Larva of may-bug, it borozdnyak, – the artful garden enemy. Despite the modest sizes, this parasite is capable to cause serious loss to landings. Larvae are omnivorous, but their favourite delicacy – roots of wild strawberry, lawn grass and hvoynik. It is important to begin fight with borozdnyaky at once after detection.
As the larva of may-bug looks
Most of gardeners begin to dig over beds not in the fall, and on spring. That's it then many also find the greasy caterpillars of light color twisted in ringlets in the soil. It is also larvae of may-bug. They live in the earth where there passes all their cycle of development. In the same place they also parasitize, eating around roots of plants.
For otkladka of eggs the female of may-bug goes deeply to the earth, approximately on meter. For time she is capable to lay to seven dozen eggs. After that the female perishes. 20-25 days later there are larvae resembling white hearts superficially. They are in the soil about four years. At first larvae eat the remains of plants, and in process of growth include roots in daily diet.
At these parasites rather powerful jaw which is visible with the naked eye. And if the adult individual eats mainly foliage, then larvae do far bigger harm, eating roots. And in some cases they podgryzat also root crops.
How to get rid of larvae of may-bug
It is not so simple to fight with them as they parasitize in the earth, being at depth to half a meter. For a start try to do without pesticides. To secure roots of trees and bushes, set pristvolny circles with white clover. Entomologists have found out that borozdnyak uncomfortablly feel at high concentration of nitrogen in soil. On roots of white clover the microorganisms absorbing nitrogen from air and accumulating it in the soil live. As a result of their activity the larvae perish.
Experienced gardeners act simpler: on spring scatter ammonium nitrate under trees. It contains nitrogen too. Judging by responses, traces of activity of larvae are not observed after that.
In Soviet period in collective farms at fight against larvae ammonium nitrate was dissolved with water (1-2 articles on bucket) and poured in grooves of 20-25 cm in depth. Instant death is guaranteed to parasites! If decide to adopt the Soviet experience, you watch that solution did not get on leaves, otherwise on them there will be burn.
Try to catch adult individuals. Reduction of population will allow to reduce amount of the laid eggs and, respectively, future larvae.
Watering of beds infusion of onions peel – one more not chemical way of fight against larvae of may-bug. Only it is necessary to do it throughout all season, since early spring. For preparation of infusion fill bucket on third with peel and fill in to the brim with water. Five days later "potion" will be ready. Before use dilute infusion with water in proportion 1:1.
If humane methods have not yielded results, use insecticides. In fight against larvae of may-bug "Antikhrushch" and Zemlin have well proved. Only keep in mind that these medicines kill not only the wrecker, but also such useful earth inhabitants as earthworm.