Is it possible to eat melons infected with a melon fly: how dangerous is a tiny melon lover
The melon fly is a dangerous pest of gourds, capable of destroying up to 100% of the crop. It is found everywhere and has a long life cycle - several generations of pests are born in one season.
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Description and characteristics of the pest
The full name of the parasite is the African melon fly (Myiopardalis pardalina). The insect belongs to the variegated family.
Appearance
The size of the fly is average - no more than 7 mm. The body is colored yellow, the head has a brighter color. The wings are transparent with four transverse stripes. The wingspan reaches 5 mm. Small hairs are densely located on the body. The eyes are large, faceted, large mustaches are noticeable on the head.
Life cycle and reproduction
Diet
Adults feed on the juice of fruits and shoots of gourds and gourds. The pest parasitizes in the fruits of the following plants;
- melon (ordinary, wild, serpentine);
- cucumber ordinary and mad;
- watermelon;
- pumpkin.
Holes in plants are made by females, the oral apparatus of males is not adapted for this, however, they can use holes made by females - juice comes out of holes in fruits, which the pest easily draws out with a special proboscis. The main damage to fruits is caused by pest larvae - their life begins already inside the fruit, so they corrode the pulp from the inside, which leads to rotting of the berries.
melon fly habitat
The habitat of the pest is quite wide - it is found in Southwest Asia, North America, Africa, Russia (mainly in the Volgograd, Astrakhan and Rostov regions).
The fly belongs to heat-loving insects and is not able to endure the low temperatures of the Northern regions.
How to detect a pest in the garden
It is almost impossible to detect a pest immediately after its appearance in the garden. As a rule, the first signs of infection appear already when the insect is active there.
- Small dots, tubercles, depressions and other damage appear on the fruits of plants - these are traces of punctures that females make in order to lay eggs.
- Later, fungi and bacteria enter the wounds, which leads to decay and darkening of the puncture site.
- As the larvae develop, the signs of infection become more pronounced. The fruits become soft and begin to rot quickly - this happens already 4-5 days after the appearance of the larvae.
What harm does an insect do?
The main damage is caused by the larvae of the melon fly. Being inside the fruit, they devour its pulp and seeds, as a result of which it stops growing and rots, thus becoming unusable. Adults harm only by piercing the fruits and other parts of the plant, as a result of which rotting begins at the site of damage.
Danger to humans: is it possible to eat a melon infected with a melon fly
If a person accidentally swallows a larva or egg of a melon fly, most likely he will not notice this, and the insect will dissolve in the gastrointestinal tract under the influence of the enzyme. Pests do not tolerate infections and do not bite. All methods of pest control consist only in protecting the crop from it.
Eating affected fruits is not recommended - the larvae damage the pulp and seeds, which causes the formation of rot.
Pest control methods
To exterminate the parasite, chemicals and folk methods are used. When choosing one or another method, it is recommended to focus on the number of crops planted and the degree of spread of infection.
Insekticidы
New insecticides appear on the market every year to combat various types of parasites. They show sufficient efficiency, however, when using them, some nuances must be taken into account, for example, they cannot be used before harvesting.
The following drugs are considered the most effective.
Folk remedies
There are also several folk recipes for dealing with melon fly. It is worth noting that they are effective only for the household and will not work if you need to get rid of the parasite in the fields.
Folk remedies for combating melon fly:
| Tobacco infusion | Dissolve tobacco from one pack of cigarettes in a liter of warm water, mix thoroughly and place in a dark place to infuse for 4-5 days. After that, strain the solution and use it to treat melons 2 times a week until the pests are completely destroyed. |
| Fragrant Herbs | Melon flies, like most insects, do not tolerate sharp, specific odors. To scare off parasites, you can plant aromatic herbs next to gourds: lemon balm, basil, tansy. If necessary, the grass can be picked and placed next to the fruits. |
| Ammonia | At 10 l. dissolve 100 ml of water. ammonia. Water the soil next to the crops with the resulting solution, paying attention that it does not fall on the leaves of the plant. The treatment should be repeated twice a month. |
preventive measures
The melon fly is a fairly resistant parasite to various kinds of influences, moreover, it is able to survive in winter.
To protect your crop in the new season, it is recommended to take a number of preventive measures:
- in autumn and summer, deep plowing of the soil;
- observe the rules of crop rotation, prevent stagnation of moisture and neglect of plantings;
- use folk recipes as a preventive measure;
- treat melon seeds with pesticides before planting;
- before sowing, treat the soil with a Bordeaux mixture.