Pest control is considered important task of gardeners and summer residents. Landowners waste many efforts and finance for the sake of receiving rich harvest of vegetables and fruit. Especially it is relevant in relation to potatoes; this culture often is surprised "the spiteful wrecker" – Colorado beetle.
The wrecker has got to us from the USA, the State of Colorado. During vegetation of potatoes the bugs eat young leaves and escapes that leads to decrease in productivity. It is easy to define adult wreckers against the background of green leaves of culture. The bug has oval trunk with yellow-black striped wings. The insect winters in the earth in hibernation. At approach of steady warm weather the bugs get out on surface and begin to eat seedling of tomatoes, tubers of potatoes and other plants which have remained in the earth from family of nightshade family.
Red larvae of the wrecker appear at hot weather in the middle of the summer, they are gluttonous, badly transfer cold. During development the parasites podgryzat culture leaves then begin to eat stalks. If to do nothing, then Colorado beetles for few days eat considerable part of shoots and even adult plants that finally leads to yield loss.
How to struggle with wreckers
For prevention of appearance of Colorado beetle on the site it is necessary to carry out the whole complex of preventive measures:
- Use of special baits before landing of root crops. Right after approach of warm weather on the site scatter the root crops processed by chemical medicines. Adult bugs will soon get out of the earth and will begin to devour the scattered "gifts" that by all means will lead of them to death.
- At small plantings of potatoes of Colorado beetles collect from potatoes tops of vegetable manually, using for this purpose rubber gloves. Together with it destroy also eggs of the wrecker. Then the gardener will be able to grow up eco-friendly products. Accurate parasites are destroyed outside bed.
- To prevent appearance of the wrecker, it is necessary to carry out processing of tubers before landing by special chemical medicines ("Prestige", "Matador" and others). Such substances act on extent of month, keeping out parasites of vegetables.
One more way of fight against Colorado beetle the crop rotation of garden plants, disembarkation in the neighbourhood with potatoes of the frightening-off cultures is considered.
Use of chemical medicines on landings
Chemical means are considered as reliable way of extermination of Colorado beetle, but when using such solutions number of toxic agents gets also into human body. For prevention of negative impact it is necessary to follow rules of spraying of cultures toxic chemicals.
In the modern market there is huge amount of medicines for fight against Colorado beetle. It is necessary to decide on the choice of specific means even before landing of culture. During the work with chemicals follow the following rules:
- Do not use broom or watering can for spraying of plants, use special adaptation – the sprayer. It allows to distribute evenly working solution on surface of leaves.
- The last processing of culture is carried out not later than in 4 weeks prior to the expected term of harvesting of root crops. During the specified term, toxic chemicals will be dissolved in fruits, and tubers will become suitable for consumption.
- After work it is recommended to use personal protection equipment, to wash hands with soap and to wash clothes.
Less effective, but as safe for human health national ways of fight against Colorado beetle are considered. In the presence of the small site of planting of potatoes it is possible to trot wood ashes. This substance is capable to destroy adult wreckers and larvae. One more effective way of impact on the wrecker landing of calendula between ranks of potatoes is considered. The smell of this plant frightens off Colorado beetle.