Lily pests

The clicker beetle and its wireworm larva

There are, strictly speaking, many types of click beetles. And not all of them are dangerous for your garden. But we will talk about the latter, which themselves feed on young potato tubers and leaves, and lay eggs, from which real dangerous pests of agricultural crops appear - larvae, nicknamed wireworms for their appearance.

Beetles lay their eggs in the soil in early to mid-summer, and the hatching larvae hibernate several times before pupating and turning into an adult insect, becoming especially harmful to plants at an older age.

Wireworms gnaw long straight passages in tubers. Damaged plants become easy prey for parasites and diseases, practically cannot be stored, and lose their presentation. With the dominance of the wireworm on the site, it is impossible to grow healthy roots even with the use of strong chemicals.

The appearance and symptoms of the presence of a wireworm

The beetles themselves are brown insects with an elongated body, clearly divided into the cephalothorax and abdomen. They got the name for their noticeable ability, being turned on their backs, to roll over on their own with a jump with a sharp sound of a click.

Beetle larvae are medium-sized, dense, yellow-white, darkening with age to orange-brown “worms” with a dark head and a hard chitinized cover. During the growth period, wireworms actively move in search of food and feed on the underground organs of plants.

It is quite simple to determine the infestation of a site with these larvae by the presence of tubers damaged in this way.

Wireworm control measures

The fight against wireworm begins with prevention: do not thicken the crops, observe crop rotation, remove weeds (especially wheatgrass) and plant residues in a timely manner, lime the soil, preventing it from acidifying and caking.

Biological methods of disposing of wireworms mainly involve setting up traps and baits based on natural products. Every day, containers need to be cleaned of accumulated larvae and "recharged" again, and this will have to be done all summer. Also, folk remedies can be used to scare off pests - onion peels, mustard powder, needles, potassium permanganate, etc. A good result is the introduction of predatory ground beetles into the site, if there is such an opportunity.

If the amount of wireworm is too large, you can treat the soil from pests with chemicals (Aktara, Bazudin). However, it is not recommended to plant something in the treated area for some time.

10 Ways to Deal with a Wireworm Find out what a wireworm looks like and how to deal effectively with it.

Asiatic lilies: diseases

Lilies belonging to Asian hybrids are the most unpretentious, and therefore the most common. They can be grown almost all over the world, even in Alaska.

In cold climates, the flower stalks of the plant are cut at ground level so that they do not rise above the snow cover. However, Asiatic lilies are more susceptible to certain fungal and viral diseases than others.

Causes

A fungal disease known as botris affects flowers in cold weather with high humidity levels. Therefore, when choosing a site for planting, you should choose a place that is well ventilated.

Rotting of the bottom of the bulb is also caused by a fungus and is called fusarium. The reason for its occurrence is stagnation of water as a result of poor drainage or its absence, the use of fresh manure as top dressing, and the drying out of the earthen coma.

Quite often, lilies are infected with the variegation virus, which is transmitted to them from tulips that grew earlier on the site. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant lily bulbs after other bulbs. Insect pests can also cause viral diseases. Regular combating them will protect your plants from viruses. Remember that well-groomed plants are much more resistant to various diseases.

Symptoms

How to recognize the onset of the disease in order to provide the plant with the necessary assistance in a timely manner? To do this, you should know the symptoms of diseases. For example, with a lesion with gray rot, signs of the disease appear on the leaves in the form of brown spots, which merge into whole foci, passing to the buds (Figure 8).

Figure 8. Manifestations of diseases in Asiatic lilies

It is important to know that viral diseases are much more dangerous than fungal ones, because they often occur latently, and when the symptoms become visible, it is impossible to save the plant. So, for example, the variegated virus proceeds. Therefore, having noticed the features and color of the flower, the shape of the stem, uncharacteristic for a plant, it is worth immediately getting rid of it so as not to infect the entire flower garden

Therefore, having noticed the features and color of the flower, the shape of the stem, uncharacteristic for the plant, it is worth immediately getting rid of it so as not to infect the entire flower garden.

Treatment

The best way to combat Asiatic Lily disease is through prevention. So, to prevent botris disease, it is recommended to shed seedlings with a solution of copper sulfate, ammonia and soda ash.

If preventive measures have not been taken, then for the treatment of gray rot, plants are sprayed with Bordeaux liquid, and in case of severe damage, with foundation or phytosporin every 2 weeks. In case of fusarium disease, it is necessary to dig up the bulbs, rinse them well and soak in a solution of foundation for 30 minutes.

Remember that it is impossible to cure viral diseases, so when viral lesions are found, your main task is to remove and destroy the infected plant as soon as possible in order to save the entire flower garden.

Why is the Colorado potato beetle dangerous?

The striped beetle is known as a potato pest. But the insect is dangerous for other plantings, in particular, for tomatoes - they are second in line with the gluttonous parasite. And the insect also eats zucchini, pumpkin, watermelon, eggplant.

An adult beetle is easily recognizable by its bright striped shell. The insect is large - up to 1 cm long, it is easy to find it on a bush. The parasite lays the larvae on the lower part of the leaf plate. At first they are brown, then change color to orange with black suckers.

The pest hibernates in the soil, and in early spring, when his favorite potato tops have not yet grown, it moves to young tomato seedlings transplanted to the site. The beetle is also dangerous for tomatoes in August, when potato plantings begin to dry out.

Why is it so difficult to breed the Colorado potato beetle:

1. He has no serious natural enemies on our mainland.
2. In a lean year, the insect hibernates, surviving in this state for up to 3 years. Parasites overwinter so deep in the soil that it is difficult to get them with insecticide preparations.
3. The beetle quickly adapts to chemicals.
4. The insect travels through the air for distances of up to 10 km, if necessary.
5. Fertile female beetles lay up to a thousand eggs in one summer.
6. In one season, it is unlikely that it will be possible to get rid of the entire colony. It will take a number of measures to clear the garden of the striped pest.

The fight against the Colorado potato beetle should be carried out immediately after the discovery of the insect. Preventive measures should not be ignored - tillage, crop rotation and proper care. The beetle can form up to 3-4 colonies in one season only. Gluttonous larvae are ways to nibble an entire bush in just a few days.If an American pest appears in the garden, it is likely that half of the crop will be lost. To prevent this from happening, use folk and industrial methods of struggle. All drugs are available and easy to use.

Manual collection of beetles and mechanical devices

A kind of "classic of the genre". But to practice manual collection, counting on the desired effect, it is possible only in small areas. You will have to repeat the procedure at least once a week - this means a lot of time and effort.

The process technology is familiar to everyone. Moving along the rows of plantings, they carefully examine each bush. Large larvae and adult beetles are collected "individually", very small ones and eggs are removed along with the leaves. The "booty" is put into a container with a strong saline solution or kerosene.

Manual collection of the Colorado potato beetle is a laborious undertaking; it is physically impossible to process large areas in this way.

The process is somewhat facilitated by the similarity of a net. At a bag of flour or sugar, which can be put on a bush, the upper edge is hemmed by threading a thin (3-4 mm) wire up to 2 m long. The free ends are twisted, making handles. A net is put on each bush, the neck is pulled together by the handles and vigorously shaken several times. The caught individuals are poured into a container. It is quite convenient to use a landing net, but only until the bushes in the garden have closed in a solid "green carpet".

How to deal with a pest

If we ignore the invasion of insect pests, then in a month they are able to destroy the lily bush completely, so the fight against parasites must be started immediately. There are several methods of struggle.

Manually

The simplest method of dealing with rattle beetles is to collect by hand. They are shaken off the leaves into a prepared jar or collected by hand. Water is not poured into the jar, but it is closed with a lid, since these insects are well kept on the water, and huddled together, they can easily get out of the jar.

If the planting of flowers does not occupy a very large area, then this method is very effective. Such a "crop" should be collected several times during the summer.

Herbal infusions

Field spur and wormwood become helpers in the fight against pests of lilies. Herbal infusions are prepared from these plants for spraying flowers during the appearance of beetle larvae.

To prepare such a medicine, it is necessary to prepare the apices and leaves of the wormwood during flowering. The spur can be used in its entirety by cutting the plant at the beginning of budding.

Wormwood infusion recipe:

• finely chop freshly harvested grass;
• fold into a bucket to the top and pour water;
• leave the herb to infuse for 24 hours;
• boil for 30 minutes over low heat;
• use for spraying, diluted in half with water.

Recipe for tincture from field spur:

• finely chop a kilogram of field burgundy and put the grass in a bucket;
• pour the potion with cold water and stand for two days;
• then the tincture should be filtered and can be used.

Chemistry in the fight against beetles

It is not always possible to collect all the pests, especially if a large number of lily bushes are planted. After all, crackling beetles are very inventive for self-preservation.

Noticing a person, they instantly fall belly up to the ground, merging with it and becoming invisible. Having waited out the danger, they fly over to the bush and begin to mercilessly eat it.

In such cases, you have to turn to heavy artillery - chemical means. But they are not used during the flowering of lilies.

Special means for the destruction of fire beetles have not yet been manufactured. Gardeners use drugs aimed at exterminating insects that feed on plant leaves. For this purpose, the means used in the fight against the Colorado potato beetle are good.

However, beetles are gradually becoming immune to pesticides.Therefore, it is necessary to use various preparations when insect pests appear.

Most often, gardeners use "Nemabakt", "Aktofit", "Bitoxibaccillin", which give a very good effect.

In large flower beds or with a strong proliferation of larval colonies, chemistry is the best helper. But spraying with special agents should be carried out strictly following the manufacturer's recommendations. Violations of the concentration of the drug can lead to chemical burns of the leaves, and the crackers will remain intact.

Biological methods of control

Parasitoids are insects that parasitize on the body of firefighter beetles, gradually killing them. This method of getting rid of pests is very effective. Six species of such insects have already been bred by biologists. Among them are five species of wasps and a fly. They are able to contain the beetle population and minimize damage to lilies.

Scientists have conducted studies that have shown that such wasps killed 100% of the rattle's larvae.

How to get rid of bugs?

Before you start fighting the aggressors, you need to recognize which harmful insect attacked the lily.

The information in the table will help with this.

Special preparations "Karbofos", "Inta-Vir", "Decis" will save from the red beetle. The plant must be sprayed according to the instructions.

The Colorado potato beetle is afraid of drugs that are used to get it out of potatoes, but if the instructions indicate that they are harmless to flowers.

"Aktellik" and "Fitoverm" will relieve the spider mite. But the remedy for the lily fly, unfortunately, has not yet been invented. There are only substances with which you can reduce the number of individuals on the plant - these are "Karbofos" and "Ditox".

The ideal option in the fight against a bear is special traps - these are pits dug and pre-filled with manure. On the way to the plant, the insect may linger in this natural substance and not get to the lily.

"Grizzly", "Thunder" and "Medvetox" - these drugs will help to remove the beetle.

When hoverflies begin to fly over a flower en masse, it needs to be watered with Karbofos or Inta-Vir. As for the wireworm, use drugs such as Pochin, Vollar, Provotox or Medvetox. Also, a solution of potassium permanganate will help to cope with the wireworm, which needs to be sprayed on the plant.

There are other ways as well. They are more suitable for supporters of folk wisdom, which has found its application in pest control, therefore, if you do not want to treat a flower with chemicals, use folk remedies:

• collect pests and their larvae by hand;
• try to wash off the pests with a stream of water, then collect from the ground and destroy;
• you can spray the plant after planting with a natural solution (you can prepare a mixture from dry mustard, laundry soap, ash and wormwood, you can process a flower with such a homemade solution only once a week);
• dry mustard or ash can be applied to the plant;
• so that the beetle larvae do not crawl out of the ground and attack the flower itself, the soil near the plant can be covered with a film.

Hand picking the Colorado potato beetle

In a small area and if there is enough time, it is quite possible to do with manual collection of insects. Surely, you tried this method, but after that you decided that it was too long and aimless: beetles and larvae quickly reappeared. But how well did you follow the procedure? Here are some simple secrets that will speed up the picking up of beetles and allow you to clear the plantings for at least a few days:

• use a bucket filled with soapy or strong saline for collection so that the bugs do not fly apart;
• do not crush beetles and larvae in the aisles of potatoes, they can survive and continue to reproduce;
• on warm days, insects are especially active on the tops of the bushes, but do not forget to inspect the lower parts of the plants;
• remove found masonry from the leaves.

Some summer residents pour kerosene into a bucket, but if it is inhaled for a long time, signs of poisoning may appear. Therefore, it is better to give preference to soap or salt.

Colorado beetle

This native of distant America, unfortunately, is familiar to absolutely everyone who grows potatoes. The striped aggressor from the leaf beetle family really liked our climate. Beetles and larvae of the Colorado potato beetle feed on the leaves of the Solanaceae: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, which makes them dangerous agricultural pests.

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This insect hibernates deep into the soil, and in the spring it gets out and begins to actively eat the first greens. Even if you keep a close eye on your plot, your potatoes are in danger. This insect is actively moving, so it is not difficult for him to overcome a hundred meters through the air from the neighboring infected garden to yours.

Plants damaged by the Colorado potato beetle simply dry up as a result. lose their ability to absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil.

During the season, the pest can give several generations (females lay eggs without interruption), and under unfavorable conditions, even hibernate for up to three years.

The appearance and symptoms of the presence of the Colorado potato beetle

Outwardly, an adult insect is a classic "beetle" up to 12 mm long, with a yellow head, with a rounded body and shiny convex elytra in a longitudinal strip. Its larvae are about the same size, bright orange with a black head and two rows of black dots on the sides of the body.

For the similar appearance of the harmful larvae of the Colorado potato beetle, they are often confused with the larvae of the extremely useful ladybug. Be careful - the latter are gray, “spiked” with orange spots.

Finding the Colorado potato beetle is easy, just look at the leaves of the potato. On them (most often at the edges), you can easily notice the characteristic traces of the presence of a beetle and its larvae: parts of the leaf are gnawed. The larvae feed, moving from the edge of the leaf to its center, gradually destroying the entire leaf blade. At the same time, if you turn over still whole leaves, you can see the egg-laying of a beetle from below (a lot of orange eggs densely spaced to each other).

Colorado potato beetle control measures

It is not easy to fight the Colorado potato beetle and its larvae - the pest shows high resistance to poisons and quickly develops immunity to them, and is also poisonous to most birds and animals.

Preventive measures include strict adherence to crop rotation, annual deep autumn digging of the site, planting near the beds with potatoes of bitter wormwood, calendula, onion, hemlock.

If insects have already appeared, you will have to try very hard and apply complex measures.This is the manual collection of beetles and larvae with their destruction outside the site, the placement of traps with potato peelings, the treatment of crops with folk remedies (a solution of birch tar, a mixture of soap and ash), as well as the use of chemical insecticides (Aktellik, Fitoverm, Aktara, Corado, Iskra gold etc.).

What remedies for the Colorado potato beetle to choose - an overview of the popular preparations of the Colorado potato beetle is collected by many by hand. But what if the site is large and there are a lot of insects? Use chemicals!

Unaccustomed to hearing this word: babanukha

Cabbage leaf beetle: photo of an adult

A cute-looking bug, and how much harm it does! Under the unusual name "babanukha" is a horseradish leaf eater (horseradish leaf beetle). He gradually eats the leaf plate. First, it feasts on the top green layer, then gnaws what is under it. As a result, a fragment of what was previously called a leaf remains gnawed in holes. The color of a small (only 3-4 mm long) insect is remarkable: it is a dark bottle green glass with a slightly purple tint. The body is slightly elongated, the back is convex, the legs are brown. The elytra are green with a dark shade and irregular texture. On their surface, hardly visible dents in the form of dots (8 pcs.) Are clearly distinguished.

Sexually mature females lay their future offspring in a prepared (slightly eaten away) leaf plate - oblong yellow eggs measuring 0.5 mm. They lay a clutch of 10-20 eggs daily, protecting them from drying out with a special secret. In total, one female babanukha is capable of making up to 20 such clutches. The “babies” that appeared after 12 days are rather large: up to 5.5 mm. The larva is distinguished by a yellowish tinge and gluttony. During three weeks of relentless eating of the juicy top layer of leaves, it gains the mass necessary for wintering. After that, in September they pupate in the soil layer. After 12 days, beetles of a new generation appear. They overwinter under uncleaned remains of vegetation, in dung heaps, at the roots of plants. Only in early June are observed on the leaves, starting to feed intensively. During one vegetative period, the babanukha reproduces one generation.

Lily pests

Of the most common pests of lilies, it is worth mentioning the greenhouse aphid - unobtrusive green sucking insects that envelop the plant en masse, sucking out juices from it and leading to the death of the plant.

The lily fly lays eggs in unopened buds, and the larvae that appear eat them from the inside, distorting the shape of the flower.

The squeaky beetle larvae are very voracious, eat leaves whole or leave roughly gnawed edges covered with mucus.

Perceptible harm to plants is caused by the larvae of the beetle and the click beetle (wireworm), no less gluttonous are the larvae of an elegant red lily beetle or bulbous rattle, after which sometimes only stems remain without leaves.

Root bulb mites stick to the bottoms of the bulbs during storage, and the spider mite pulls a cobweb between the leaves, on which, looking closely, you can see traces of insect punctures.

Lily pests are destroyed with insecticides: actellik, intavir, and the bulbs are treated with karbofos.

During storage, the bulbs become prey for murine rodents and moles, which are destroyed using various pesticides.

Efforts spent on the fight against diseases and pests of lilies will not be in vain - beautiful flowers will thank with amazing perfect forms that deliver aesthetic pleasure from the revealed exquisite miracle.

Garden lily is a plant that was previously considered a royal flower, but today it has become a favorite decoration of many flower beds. Thanks to the work of breeders, the exquisite and noble lily acquired various shades, made daylilies a real "highlight" of the garden plot.Florists lovingly care for a beautiful flower and are very worried if lilies turn yellow. Why do lilies turn yellow?

Healthy lily leaves are always green

Lack of iron

The yellowness of the leaves, which increases every day, with the remaining green veins, indicates that the flower lacks iron obtained from the soil.

What can be done to fill this gap? In this case, a plant feed is prepared. Its basis is settled water (3 l), to which iron vitriol (8 g) and citric acid (2 tsp) are added. After thoroughly mixing the aqueous solution, it is used for processing by leaves, as well as for foliar irrigation.

Lack of nitrogen

A weakened pale plant with yellow leaves, which also slowly gains in growth, is a sign of a lack of nitrogen.

In this case, you can use any fertilizer containing nitrogen. Care should be taken when fertilizing, as excess nitrogen intake will also not benefit the plant. Strict adherence to the instructions for use of the fertilizer will help provide the lily with nitrogen without harming.

Proper watering

Garden lily is a plant that requires careful attention to watering. Tropical in origin, the flower is still sensitive to sufficient soil moisture. With long breaks in watering, the lily leaves begin to turn yellow, the flower dries. So, the soil is dry, the lilies turn yellow, what to do? In no case should you overdo it with watering, do not overfill! Excessive watering, stagnation of moisture with poor drainage of the soil is undesirable. Root rot caused by waterlogging also leads to yellowing of the lily leaf.

Systematic watering will be correct, which is carried out as the soil dries up; in hot dry weather, the lily will be grateful if it will be watered every evening.