Strawberry weevil on strawberries: 9 ways to destroy the pest
Sweet fragrant strawberries attract not only children and adults, but also various pests. One of these is the weevil.
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Description of the weevil on strawberries
Strawberry weevil, it is also called a flower beetle or elephant, small beetle black with a small amount of gray villi. Its maximum length is 3 mm, so it is almost invisible. Weevil beetles harm all parts of strawberries:
- eggs are laid in roots, flowers or buds;
- larvae infect stems, leaves and tissues of plants;
- adult beetles infect petioles and foliage.
Weevil on a strawberry.
By the onset of cold weather, weevils burrow into foliage and the top layer of soil to lay eggs and begin to harm from the beginning of spring.
Plant varieties that bloom early are most susceptible to weevil pests. Hungry larvae get out at the first rays of the sun and begin to actively eat greens, as well as lay eggs in buds.
One female can spoil 50 flowers with her vital activity.
When to start processing
With the first rays of the sun it is necessary to start work in the garden. Elephants begin to live when the first green appears. You need to process:
- before the peduncles rose above the leaves;
- when the buds just started to form;
- flower stalks appeared above the base of the rosettes.
If the peduncles have risen, but look loose and dried up, then the time for the first treatment is missed.
How to protect strawberries from weevil
There are several ways to protect - these are chemicals and proven folk recipes. Don't forget about prevention.
Chemicals
Chemicals are used several times strictly according to the instructions. The first treatment should be carried out during the budding process, but at least 7 days before flowering. This is important so as not to harm beneficial insects.
It is necessary to process with chemicals only according to the instructions, observing the safety conditions and ambient temperature. If it rains after spraying, it will need to be repeated.
Folk methods
Folk methods will not destroy pests, but they will be able to scare them away from strawberry beds so that they do not spoil the greens and do not lay eggs. There are several proven recipes.
| Recipe | Preparation |
| Iodine | For 5 liters of water, you need one teaspoon of iodine, stir and sprinkle. |
| Mustard | For 3 liters of water, you need to insist 100 g of dry powder, strain and spray. |
| Sal ammoniac | For 10 liters of water, you need two tablespoons of ammonia. |
| Wood Ash | Aisles and even bushes are dusted, which at the same time will become a good top dressing |
| Green soap | For irrigation on a bucket of water, 200 g of grated substance is needed. |
Folk methods are effective and useful in that they do not harm the plants themselves and can be used at any stage of crop development.
If the weevils have had time to lay their eggs, you need to walk around and collect the infected buds by hand.
Preventive measures
It is best to keep the area clean and tidy so that pests do not spread. Here are some ways to prevent this:
- loosening row spacing;
Weevil beetle that lives on strawberries.
- cleaning dry strawberry foliage;
- planting onion or garlic between rows of strawberries;
- cleaning of all greenery after the end of fruiting;
- carrying out preventive spraying twice a season.
Conclusion
The weevil on strawberries is one of those bugs that can harm a large crop of delicious berries. The fight against it must be carried out immediately when the first traces of its impact appear. Otherwise, the harvest may be lost. Both folk methods and chemical preparations are used.
