quickly and safely (without harming plants) get rid of aphids on currants. The plus is that the smoke is able to penetrate into the bushes, hilling each leaf. Usually rubber, tobacco or mushrooms are set on fire. Smoke treatment is carried out before bud break on the shoots. Otherwise, fumigation can harm the future harvest.
The rubber is melted in an old and unnecessary saucepan, then set under the bush. The procedure lasts 3-4 hours - it is better to keep track of the time, but the longer the duration, the more effective the final result will be.
Milk and iodine
For 8 liters of water, you will need a liter of milk and 10 ml of iodine. It is important not to overdo it with the last ingredient - it can harm the shoots, for example, leave burns. Treat the currants from aphids with a spray bottle.
Wood ash
For 5 liters of water at a temperature of 65 degrees, you will need 3 glasses of wood ash and 3 tbsp. l. liquid soap for hand washing. Mix everything thoroughly, leave in a dark place for 24 hours. Then strain and spray the currant bushes. The method will effectively get rid of pests, additionally saturate the plants with useful minerals.
Vodka
Use vodka or moonshine. Put the spray bottle directly on the bottle (no need to mix alcohol with water). A pungent smell will get into the respiratory openings of the aphid, it will begin to suffocate, not having the strength to hold on to the leaves and shoots. As a result, it will fall down, and when the smell disappears, the aphids migrate to other places in search of new food.
The advantages of this method are the ability to process currants regardless of the fruiting period. It won't hurt the harvest.
Coca Cola
The sweet carbonated drink contains phosphoric acid. It will not harm a person in small quantities, and for aphids such a composition will be destructive. Pour a liter of black soda into 6 liters of water. Spray all bushes.
Coca-Cola will kill aphids and additionally bees will flock to the sweet aroma. If you spray during the flowering period of the bushes, the bees will flock to the sweetness and pollinate the flowers - this will have a positive effect on the yield.
Apple vinegar
For 5 liters of water, you will need 6-7 tbsp. l. vinegar. It is more convenient to add 2 tbsp. To a 2 liter plastic bottle. l. apple cider vinegar and shake the contents thoroughly. Spray the currants with a spray bottle. A strong unpleasant smell will cause aphids to leave the place of residence.
Green soap
There are no chemicals and other harmful substances in green soap - it will not harm the currants, but it will work effectively against aphids. 150 ml of soap is diluted in 5 liters of water.Pour into a sprayer and perform the procedure in calm and not too hot weather.
Boric acid
1 packet contains 10 grams of boric acid. One bag is enough for 5 liters of water. Odorless and colorless. But for aphids, acid is toxic - it kills pests in a week. Does not affect fruiting. The taste and smell of berries is the same. After the extermination of aphids, you can spray the bushes with water abundantly if desired - this will wash away the remnants of boric acid. It is not toxic to humans.
Garlic
Garlic has a pungent and unpleasant odor that repels aphids on currants. 300 g of garlic teeth should be passed through a press and filled with warm water - 2 liters. Insist 6 days. For a plastic container with a spray bottle with a volume of 1.5 liters, you will need only 100 ml of tincture - it is very concentrated.
The solution acts not only as a repeller. Garlic burns aphids, and they die in a short time. But there is a minus - with the first rain, the protection will subside.
Soda
For an effective solution, you will need 5 tbsp. l. soda per 2.5 liters of water. Liquid soap is poured in as a fixative ingredient - 3 tbsp. l.
It's important to know! It is better to use soda ash - it will exterminate aphids on currants in a short time. To increase efficiency, add 1 tsp to the solution. iodine.
Special drugs
Chemical or biological agents are used. To work with the former, you will need gloves and a protective mask. Chemicals are treated before bud ripening or after harvest.
- Nitrofen is an effective remedy for gall aphids on currant leaves. It should be processed before bud break. Dilute the ampoule following the instructions. It is important to grab the bushes along with the soil around them.
- Aktara. The drug is a broad spectrum of action. Valid for 60 days after spraying. Fights aphids and other pests. Resistant to rain. Pour 1 sachet into a filled 2 liter bucket. Then another 1 liter is poured in. Pour the solution into a sprayer and add ¼ more water. Mix thoroughly and you can start spraying.
- Tanirek can cause paralysis and convulsions in aphids. Then the pest dies. Valid for 1 month. Does not wash away with rain. Does not harm garden crops - acts purposefully on aphids and other insects that harm currants. Tanrek is odorless and effectively kills all aphids in 3 days. It can be easily diluted in water by following the instructions. Of the minuses, it is dangerous for bees. It is necessary to add liquid soap to the solution to fix it - otherwise the preparation will not "stick" to the currant leaves. The procedure is performed early in the morning or late in the evening - spraying under the open sun is prohibited. For 1 liter of water, you will need 1.5 ml of the product. Then dilute the resulting raw materials in a 5 liter bucket with liquid.
- Kinmix. Does not poison plants, negatively affects only pests in the form of aphids, ticks, ants. It does not harm people and animals. It is necessary to spray the leaves on both sides. Available in ampoules - 1 piece is enough for 10 liters of water. It works within 4 weeks - depending on the weather - with the first rain the effect of the drug decreases.
- Actellic is an insecticide that kills aphids, ticks and other insects that can harm plants. Available in ampoules. One piece is enough for 2 liters. The plantings are treated with Aktellik using a spray bottle, without forgetting about protective clothing and a mask.
- Karbofos destroys adult aphids on currants and larvae. Valid for 4 hours. The poison continues to protect the currants 3 weeks after spraying. Additionally, it protects bushes from ticks, ants, weevils, flies, bedbugs, mealy worms. Dilute the solution following the instructions. Apply the finished product within an hour. In combination with other insecticides, Karbofos is contraindicated. The maximum application per season is 2 times. In the heat, it is prohibited to process this product - the maximum temperature is +15. To dilute 10 liters of water, 75 grams of Karbofos will be needed.It is permissible to process plants a month before harvesting - this is the minimum.
- Calypso - relieves gall aphids in a day. It is produced in the form of an emulsion in 10 ml vials. There is a concentrated thick product, as well as a ready-made tincture, which is applied using a spray bottle. The concentrate should be diluted with water, following the instructions - 2 ml for 4 liters of water. If the case is neglected, the amount of concentrate is doubled. It is important to process each leaf on both sides of the red currant bushes. Reapply after 2 weeks.
- Votafox is considered a broad-spectrum acaricide. Release in ampoules - one will be enough for 10 liters of water - if the extent of the lesion does not reach a critical point.
- Proteus will get rid of gall aphids without causing much harm to red currants. Valid for 3 days. The Proteus solution is on sale, which does not need to be diluted with water. The bushes should be processed a month before the crop appears.
- Fufanon is another effective pest control drug.
Biological agents:
- Avertin is a "pure" drug without chemicals, which has a negative effect only on insects. It does not harm people and animals. When aphids enter the stomach, Avertin paralyzes them.
- Aktofit - the composition contains a neurotoxin that acts on the nervous system of aphids. It is better to apply the drug in the late afternoon, but when the weather is still clear. It is not recommended to use in hot weather. It is better to find out the weather forecast for the next week in advance - if rain is forecasted, it is better to postpone the procedure.
- Bitoxibacillin is an effective biological remedy for gall aphids. It is diluted in water - 100 ml of the substance will be needed for 5 liters. Spray with a spray bottle. Can be used a week before picking currants - the protein bacteria in the composition will not harm the berries and will not poison them.
Biological agents last longer than chemical agents. But they can process currants from aphids without fear for the quality of the crop. Cons - with the first rain, you will have to repeat the procedure.
Chemical and biological products
With a strong infection of currant bushes with gall aphids, it is more effective to use modern drugs against insect pests. First, it is desirable to carry out the treatment with biological agents. The main active ingredient of such drugs are spores of fungi and bacteria, some viruses. Penetrating into the body of an insect along with the sap of a plant, these drugs have a paralytic effect on the nervous system or cause its death.
The drugs Aktofit, Bitoxibacillin, Avertin effectively destroy gall aphids. They are diluted with water according to the attached instructions and the bushes are sprayed with a solution. For the complete destruction of insects, several treatments will be required.
If biological preparations are unable to destroy the pest, they proceed to radical actions and treat the infected plants with chemicals. Usually, systemic insecticides are used for this. The following drugs have a good effect:
- Actellik;
- Vofatox;
- Confidor Maxi;
- Proteus;
- Calypso.
In case of severe infection, the first treatment is carried out at the stage of leaf blooming. The second time the product is used after harvesting. In this case, the working solution is prepared strictly according to the instructions. It is impossible to store the prepared solution. Therefore, it is prepared in such a volume that it is enough to process all infected plants.
Important! Before using biological and chemical preparations, the respiratory organs are protected with a respirator, rubber gloves are put on their hands. Spraying of bushes is carried out in calm, dry weather.
Prevention measures
Preventive measures should be followed to avoid contamination of currants. Among them are:
- scarers;
- weeding;
- compliance with the rules of care;
- scalding.
Scarers
To prevent aphids from settling on currants, you should plant not far from the bushes:
- Marigold.
- Calendula.
- Chamomile.
- Garlic.
- Onion.
- Lavender.
- Sagebrush.
- Tansy.
- Parsley.
- Dill.
- Basil.
- Mint.
- Coriander.
The strong smell will scare away pests. But it is important to know - if aphids have already attacked currant bushes, planting repellent plants will not help.
Weeding
It is necessary to monitor the bushes, and the land around them to get rid of weeds. Gardeners recommend pulling out weeds with your own hands, without resorting to the use of special herbicides.
Grass should not grow under the bushes. You should also loosen the ground. This is usually done twice a year - in spring and autumn - before bud break and after harvest.
Compliance with the rules of care
For the active growth of new shoots, leaf plates and high yields, the following measures should be taken:
- timely pruning of shrubs - removing old shoots, pinching new ones and thinning vegetation;
- watering;
- making dressings;
- loosening the earth;
- compliance with preventive measures.
It is important to know that cut old and damaged shoots should be burned off site, otherwise re-infection cannot be avoided.
Thinning the bushes is necessary so that the extra old deformed shoots do not take away the strength from the plant. The sun's rays should warm not only the tops of the currants, but also each stem.
Scalding
Experienced gardeners recommend scalding as a preventive measure, but only as a last resort. It is not necessary to use boiling water, but a liquid cooled to 65 degrees. This method is effectively used to combat annoying aphids.
Physical methods
Biological methods of control
Before the onset of cold weather, the leafy gall aphid lays eggs under the bark of the plant, which must survive the winter. In the spring, with the appearance of the first leaves, pests hatch from the masonry and begin to destroy the currant bush.
To prevent the appearance of gall aphids, the plant is watered with boiling water. It awakens dormant buds and destroys hibernating eggs.
On a note!
Water for processing the bush is heated to a temperature of 50-60 degrees.
Aphid control methods include cutting off infected shoots. Branches damaged by a pest are burned in a fire.
Beneficial insects are attracted to the site: ladybirds and lacewings. To do this, nectar-bearing flowers are planted next to the currants:
- oregano;
- marigold;
- daisies;
- dill;
- anise.
To prevent plants from being attacked by red-gall aphids, dill, onions, tomatoes, coriander are sown next to them.
Leaves must be watered with a hose. A strong pressure of water will knock off aphids and ants from them. Watering should be done on a cloudy day or early in the morning, before the sun starts hot.
If the plant is too infected and no drugs act on it, then the bush should be cut at the root in the fall or dig it up completely. Dug up the ground must be sprinkled with ash or tobacco.
