Fighting caterpillars in the garden and garden - how to handle plants, Garden affairs ()

The mass appearance of caterpillars occurs on the site for a reason. Most often, caterpillars appear where measures aimed at limiting their reproduction were not carried out, or were carried out incorrectly. Ill-considered, episodic struggle with caterpillars is not always capable of giving the desired results. The protection system consists in a reasonable combination of preventive and destructive measures acting in combination.

All destroyer methods of dealing with caterpillars can be conditionally divided into three groups:

• mechanical;
• biological;
• chemical.

Array

Terms of work

There are several main stages in the processing of apple trees.

Before the start of sap flow

Spring work begin before the buds begin to wake up in the apple trees. For spraying and working with wood, it is necessary that the air temperature did not fall below -5 degrees.

First step - inspection of apple trees after winter.

1. It is necessary to cut and burn the cobweb formations and ovipositions;
2. Open the trunks if there are signs of damage by hidden caterpillars under the bark;
3. If the apple tree is affected by the glass, it's time to treat the trunks with insecticides;
4. Apple trees and tree trunks are treated with copper sulfate to destroy those pests that have overwintered in the soil and bark.

These treatments will prevent pests from damaging the flower buds.

Before flowering

When kidneys woke upbut the apple tree is still did not bloom - the second period of processing apple trees from pests has begun.

At this time, spraying with copper or iron sulfate, organophosphate insecticides.

Treatment will allow to destroy the populations of those caterpillars that are aimed at damaging flowers, ovaries and young growth.

During flowering

During flowering spraying apple trees Not recommended. During this period, it is better to focus on mechanical collection and destruction of pests.

If no preventive measures have been taken before, you can spray the apple trees Bordeaux liquid according to the instructions. In case of special need, for example, a large damage to trees, you can process the apple tree from the moth, leafworm and other types of caterpillars karbofos.

IMPORTANT! Spraying with insecticides can greatly reduce the number of ovaries formed.

Most effective chemicals for pests dangerous for pollinating insects... If the damage from caterpillars during this period is not too obvious, it is better to use folk remedies.

After flowering

Immediately at the end of flowering carry out the following processing from the caterpillars. This is the last opportunity to process apple trees from the moth. For processing, folk remedies and insecticides are suitable, such as karbofos, funanon, intavir etc. From the moment of processing to ripening of the fruit, it must pass not less than a month.

During fruiting

A misfortune happened and caterpillars started up on an apple tree: how to fight during fruiting? At this time to destroy the caterpillars do not use chemicals, only allowed manual collection. Of course, there are drugs that decompose quickly. But is it worth the risk and check this information for yourself.

After fruiting

After the harvest is ripe and harvested, you need to prepare the apple tree for winter. Fallen leaves need to collect and burn. The earth in the near-barrel circle dig up and process insecticidal drugs. Spend sanitary pruningif needed - treat wounds well... The trunks of apple trees for the winter are necessary whitewash.

Aphid

The insect of the Hemiptera order lives in different regions. The pest has an ovoid body. The size of the larva is from 0.5 to 2 mm, the adult grows to 5 mm. The body of the aphid is soft, it is not difficult to crush the pest. The parasite moves slowly, despite the rather long legs.

Leaves and shoots are affected by aphid bites. Insects suck out the juice, after a while the leaves wrinkle, the plant begins to wither and ache. Black sooty dew can settle in the affected areas, the plant becomes infected with viral diseases.

From the body of the aphid, a sticky sugary is secreted

liquid (honeydew or honeydew) enveloping the leaves.
Oxygen access to plant tissues is blocked, fungal diseases develop under honeydew... Plants on which aphids have settled lose their vitality.
Black aphid prefers legumes, peach aphid - settles on all plants, melon plant destroys pumpkin crops. Green aphids have chosen trees and shrubs, roses and chrysanthemums. Many summer residents plant flowers to decorate the site, and aphids can freely move to vegetable crops.

Control methods

• place a few pots of wood shavings in the garden. An earwig will quickly settle there, destroying the pest;
• plant umbrella crops on the site: carrots, dill, parsley, fennel. They are inhabited by hoverflies - natural enemies of aphids;
• the smell of lavender and thyme will scare away insects;
• the worst enemy of aphids is the ladybug. Find these insects in the garden and place them on plants affected by aphids;
• place feeders and birdhouses on trees. Aphids for birds are the first delicacy;
• spray plants with a decoction of tobacco dust, alder cones, tansy, wormwood;
• Chemical preparations have proven themselves well: Fitoverm, Iskra M, Agravertin.

Cabbage caterpillar: how to fight?

The abundance of cabbage in the garden will invariably attract the main lovers of this vegetable - cabbage caterpillars. Insects with great pleasure feast on leaves and ripening heads of cabbage until they bring them to their final death. You can save the harvest if you start to fight the caterpillars on the cabbage in time using suitable methods.

Experienced gardeners consistently use a solution based on salt, water and lime. For 3 g of salt add 100 ml of water and 2 g of lime. Prepare a solution in such an amount that it is enough to process all the beds. To get rid of cabbage plants in the garden, several treatments with an interval of several days will be enough (you need to spray the plants after sunset in calm weather).

Cabbage scoop

The cabbage scoop, in addition to the cabbage itself, can feed on the leaves of potatoes, tomatoes, beets and other garden crops. It is often found in areas with high humidity.

Measures to combat cabbage scoop

If a scoop has attacked the cabbage, try spraying the plants with infusions of burdock leaves, tomato tops, or onion husks. In serious cases, you will have to resort to insecticides: "Gerold", "Senpai", "Lepidocid", "Fitoverm", etc.

Black caterpillars - why are they dangerous and how to exterminate?

Black caterpillars (they are also sawflies) are the most dangerous for conifers and fruit trees. Therefore, if sawflies start up in the garden or on a plot with a spectacular landscape design based on coniferous trees, you need to urgently take action, not allowing the pest to destroy the tree.

It is quite easy to notice that black caterpillars have appeared on the pine tree. The tree decays noticeably, becomes not so emerald green, partially sheds its needles.When these signs are found, it is worth using a proven pest control agent - Alatar. In most cases, it solves the problem after the first two treatments.

Mechanical impact

Mechanical impact is the simplest available and safest method of control, which includes not only dropping pests from trees and collecting by hand, but also removing overwintered nests and egg-laying. Collecting caterpillars by hand must be carried out with protective gloves, as many larvae have bristles that protect them from enemies.

It is also possible to influence the larvae of the butterfly by means of trapping belts, which are placed on the tree trunk to protect its crown. Traps in the form of jars, which are filled with fragrant bait liquids, are no less effective.

However, carrying out such manipulations will give a positive effect with a slight infestation of trees or other plantations with caterpillars. If there are already too many insects, the fight against caterpillars in the garden will not give the desired results. This method will not work for tall trees either.

other methods

• When do caterpillars eat cabbage and how to get rid of them? If for some reason you do not want or cannot process the plant with the methods listed above, then alternatively, you can use ordinary baking soda and flour in equal shares (you can also add a small amount of pollen from any plant of the cruciferous family there). You just need to sprinkle the resulting mixture on the leaves through a strainer. Caterpillars on such a "diet" die, and the plants are not harmed at the same time.

• Another way to protect your cabbage from caterpillars is to plant aromatic plants like celery, calendula, thyme, marigolds, or nasturtium next to it. All of them smell very strong, so they will scare away the cabbage scoop and the whitewash.

Chemical methods in pest control - drugs

Despite the fact that chemicals are not as safe as gardeners and gardeners would like, they show themselves flawlessly in the fight against pests. Invasion of caterpillars on the site can be avoided, if you do not forget about preventive measures, nevertheless, if this was not done, it is worth moving on to the so-called "heavy artillery" without delay.

Most of the chemical preparations specially designed to kill harmful insects act in the same way - they affect the internal organs of caterpillars, entering the body through the intestines. So that the pests do not have time to develop addiction to this or that insecticide, it will be reasonable to alternate them.

Proven means that have positively proven themselves in the fight against caterpillars in the garden and not only - Karate and Rovikurt. The preparations perfectly solve the problem of exterminating insects, even in large quantities. Given their detrimental effect on maturing crops, it is worth trying to replace chemicals with similar homemade products.

How to get rid of pests without using chemicals

You can fight uninvited guests of plantings without using chemicals, since many gardeners think that the product will lose its environmental friendliness and safety from exposure to specialized drugs. One of the easiest and most accessible ways for every person is to inspect the cabbage daily, which will reveal the presence of caterpillars. If there are any, mechanical destruction will be required. Also, substances based on special bacteria will help in the fight against pests that do not harm plants and humans, but are dangerous for eggs and young caterpillars.

It is important to remember that the treatment will be effective only if the outside air temperature is not higher than 18 ° C. The result from the use of drugs is recorded after three days, and not after 2 hours, as after using any of the chemical drugs

Folk remedies are also actively used to protect cabbage beds from pests.

Advice

Each summer resident will tell you how best to deal with caterpillars, and everyone has their own method. You can watch the relevant videos and "master classes" from avid gardeners and try each proposed method on your own site.

A solution consisting of wood ash and laundry soap effectively helps:

• water - 10 liters;
• ash - 2 glasses;
• household soap (shavings) - 1 tbsp. the spoon.

The resulting composition must be sprayed on the leaves every day. You can also use a variety of infusions, decoctions, which include the tops of potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco leaves, onions or garlic.

You can try to prevent the entry of pests - cover young cabbage plantings in advance, using, for example, a mesh with fine holes or regular cheesecloth. Such protection will not interfere with the penetration of sunlight necessary for growth and development and a sufficient amount of moisture. If necessary, you can remove it in a few minutes. In addition, the caterpillars cannot stand the odors of some plants, so dill or carrots should be planted next to the cabbage. Another method that is used to protect cabbage is to create "traps" that scare away butterflies that deliver eggs to the plant's leaves. They are made easily - a piece of laundry or baby soap is put on thin sticks, as a result, the butterflies believe that the place has already been taken and are looking for another object.

Thus, there are many ways to protect against caterpillars. The effectiveness of each of them depends on how quickly the gardener reacts to the appearance of pests. When choosing a type, method or substance in order to get rid of the problem with an invasion of caterpillars, it is important to understand the degree of damage, since traditional methods or preparations based on biological components have one feature - they are limited in effect, for example, do not harm adults. That is why in most cases it is necessary to resort to the use of chemical components, but here it is important to fully follow the instructions and not exceed the doses indicated on the package. If everything is done correctly, to process the plants in accordance with the recommendations, then the harvest will delight both in volume and quality.

Caterpillar prophylaxis

Caterpillars are pests that you can get rid of with the help of various means, but it is better to take preventive measures so that parasites do not appear at all.

It is imperative to carefully monitor the crops and regularly check them for the presence of caterpillar clutches. It is recommended to do this all season.

Do not leave debris and fallen leaves on the site. Every autumn it is imperative to rake the foliage and remove the debris left over from the crops. Thanks to this, the number of pests on the site can be significantly reduced. The foliage must be examined from both sides: from the inside and from the outside. If laid eggs are found, it is required to cut off or tear off the affected piece of the leaf, and then throw it into the trash. It is the foliage that should be given a lot of attention, examining each leaf.

Before you start planting a vegetable garden or garden, you need to inspect the already planted plants. If masonry is found on them, you should immediately begin to eliminate the parasites. Only then can you start planting.

At first glance, caterpillars are not scary, but do not forget that they multiply quickly enough. In large quantities, these insects can cause significant damage: not only plants will suffer, but also their fruits, respectively, the yield will be smaller. Therefore, in case of detection, it is necessary to immediately begin to combat parasites. Fortunately, you can get rid of pests in various ways at home.Prevention must also be done so that there are no problems with gluttonous caterpillars at all.

Folk remedies and safe drugs

Plant protection specialists create not only highly toxic insect control products, but also safe biological products. They are based on fungi and bacteria that kill insects, but are safe for humans and animals. Young plants and the ground in the garden can be sprayed with potent poisons, and when the heads of cabbage begin to set and inflorescences appear in broccoli or cauliflower, you need to treat them with harmless compounds. The assortment is varied, each compound has its own methods of use, so do not forget to read the instructions.

You can purchase:

• "Avertin";
• "Verticillin";
• "Bicol";
• Antofem.

Cabbage has been cultivated in villages since ancient times, and our ancestors knew how to protect their beds from the invasion of pests. Folk remedies can be saved while insects only appear on the site. When they breed in huge numbers, it will be difficult to fight the parasites, and there will be nothing to save. As soon as you notice that the sheets are in holes, rummage around in the kitchen - you will definitely find a bag of dry mustard. Dissolve the contents in 10 liters of water and add a glass of vinegar. This mixture can be sprayed on plants.

Advice

Vinegar can burn plants. Do not exceed the concentration: 200 g of vinegar (7%) or a tablespoon of essence in 10 liters of water.

There are many other recipes that use substances found in every home. There is ammonia in any medicine cabinet, they bring to life a person who has lost consciousness. It will also help cabbage when it grows poorly due to a lack of nitrogen. Pour in 3 tbsp. tablespoons of the drug in a bucket of water, spray the leaves and pour the plants under the root. The pungent smell will drive away pests, the fed bush will quickly recover and begin to develop well.

Traditional methods of dealing with caterpillars - how effective is it?

Do-it-yourself preparations at home can help get rid of caterpillars on cabbage and other types of pests of this group. So, for example, you can prepare a tincture of black henbane. For this, raw materials in dry and crushed form are mixed with water, insisted, filtered and used for processing plants. It will take several times to spray the crops, and start as soon as the first traces of insects on the site are noticed.

Against young individuals of leaf-gnawing caterpillars, spotted hemlock helps well. Prepare it in the spring. For the solution, crushed tops are suitable, filled with water (1 kg of raw materials per 2 liters of water) with infusion.

You can scare away pests from the site with the help of red elderberry. For this, both young shoots and flowers are suitable, which are also infused in water and used to spray crops.

Hemlock spotted

Cabbage pests.

All summer they cared for cabbage, and when the heads of cabbage were cut, there was no joy: small cabbage grew, and even affected by some pests. Therefore, there is a lot of waste. What to do? Not to give up growing cabbage next year?

Compared to other vegetable plants, cabbage is the least protected from pests. It feeds on aphids, cruciferous fleas, bedbugs, leaf beetles, rape flower beetle, cabbage fly and moth larvae, cabbage and turnip whites, cabbage moths, rape sawfly, and cabbage cauliflower stalk. Therefore, its cultivation requires, indeed, a lot of attention.

And it must be shown, starting in the fall, when the soil is being prepared: the digging of the area where the cabbage will grow must be deep.It is necessary to destroy weeds in time, not only in the crops and plantings of cabbage, but also around the entire site, since aphids overwinter on cruciferous weeds, and caterpillars hide in summer. For the purpose of prevention, marigolds and marigolds should also be planted among the cabbage, the smell of which scares away many harmful insects.

To combat a large number of cabbage pests, you need to lure and try to lure natural enemies to your site: the trichogramma egg-eater, ground beetles, ladybugs, tahina fly and eras: nestia fly, which willingly settle near flowering plants of the umbrella family. Like the Greek gods, these insects feed on nectar. Most of all ladybirds, lacewings and other beneficial insects are attracted by flowers of tansy, caraway seeds, fennel, flowering caps of perennial onions, umbrellas of carrots, dill. So you need to "settle" these plants in your garden, setting aside a corner for the flower-nectar conveyor. In dry spring and summer, aphids attack cabbage.

When appear

Caterpillars appear twice per season.

In order to be prepared for the appearance of pests and to take timely measures to protect the pepper, you need to know when to expect them. Butterflies and caterpillars appear in two waves:

1. In the spring, in April-May.
2. In summer, from the second half of July to the end of September.

Pupae of the winter moth pupate in the spring, and the gamma in the fall. In the spring, the first butterflies begin to appear, which lay future offspring on young plants. After 60 - 70 days, a second wave of pests appears.

If the summer is hot, then the second generation of gamma butterflies does not lay eggs. During the second wave, winter moths begin to fly during the day, as they lack flowering plants. They begin to harm various plants by gnawing them.

Biological methods of influence on caterpillars - attracting natural enemies

A fairly simple and humane way to permanently get rid of caterpillars on the site is to lure natural enemies there to fight them. Most often these are birds and insects. Beetles, spiders, anthocoris bugs, dragonflies, ants - they all hunt for caterpillars. Of the birds, one can distinguish:

• swallows;
• swifts;
• blackbirds;
• tits, etc.

All of them collect caterpillars for chicks and are able to completely cope with pests that did not have time to multiply to incredible volumes. To attract birds to the site, you need to create comfortable conditions for their nesting.

The use of chemicals

Chemicals - insecticides are most effective against large colonies of creeping critters. In the arsenal of gardeners who want to deal with pests, the following chemicals should be present:

• Spark;
• Karate;
• Aktara;
• Ram;
• Fufanon;
• Rovikurt;
• Karbofos;
• Lightning;
• Fas.

The only significant drawback of most of these drugs is the rapid addiction of caterpillars to active active ingredients, so their use should be alternated.

It is important to remember that the use of insecticidal agents can cause poisoning, therefore, the treatment must be carried out in special protective equipment: gloves, glasses and a respirator, and also strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Due to the excessive use of various substances, chemical compounds can get into berries and fruits, which can also increase the risk of intoxication.

Group of gnawing pests of cabbage

Of the gnawing pests, the most common are cabbage fly, cruciferous fleas, cabbage moth, cabbage scoop and whiteworm. Do not mind feasting on flower beetles, long-stemmed mosquitoes on cabbage shoots.

Cabbage fly

Cabbage fly is a serious pest of cabbage. At the end of May, it lays eggs on the soil near cabbage plants. After 7-8 days, larvae hatch, whose life cycle takes place in the roots and the lower part of the stem of the culture, where they penetrate from the egg-laying laid in the soil. The damaged organs rot.External manifestation: a general wilting of the plant and the appearance of a lead tint on the lower leaves of the cabbage are noticeable.

Caterpillars of butterflies of the cabbage scoop, moths, and whites inflict significant harm. By gnawing holes in the leaves of the head of cabbage and polluting them with their waste, they are able to transfer the entire crop intended for the market to livestock feed.

Spring cabbage fly (Delia radicum). Janet Graham Cabbage fly larvae on cabbage roots. Andrea Babic Signs of cabbage fly infestation. rdluzen

Cabbage moth

Cabbage moth is a small gray-brown butterfly. Life expectancy is 30 days. Lays up to 300 eggs in early June (small yellow dots on the underside of the leaf) in the northern regions, and from April in the southern regions. After 3 days, yellowish fusiform, fast cabbage-eating caterpillars appear, intensively feeding on the pulp of leaves around the clock. Over the summer, the pest forms 5-6 generations (a new generation appears every 5-7 weeks).

Cabbage moth (Plutella xylostella). Simon Merrifield Cabbage moth larva before pupation. LDP A cabbage leaf nibbled by a cabbage moth caterpillar. agric

White butterfly

Favorite butterfly of kids, with rapture catching it with nets. It is a large moth. A distinctive feature is the black round specks on the wings. Lays up to 100 eggs on leaves. The development cycle of caterpillars from eggs is longer than that of small moths. After 8-15 days, caterpillars appear, eating up the leaves to the veins.

Cabbage, or cabbage white (Pieris brassicae). Tony Shertila clewergardendiary Cabbage butterfly caterpillar. Rasbak

Scoop butterfly

It is especially harmful in that it damages about 70 species of plants, including vegetables, fruit, garden flowers, etc. The scoop (baby owl) is nocturnal. Invisible beige-brownish, gray-brown with broken spots of light shades on the wings. Its flight is observed from the first days of May to the end of October in warm regions. The female lays up to 2700 eggs on the underside of the leaves, from which colored caterpillars (from green to brown spotted) hatch after 5-8 days. They overwinter in the form of a pupa and larva. For wintering, they deepen into the soil up to 10 cm. In the southern regions it forms 3 generations, in the northern regions - one.

Cabbage scoop butterfly (Mamestra brassicae). Peter Maton Caterpillar of cabbage scoop. k-o-ji scyrene

Fleas

Cabbage fleas damage all cruciferous plants. Small bugs with a characteristic type of movement - jumping, are distinguished by an increased appetite. If they are not stopped, they are able to completely destroy seedlings or young seedlings, damaging the young leaves. They hibernate in the soil and under various debris, including plant debris.

In addition to the pests described above, young cabbage plants suffer from bears and wireworms. Slugs that harm plants are annoying. In the heat, they hide in secluded cool places, often in the leaves of the head of cabbage, which serves as food for them at night. The eaten edges of the leaves are silent witnesses of the night feast. This whole army of pests requires immediate protection. The most practical are measures that combine soil and plant cultivation.

Cruciferous fleas (Phyllotreta cruciferae) on a gnawed cabbage leaf. Brian hall

Varieties

There are many varieties of these insects, but two are found in summer cottages:

1. Winter scoop.
2. Gamma scoop.

Winter scoop

The winter scoop is a gnawing insect. Pests parasitize from the bottom of the leaves. It is this species that gnaws holes in fruits, eats roots and stems.

The caterpillar is grayish in color. The first days she lives on a plant, and then hides in the ground, and crawls out only at night. Therefore, it is difficult to detect and even more difficult to get rid of it.

Gamma scoop

Gamma scoop is a leaf-eating pest. One butterfly lays about 1500 future larvae. Descendants from them are born in a week. The caterpillar eats green parts, gnaws at the pulp of vegetables. Lives on the stems of various crops and in the axils. They differ from winter scoops in color - they have a light green or green color with small gray specks. They hide in the soil for the winter.

What caterpillars attack cabbage and why is it important to fight them?

Several types of caterpillars show interest in cabbage species.These are butterfly larvae, which in themselves do not bring any harm, on the contrary, some of them help to pollinate plants in the garden. During the season, each species of winged insects gives birth to 1 or 2 generations of caterpillars. Having hatched from eggs, they eat cabbage leaves and heads of cabbage.

In the process of vital activity, pests emit excrement, which causes the development of putrefactive processes inside the heads of cabbage. The sites of injury are open gates for infection. The beds favored by caterpillars are doomed if pest control is not started in time. Several species of butterflies are known whose larvae are dangerous for cabbage.

Cabbage butterfly

This insect has 2 pairs of white wings. On the underside, they are painted in a light salad shade. This color helps the cabbage to remain invisible. The butterfly feeds on the nectar of flowers and does not pose a danger to garden crops.

The female lays eggs on the underside of the cabbage leaves, where they are protected from wind, rain and sun. Soon, small worms hatch from them. At first glance, seemingly harmless, cabbage larvae are very dangerous - they need food constantly, as they grow intensively.

Attention! Large colonies of these insects are capable of destroying the entire crop in a short time.

Cabbage larvae are green, along the back runs a narrow yellow stripe, on the body there is a bluish-black pattern in the form of specks. Insects have a powerful gnawing mouth apparatus. They easily bite off fragments of juicy leaves and chew them, leaving behind ugly holes.

Butterfly cabbage

Cabbage scoop

The butterfly is nocturnal. The body length is about 2 cm. The front wings are brown colored with black transverse stripes. The hindquarters are gray with darkened edges. During the flight, the females mate with the males and the very next day they lay eggs - from 150 to 250 pieces at a time.

After a few days, the larvae hatch, the development cycle of which is from 24 to 50 days. Its duration is influenced by weather conditions and humidity levels. The caterpillar carries 5 molts and goes through 6 stages of development. Older larvae are the most dangerous. They make holes in the heads of cabbage and completely eat up the leaves, leaving only large veins intact.

Caterpillars of cabbage scoop 3-4 cm long, painted brown or gray, on the back there is a pattern resembling a herringbone. The lateral parts of the body of the larva are dirty yellow with light stripes.

Repnitsa

This butterfly has an external resemblance to the whitewash (cabbage), except that it is inferior to it in size. The front pair of wings has a black apex and 1 or 2 dark spots in the male and female, respectively. On the lower wings, spotting is present only in females.

Repnitsa lays eggs on either side of the leaf plates of garden crops. After 5–11 days, larvae hatch from them. The bodies of caterpillars are light green in color, and slightly lighter on the sides. In the daytime, these insects are inactive, they hardly move. The development cycle of turnip larvae includes 5 instars.

Juveniles can be found on the underside of cabbage leaves. Adults prefer to be outside. Caterpillars not only eat cabbage, but also harm other crops from the Cruciferous family.

Repnitsa butterfly

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Black caterpillar

Caterpillars can be top-notch transformers as they literally go from wavy worms to beautiful butterflies, but that's not the only transformative trait. Caterpillars are often disguised among plants due to their coloration, and their fuzzy skin often looks like thorns on a branch.This camouflaging ability helps caterpillars survive until they reach full maturity and begin a metamorphosis - from a pupa to a butterfly.

The pupation stage begins with an adult caterpillar, which attaches itself to the bark of a tree or other hard object, and then splits the skin to reveal the pupa. Transformation takes place inside the pupa when the caterpillar begins to disintegrate into liquid and only a few remaining cells develop into an adult butterfly.

After the caterpillar has completed its metamorphosis into a butterfly, it will open up and a butterfly will appear. This does not waste time mating and laying eggs, as most butterflies have a short lifespan of a few weeks. The eggs of the butterfly hatch the larvae of the caterpillar, and the cycle begins again.

Usually, on the path of growth of a butterfly, six metamorphic transformations occur, each of which is stimulated by the release of the molting hormone ecdysone from the pre-breast gland. The juvenile hormone secreted by the endocrine gland slows down progress in adulthood: although the hormone level is high, it keeps the caterpillar in the larva.

However, the secretion of juvenile hormone slows down over time. It is only when it falls below the critical level that molting leads to pupa and pupation. During this time, there is a massive redistribution of nutrients, and adults may finally develop features. With a drop in the level of juvenile hormone to almost zero, the last molt occurs in an adult.

Medvedka

The owners will find out quickly enough that this dangerous pest will settle on the site. Numerous holes on the surface signal: it's time to act.

The danger of the bear is that the underground passages can stretch for tens of meters. On the way, the insect gnaws roots, potatoes, seeds. In a short period, the bear is capable of causing serious damage to the crop.

The pest looks frightening:

• brown body up to 5 cm in length;
• massive abdomen with two processes up to 1 cm;
• twisted limbs;
• long mustache;
• hard shell.

The bear causes the greatest harm to the roots of eggplants, peppers, cabbage, tomatoes.

The bear hibernates underground, at a depth of 50–100 m. It also mates in underground passages. One female can lay up to four hundred eggs. The period of activity begins in spring, when the air warms up to + 12 ° C + 15 ° C. The insect digs passages mainly in the evening.

Control methods

• poison bait from steamed wheat and zinc, a mixture of bran (1 kg) and Parisian greens. The baits are buried underground (up to three centimeters) - at such a depth the insect digs holes;
• bury the crushed eggshells mixed with vegetable oil near the surface. Medvedka will die by tasting the shell;
• you can trap the pest. Place a liter can in the ground, pour in some fresh beer. The neck is at ground level. The bear, attracted by the intoxicating aroma, will fall into the jar in the evening and will not be able to get out on its own;
• powder and laundry soap are harmful to the insect. You can get rid of the pest by pouring a solution of washing powder into the holes (4 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). Insects die or come to the surface where they are easy to collect;
• the pest does not tolerate the smell of rotten fish and needles. Place pieces of cheap fish in each vegetable hole before planting. Arrange fir twigs or pine needles between the rows of potatoes;
• use effective chemicals: Prestige 290 FS, Phenoxine Plus, Aktara 25 WG. The granules of the preparation are poured into the holes. The bear should die in a day. The same pesticides can be added to pearl barley or millet porridge + a little beer. The baits are placed near burrows.

The main types of caterpillars - pests

There are countless insects whose caterpillars harm garden crops and are a nuisance to gardeners across the country.Green caterpillars on apple trees and flowers, yellow-brown caterpillars on cabbage, black caterpillars on nettles are not the best neighborhood for a gardener. We will consider in detail the most common types below.

Hawthorn

Although the hawthorn butterfly itself does not harm fruit trees and shrubs, being an excellent pollinator, its offspring can cause serious damage to plantings, significantly reducing their yield.

They are found throughout the territory of our country.

And so, let's figure out what a hawthorn larva looks like. Adults have a variegated color - gray, with two bright yellow-orange stripes along the entire body, on the back and one black between them. The body reaches a length of 4-4.5 cm. Protection in the form of numerous hair-bristles scares off most birds.

The caterpillar has such a great appetite that, in addition to garden crops, such as apple, pear, plum, cherry, apricot, it enjoys other fruit and berry plants: wild rose, bird cherry, blackthorn, mountain ash, and, of course, hawthorn. As you might guess, in honor of the latter, the pest was given a name. Gluttonous larvae are able to eat the foliage completely, leaving only solid veins.

You can recognize that a tree is affected by a hawthorn by the branches braided with silky threads. Inside a kind of shelter, the larvae feel safe.

Goldtail

This butterfly, and especially its larval stage, is the most common garden pest. Small creature, 3-4 centimeters long, painted black with a white longitudinal stripe. On the back there are segmental growths with thick red hairs. In the front of the torso, there are glands that secrete a poisonous secretion that, on contact, causes a burning sensation and allergic reactions on the skin.

You should be aware that when molting, these thorny red hairs are easily carried by the wind and, if inhaled, cause a cough.

Goldtails are extremely destructive because of their irrepressible appetite and a long active period, which lasts from April to September. In addition to leaves, caterpillars eat away young buds, and a colony of parasites can easily destroy all greenery within a radius of a meter pool. As a result, the trees are completely bare, which leads to a complete loss of yield, up to the death of the crop.

Unpaired silkworm

The silkworm belongs to the wolf family and is characterized by sharp differences between females and males. Distributed throughout Russia and the countries of Near Asia. In a number of countries, it is considered a quarantine insect due to its high fertility and passion for wild and cultivated plantings. The gypsy moth larva can reach a length of 7-7.5 centimeters. The body, like the head, is dark gray in color, covered with long hairs growing from paired warts. There are subtle white stripes on the back.

The caterpillar of this pest feeds on the foliage of a huge number of trees and shrubs, such as: apple, plum, birch, poplar and others, about three hundred species of plants. They are also capable of destroying crops of cereals and root crops.

It is interesting that the parasite does not touch pear trees, honeysuckle, elderberry.

A large colony of insects is able to completely devour all fruit and berry trees on your site.

Leaf roll

Among garden pests, the leafworm is not the last. However, this insect is highly adaptable to any conditions, which makes it dangerous for wild plants as well. More than 20 species live on the territory of our country. The most common and harmful ones are listed below:

• Brown;
• Fruit;
• Rosanna;
• Currant;
• Kidney vertebrate.

Read also: When to remove cabbage from the garden for storage

Caterpillars of this insect, in contrast to the previous considered species, has a smooth body of pale green and yellow-brown color with a dark head.

If you try to throw off a caterpillar from a leaf, it will hang on a thin cobweb.

The leaf roll got its name from the way it is arranged in trees and bushes. The leaf beetle wraps itself in a leaf, braiding a kind of dwelling with a silvery-white cobweb from the inside.

If you find folded leaves on fruit and berry plants, rather take measures to destroy the colony. How to get rid of green caterpillars is a question of concern to many.

Cabbage butterfly

This butterfly and its offspring can be found in almost every garden plot, especially in cabbage heads. The caterpillar of the cabbage or cabbage white has a yellowish-green body with variegated black spots, covered with sparse hairs. Newly hatched individuals prefer to keep in small groups, but as they mature, they creep across the entire site.

The basis of the insect's diet is represented by garden crops of the cruciferous family, such as: cabbage, broccoli, radishes, turnips, radishes, beets and others. Adult cabbage larvae have a brutal appetite and if a colony of listogera on cabbage is not detected in time, the risk of crop loss increases.

This is what a colony of voracious individuals turns cabbage into.

It is very important to know that the excrement left by parasites, as a result of their vital activity, is capable of provoking diseases of garden crops.

In addition to the pests described above, there are many types of creeping critters that can inhabit your garden, such as: Redtail; Hawk maker; Swallowtail; Moth; Cabbage scoop.

It is impossible to allow creeping insects to become the master of your garden plots, and even more so it is unpleasant to find caterpillars in the apartment. To prevent this, there are a number of effective ways to combat, which will be discussed below.

Who eats gooseberry leaves

Among the pests that can harm gooseberries, caterpillars, which eat gooseberry leaves, occupy an advantageous position. There are several varieties of these larvae at once. All of them differ from each other not only in their appearance, but also in the ways in which it is necessary to deal with them.

The most common caterpillars eating gooseberry leaves are:

Features of processing plants from caterpillars

When dealing with the destruction of pests, it is important to follow certain rules:

• Adhere to processing times.
• Do not get carried away with chemicals - you need to use poisonous compounds as a last resort, not exceeding the dosage.
• It is necessary to poison insects in dry, calm weather in the morning or evening.
• Wear protective equipment when applying chemicals.
• Observe the rules of hygiene - after processing, you need to wash and change clothes.
• Destroy leftover funds, rather than store them until next use.
• Do not harvest for 30 days after spraying.

The use of chemicals

Insecticide-based chemicals are most effective against voracious butterfly larvae.You can poison caterpillars in your garden plot using the following drugs:

• Spark and Karate;
• Aktara and Battering Ram;
• Inta-Vir and Fufanon;
• Rovikurt and Karbofos;
• Lightning and Fas.

When used correctly, caterpillar poison can kill a large number of pests. However, with constant use, the poison is addictive in parasites. In this connection, it is always impractical to use the same remedy for caterpillars.

The use of chemicals can cause intoxication of the human body after consuming processed fruits, so it is necessary to strictly adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations. The fight against caterpillars on flowers through the use of pesticides is carried out only in cases of the most advanced stage of infection.

Helpful hints and tips

It is undesirable to plant tomatoes too close to each other. Because of this, it is convenient for pests to move to neighboring plants, and their population is growing rapidly.

Tomatoes need daily watering. The land must be moistened moderately so that a favorable breeding environment for caterpillars is not created. Tomatoes are watered early in the morning, when the sun has not yet had time to warm the earth. Water should be poured only under the root of the plant. It is also advisable to water the soil in winter. Because of this, the pupae of insects that are in the ground die.

Reasons for the appearance

The appearance of caterpillars on your pepper can be triggered by the following factors:

1. Purchase of infected seedlings (pest eggs can be laid on their leaves).
2. Using contaminated soil in a greenhouse. Caterpillars hibernate in the ground, and can get into the greenhouse along with the substrate.
3. A humid environment and lingering rains are ideal weather for the breeding of dirty tricks. During dry periods and under the influence of direct sunlight, the eggs of the scoop simply dry out. Therefore, if you grow peppers in a greenhouse, make sure that the air humidity is not high, and also do not overdo it with watering.
4. Lack of food in neighboring areas. Caterpillars can simply crawl from other areas if they run out of food. Moreover, such an insect is capable of covering long distances.

Colorado beetle

"Dangerous", "tenacious", "omnipresent". This characteristic is deserved by this pest annoying the owners. How to deal with the Colorado potato beetle? This question has been tormenting gardeners for more than a year.

The Colorado potato beetle is a small insect with a characteristic striped elytra. Body length - from 9 to 12 mm, width - from 6 to 7 mm. The larvae are dark brown with a color transition to yellow-orange or bright orange.

Adults overwinter in the soil. If mating took place in the fall, the female that came to the surface in the spring is ready to lay eggs.

The Colorado potato beetle lives on nightshade crops. It feeds on leaves. The species is common in America and Eurasia. Excluding diapause (winter dormancy), life expectancy is up to three years.

The beetle is most active in the spring and summer. It tolerates cold well.