The most dangerous pests of potatoes and methods of dealing with them

In our country, potatoes are grown by almost every gardener. Of course, everyone wants to get a rich and healthy harvest, but this is not always easy. The vegetable is susceptible to pest attacks and fungal diseases. For those who wish to preserve their potatoes, it is important to know as much as possible about their enemies, about when prevention will help, and when - only open battle.

In the article you will find a complete dossier on potato pests and learn methods for their destruction.

Causes of pests in potatoes

There are many reasons why pests attack potatoes. Here are the main ones:

1. Infected seed.
2. Non-compliance with sanitary rules: garden tools have not been decontaminated since last year.
3. Violation of the rules of crop rotation - planting potatoes on a site where tomatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers had previously grown. These crops share many pests in common. The best predecessors are cucumbers, onions and radishes.
4. Growing potatoes in one place for several years in a row.
5. Climatic conditions unfavorable for potatoes, seasonal features.
6. Agrotechnical errors - early or late planting, excessive watering, lack of loosening and hilling, an abundance of weeds.

All these factors are not conducive to obtaining a rich harvest, because not only you love potatoes, but also gluttonous pests.

Reference! Infect the landing viruses and pests can be when adding new soil or when watering with water from contaminated water bodies.

How to recognize pests in time

To protect potatoes and recognize pests in time, it is recommended to carefully examine the shoots as soon as the first shoots appear. Do this regularly, looking for characteristic symptoms, and take appropriate action at the first suspicion.

Each type of insect destroys different parts of the plant. For effective control, first identify the type of pest, and then use the appropriate means. This will take some time, it will not work to do everything at once with some kind of universal drug "against all". Each particular parasite has its own special method of elimination.

The main types of potato pests

Certain types of insects live in the soil, they are able to stay there for several years in the form of larvae, without betraying their presence. There are also such pests that get on potato bushes in strong winds or excessive moisture. Let's talk in more detail about the most dangerous pests for potatoes and the methods of dealing with them.

Colorado beetle

This is a striped insect everyone knows. The most massive and therefore the most dangerous pest of potatoes. The larvae of the beetle are especially gluttonous when eating the tops, which leads to a significant decrease in the yield of the vegetable.

Adults destroy not only leaves and stems, but also tubers. They hibernate in the ground, and in the spring, flying from one bush to another, they quickly and en masse lay eggs on the shoots as soon as they appear from the ground. It is during this period that it is important to destroy the main population of beetles. To do this, it is recommended to use insecticides such as "Commander", "Sonnet", "Aktara". Treat the bushes three times per season, the last time 20 days before harvest.

From folk remedies, spraying the bushes with strong infusions of mint, tansy and black currant are suitable. The simplest known method, and at the same time very effective, is the manual collection of beetles and larvae. The procedure is carried out at least twice a week.

Wireworm and false wire

Yellow worm up to 3 cm long, the larva of the click beetle. Destroys leaves, tubers and even the root system of potatoes. It additionally feeds on wheatgrass, so it is better to get rid of this weed in advance.

Deep digging of the earth in autumn and spring is recommended as the most effective way to deal with an uninvited guest. Or you can put a bait between the rows of potatoes - a chopped tuber placed in the ground, and after a while remove it along with the worms. Of the chemical preparations, the use of insecticides FORS or Hurricane Forte BP is effective.

False wire - larvae of the darkling beetle. They feed on tubers, roots and other parts of the plant. Lures, digging, as well as the introduction of wood ash into the soil before planting potatoes also help against them.

Nematode

See nematode it is difficult with the naked eye, they are so small. They attack the stem and roots of the potato underground, destroying the entire structure. The main characteristic feature of their attack is the yellowing of the lower leaves of the tops. Nematodes can live in the ground for up to 10 years, so it is extremely difficult to destroy them, but it is possible.

Treat the entire area for potatoes with urea, and after harvesting, cover with plenty of lime... It is also advised to water the ground with a solution of chicken manure if it is available in large quantities.

Another remedy - the drug "Bazudin Extra" - perfectly protects not only from nematodes, but also from weevils, bears, fly larvae and other parasites.

Garden moth

A small gray butterfly, whose larvae also do not mind eating all the greens and tubers of both potatoes and tomatoes, eggplants and bell peppers. Ignoring this pest can lead to the loss of the entire crop.

For prophylaxis, deep autumn digging and processing of seed material with a strong solution of methyl bromide are suitable. Of the chemicals most effective against moths are "Sherpa", "Zolon", "Arrivo".

Scoop

Ash-colored adult moths, active at night, in themselves do not pose a danger to potatoes, unlike their caterpillars. These green gluttons eat everything they can eat. They destroy stems, leaves, tubers. After "lunch" they rest in the shade of wheatgrass, winter in the same place.

The best protection against caterpillars is weed control. Against the moths themselves, laying eggs, special pheromone traps are used for this. It is advisable to use insecticides "Cymbush" or "Decis".

Cicadas

Jumping insects no larger than 3 cm, similar to a moth... During the day they live in anthills (they have interspecific cooperation with ants), and at night they drink plant juices. This leads to a slowdown in development and the death of a part of the potato bush. The leaves turn yellow and deform, brown and white spots appear on their surface.

In addition, these pests are carriers of viral diseases, and both adults and larvae are dangerous. To protect seedlings, the soil is treated with Tabu and Kruiser before planting. And if the leafhopper has already appeared in the garden, they use the "Karate Zeon" remedy, having previously studied the instructions.

Potato flea

Black beetle up to 3 mm long, damaging potato tops. The larvae develop on the roots and destroy healthy bushes.Adults feed on foliage, leaving pits and holes on its surface. Seedlings die.

Comfortable conditions for flea beetles are hot, dry weather or late planting of potatoes. Of the methods of struggle, the drug "Confidor" is recognized as the most effective; early planting of the vegetable is recommended for prevention.

Medvedka

Orthoptera insect up to 5 cm in length, dark brown in color. It has wings, strong jaws, mustache and powerful legs, and knows how to dig deep into the ground. An adult bear equips a nest underground, where it hatches hundreds of 2-3 mm larvae. Their growth and development takes several years.

The insect is a danger to all plants it encounters. Loves potatoes, cucumbers, beets, cabbage and many grains. Medvedka completely eats up potato tubers, and its larvae gnaw through the stem and destroy the tops.

You can get rid of the parasite by using chicken droppings - the insect cannot stand its pungent smell. Coriander, marigolds, garlic, calendula, chrysanthemums and mint are planted along the perimeter of the site and between the beds. The specific smell of these plants also scares off the bear.

Natural enemies of insects are lizards and hedgehogs: do not drive them out of your territory if they inhabit it. Using chemistry, remember that you can destroy beneficial insects as well, so try to choose gentle drugs, for example, "Medvetox".

Khrushch

He's a May beetle. The harm is caused by his larva. It looks like a coiled, thick yellow-gray caterpillar. The beetle itself is not dangerous for potato crops, but its larva can spoil the tubers and roots of the plant.

At the end of April, a female May beetle lays its eggs in the ground to a depth of about 40 cm. The larvae live for several years, during which time they can cause enormous damage to the crop. One such individual is able to damage several dozen potato tubers in two weeks.

It is possible to determine that a vegetable crop is affected by the larva of the May beetle by the leaves: if they dry, turn yellow and wither for no particular reason, then the larva of the beetle has settled in your beds. It is not easy to destroy it. Autumn deep digging is obligatory. Some plants, for example, lupine, elderberry and all cruciferous plants, repel the insect. Of the chemicals used "Antichrusch" or "Bazudin".

Potato aphid

Small insects, elliptical, no more than 3.5 ml, white-green color, can fly. In dry weather, they reproduce most intensively, sucking the juices from plants, leaving behind a characteristic sugary discharge.

Ash or crushed chalk will help to eliminate parasites; these mixtures are densely sprinkled on the affected plants and the soil under them. If the infection is massive, it is appropriate to spray the chemical agent "Aktara" or "Tiara".

Slugs

Naked slugs rarely attack potatoes, but in times of famine they do not disdain planting. They are active mainly at night and where it is damp and humid. Both leaves and tubers are affected, leaving bare stems. Slugs are carriers of many fungal diseases. After them, the damaged potato bush often becomes ill with late blight.

The most harmless way to eliminate slugs for surrounding plants and humans is to pour a fine fraction of eggshells or coarse table salt on the beds: they cannot move on such a surface.

Redhead spank

Black beetle with white stripes and a red head. Body size up to 20 mm long. Harms potatoes by damaging leaves and flowers. The beetles are poisonous - eating an insect together with the grass, the animal can get severe poisoning, it can even be fatal. From accidental touching the paws of a beetle, purulent abscesses form on the skin of a person, and if poison enters the eyes, you can lose your sight.

When deciding to eliminate the spanko, first get rid of the weeds on which the pests live, and then apply the Akarin or Calypso chemistry. Wear gloves when weeding.

Bedbugs

Cruciferous bugs often attack cabbage foliage, but they will not give up potato tops on occasion. Plant sap is the main food for bedbugs. It is not difficult to see them on landings, they have a bright red and black color. They spread with particular speed in hot weather.

The most effective method of dealing with this pest is prevention. These include: early planting of a vegetable, compliance with crop rotation. Tansy and wormwood will help, their smell scares off bedbugs.

Rodents

Some rodents, for example, mole rat and earthen rat happily eat potato tubers, and those that are no longer able to eat are dragged into their burrows. Moles, like moles, leave passages in the ground, and on the surface - small earthen mounds.

It is preferable to scare off such large pests, rather than destroy. Special repellents are sold in garden stores. If it was possible to find a mink or rodent passages, put a cloth soaked in gasoline or kerosene in their path. This simple folk remedy will help drive the animals out of the garden.

Who gnaws potatoes and gnaws tubers in the ground and cellar

Sweetish tubers attract a variety of rodents with their taste, which can cause big trouble after harvest.

Here are the main pests:

1. Moles... Small and fluffy underground inhabitants are able to damage potato stocks not only in the beds, but also in the cellar. Through underground passages, they easily penetrate into the storehouse and eat tubers.
2. Rats. Clever mammals that can't be caught with a rat trap. Destroy potato tubers in the cellar.
3. Mouse. Keep a close eye on the storage conditions for your potatoes during the entire cold period, as vegetables attract small rodents, including mice, to warm basements. Moreover, the pests manage not only to eat potatoes, but try to bite almost every tuber.

Important! Potato tubers spoiled by rats and mice cannot be eaten. Rodents are carriers of dangerous infectious diseases, and even heat treatment does not guarantee that the infection has been destroyed.

Rodent remedies are chosen depending on the type of pest and the size of the population. In some situations, traps are enough, in other cases you have to fight with the help of potent chemistry. In private homes, the best crop guards are cats.

Who else can gnaw

Many rodents love potato tubers, even those that are extremely rare in the garden. The water vole is a distant relative of hamsters. It is dark brown in color, up to 20 cm long. It usually settles along the banks of water bodies, but closer to autumn it can be found in gardens and fields. It does not go into hibernation, therefore it makes large reserves of food, including potatoes.

How to deal with them

There are three main ways for a successful struggle, the most effective way is to combine or alternate them. Let's consider each in more detail.

Folk remedies

Proven folk methods of struggle:

1. Glue. Apply anti-mice adhesive to a sheet of cardboard or plywood. Place the bait in the middle. The main plus is that the glue fixes the mouse well, it cannot escape, die and decompose in a hard-to-reach place. Minus means - the animal dies in agony for a long time, not everyone can withstand such a spectacle.
2. Smoke bombs. The poisonous substances of the checkers when burning fill the air space, killing the rodents. In addition, smoke bombs are an excellent prevention of the appearance of fungi and mold. But using the product will require serious precautions, since it is dangerous to other animals and humans.
3. Alabaster. Mix alabaster and dough in equal proportions, place the mixture in the cellar, put a saucer of water on the floor. After swallowing with water, alabaster hardens in the stomach of the pest and causes its death. The advantage of the tool is its low cost. The main disadvantage is that rats, unlike mice, are more careful and may not fall into this trap.

Chemical

These are poisons and poisoned food baits. Before using the bait, rodents are recommended to be fed for several days.

The main plus is efficiency and availability, minus - pests will die in places inaccessible to you, causing an unpleasant odor. In addition, pets may die with them.

Attention! Using chemicals more than three times a season is dangerous to health!

Mechanical

Perhaps the safest methods for humans.

1. Mousetrap. Pour some sunflower oil into the mousetrap or put a few pumpkin seeds, rodents love these delicacies and will not pass by. The main advantage is efficiency, and the disadvantage is that one mousetrap destroys only one mouse.
2. Rat trap. Rat traps work on the principle of mousetraps, only larger and with a stiffer spring. Use sausage, bread, or cheese for bait.
3. Ultrasound. Safe for humans, only inhibits the nervous system of rodents. A humane way of fighting, when used, pests simply leave the affected area. An expensive tool is the main drawback. The rats may not leave immediately after setting the trap - you will have to wait a couple of weeks.

Potato pest control methods

The list of insect pests of potatoes is huge, so every year the number of new drugs for their destruction is growing. Traditional, time-tested methods are not inferior to chemistry, especially when it comes to small areas.

Unlike artificial drugs, they do not harm nature and humans. Let's discuss the main methods of fighting parasites.

Chemical treatment

This method of eliminating pests is most often used when all other methods have not yielded results or when the area affected by pests is too large. The soil is cultivated before planting potatoes, the tops are sprayed during the growth of the plant and the soil is disinfected after harvest.

The best chemicals are:

• "Commander";
• "Force"
• "Bazudin Extra";
• "Sherpa";
• "Tsimbush";
• "Taboo;
• "Tyra" and others.

Traditional methods

Folk remedies have tested their effectiveness over time. Of the many options, only those remained that really helped many gardeners.

For example, seasoned summer residents plant tansy, marigolds, basil and dill next to potatoes, the specific smell of which pests do not like. And when planting potatoes, 100 g of wood ash is added to the holes to scare away insects, while the tubers themselves are soaked for several hours before planting in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Biological

The enemy of my enemy is my friend! The biological method of struggle is based on the fact that each parasite in nature has its own enemy. Insects are eaten by other insects, birds, frogs and so on.

Experienced gardeners are in no hurry to destroy moles, because they eat grubby larvae, ladybugs adore potato aphids, the macrofulus bug eats aphids, grasshoppers will not give up Colorado potato beetle larvae, and the burrowing wasp cannot imagine its "lunch" without a bear.

By the way, you can lure a burrowing wasp to your site by planting a cluster of cassia plant around the perimeter of the garden, the nectar and flowers of which attract this particular type of insect.

Reference. Pay attention to the modern drug "Nemabakt". Its uniqueness lies in the fact that nematodes are the main component of this protective agent. Yes, there are nematodes that parasitize harmful insects and their larvae. On the basis of such nematodes, scientists have created a bioinsecticide "Nemabakt".

Mechanical

The mechanical method is the collection of beetles and larvae from the tops or when digging up the soil. This also includes all sorts of traps that can be purchased in specialized stores or designed on your own.

For example, it is not at all difficult to build such a trap for a bear: dig a liter jar into the ground up to its neck, coat its walls 2 cm from above with honey, cover the jar 3/4 with a piece of iron sheet, mask it with straw. Trying to feast on honey, the bear will fall into a jar, from which she will no longer be able to get out.

Tips and tricks for pest control

The best battle is the one that never happened. In order not to fight pests all summer long, experienced gardeners take preventive measures.

Here are some guidelines on how best to do this:

• be sure to dig up the ground in autumn and spring, so you can manually get rid of many of the larvae and burrows of parasites;
• timely weeding, loosening the earth and hilling potatoes will help to avoid attacks on vegetables by many pests;
• to save potatoes from moths and other late pests, plant early potato varieties, they will have time to ripen before caterpillars and butterflies are active.

Conclusion

There is an antidote for any poison, for each pest - its own method of struggle. Take care of your harvest in advance, carry out prevention, and if the invasion of parasites could not be avoided, use folk, mechanical or bio-means. And only after making sure that nothing has helped, use chemicals.

Attack pests from all sides, in various ways, then they will have no chance to spoil your harvest.