Controlling whiteflies on strawberries, as well as on other crops, is quite difficult, since this pest has an increased level of survivability. And to cope with the problem, you need to use comprehensive measures to destroy the insect. Otherwise, the bushes will not be able to fully develop, produce crops and will freeze in winter. Therefore, every gardener should know how to deal with this pest throughout the season, depending on the stage of strawberry development.
The whitefly belongs to the Aleurodidae family.
What does whitefly look like on strawberries and how to fight it?
The whitefly is a rather insidious insect that loves to settle on a wide variety of garden crops. Strawberries are no exception, on which whiteflies can be found quite often. As a rule, based on external characteristics, it is almost impossible to confuse this insect with other pests. In this article, we will take a closer look at the description of the whitefly, find out why it is so dangerous, and also consider the most effective methods of combating it not only with the help of chemicals, but also with proven folk methods.
Features of biological protection
When we fight pests using chemicals, we have to be extremely careful! Inept handling of drugs leads to various consequences. Moreover, not only plants are at risk; the gardener himself is also at risk in a certain sense.
The use of biomaterial is a more gentle solution and an alternative to chemistry. The essence of the biological technique is to intentionally introduce other insects to the garden crop, which will be beneficial by eating whitefly larvae. At the same time, the plants themselves remain safe and sound. Among such saviors we can note the two most common enemies of whiteflies:
- predatory bug Macrolophus;
- parasite of the greenhouse whitefly Encarzia.
Having completed the “cleansing”, the saviors leave the “processing” zone and move to another place. To purchase such biological material, you should contact any large garden farm or laboratory.
The Macrolophus bug is considered a true whitefly killer
Description
The whitefly is a small insect of white and yellow color. From a distance, whiteflies look like small white midges or moths, many attribute this to the similarity of their wings. As a rule, these insects do not reach more than 3-4 mm in length, and many specimens are even less than 1.5 mm.
Whiteflies have four wings, covered with a special coating that resembles something like flour or light dust. Having familiarized yourself with photographs and pictures of these insects, in the future it will not be difficult to identify this parasite on a flower or garden crop.
White flies actively feed on the sap of plants, as a result of which the latter gradually lose their strength and die. Very often, the appearance of whiteflies at first may not be noticeable; when searching for insects, it is very important to also inspect the lower surface of plant foliage.
As a rule, whiteflies actively appear in the second half of summer.
Today, several species of this insect are known, for example, there is a greenhouse whitefly, citrus, strawberry and even tobacco. It is worth noting right away that these small pests, regardless of what species they belong to, are dangerous for any garden crops. Everyone needs to be poisoned without exception. They will not bring any benefit. Strawberries are usually attacked by a species of strawberry whitefly.
White flies multiply very quickly, and therefore just one infectious plant can pose a threat to the entire garden. It is recommended to get rid of the parasite as early as possible. That is why any new plants should not be placed in the garden immediately, but should be observed for some time.
Otherwise, the entire crop may suffer.
You need to know the enemy by sight!
Before moving on to ways to combat this miniature pest, it is worth getting to know it better. In Latin, their name is as follows - Aleyrodidae. They belong to representatives of insects with incomplete transformation. However, these pests are characterized by complex development. The size of the whitefly is very small - the length of the body does not exceed 1 millimeter! But due to the fact that insects settle in colonies, they can easily be seen even with the naked eye.
The whitefly survives the winter in grass that has not been harvested since the fall, and with the advent of the first warm days, the insects awaken from a long hibernation and move to the shoots and leaves of plants. And strawberries are an ideal haven for whiteflies.
Attention! For the winter, it is imperative to remove all plant remains from the area, including diseased bushes. You also need to regularly weed and remove weeds.
Only the greatest harm is caused not by adults, but by larvae that live on the underside of strawberry leaves. Their favorite diet is the life-giving juice of garden crops and tender green pulp. For this reason, some time after they settle in, small holes can be noticed on the leaves.
If previously these insects attacked the plants of gardeners in the southern regions, now colonies of pests can settle in the territory of central Russia. The climate here is moderate, with occasional frosts.
The increase in the insect's range is largely determined by the improvement in its ability to hibernate. Some individuals can wait out the cold even in open areas!
White midges are clearly visible on strawberry leaves
Signs of appearance
It is not known for certain why white flying flies appear in the garden or garden. Many experts do not have a consensus on this matter. Very often, the appearance of the insect is due to the fact that strawberry bushes are planted close to each other, the optimal temperature regime is not maintained in the greenhouse, there are no preventive measures, and there is no proper fertilization of the plants.
The main signs of the appearance include white midges flying over strawberries, very reminiscent of moths, as well as the following visual characteristics.
As a rule, if a whitefly has actively multiplied in strawberry bushes, it will be noticeable to the naked eye. If you do not take immediate measures to get rid of the insect, you may be left without a harvest. That is why it is recommended to treat the bushes with safe decoctions or infusions in advance.
It happens that whiteflies infest fruit-bearing strawberries. It is quite possible to notice signs of this, especially if you regularly inspect the plants, but in this case only safe or folk remedies are suitable for treatment, then everything will be fine with the berries.
If the insect appears after the harvest, then you can use biological products without any problems, and if there are a lot of insects, then chemical ones.
Why is it dangerous?
Since white midges feed on plant juices, it all ultimately comes down to the fact that the plants begin to die from lack of nutrients. In addition, large colonies of midges begin to fly to other neighboring plants and even trees.
As a result of the appearance of sticky dew, which has already been mentioned, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted. The leaves do not receive proper nutrition, spots appear on them, they begin to curl, and then completely wither. As a result of weakening, in addition to the whitefly itself, other insects can attack the bushes, but most often already weakened bushes begin to get sick under the influence of various fungal and other diseases. In addition, the whitefly itself carries various diseases.
Despite its very modest size, this pest can cause a lot of trouble to plants and future harvests.
But, knowing what the enemy looks like in person, you can very quickly identify and eliminate him.
Whitefly pest: fight, folk remedies, how to get rid of small white midges
Whiteflies or Aleyrodidae are a family of very small homoptera insects with a waxy coating on their wings. The source of their life is plant sap, which they absorb in quantities much greater than their nutritional needs. This is precisely the main reason for the death of crops.
Also, as a result of such excessive eating, the whitefly secretes the so-called “dew”, which, settling on the leaves, contributes to the formation of sooty fungus. And, here it, in turn, interferes with their normal air exchange and photosynthesis, as a result of which the plants begin to become covered with a sticky crust, turn black, and then die.
But that's not all. Whiteflies are also carriers of a variety of diseases that can simply infect a healthy crop. In general, this little white midge causes global harm, combining a large number of threats to diseases and plant death, acting both in open ground gardens, in greenhouses, and even at home. In order to successfully fight whiteflies, it is necessary to use more than one method of protection, destruction and prevention. And the most important thing is to act in a timely manner; if the process is delayed, it is very difficult to get rid of this pest.
Signs of whitefly damage to a plant
It is quite simple to identify a whitefly - it is small, maximum 1.5-5 mm in size, white, most often with a yellowish tint, similar to a moth. When you touch the affected plant, the midges fly away (as do psyllids). But you also need to pay attention to the larvae that it lays - they are much, much more difficult to detect - they are oval in shape, green-transparent in color, and their size does not exceed 0.2-3 mm (depending on the species).
The leaves of the plant that are infected have spots of white coating on their surface. The whitefly itself hides on the back, invisible side of the leaf, and if you turn it over, the midges will immediately fly away. You can also see yellowed leaves that soon fall off - this is also the work of the whitefly.
The fight against whiteflies is also complicated by the fact that they reproduce very quickly. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, it can destroy quite large areas of crops. During her entire life, which is a month, she can lay about 130 eggs. And after 5-7 days, the eggs turn into larvae, then, after 2 weeks, into nymphs, and then into adults.
Whitefly larvae during their development are very resilient: they are not afraid of pesticides and other similar drugs. Therefore, it is practically useless to fight them during this period. In open ground, female pests lay eggs only in the spring, but with heated greenhouses it is more difficult - there is a comfortable climate for this process almost all year round. Therefore, it is in the greenhouse that the whitefly has ideal conditions for reproduction; there it can grow up to 15 generations in a year. Can you imagine? Just creepy...
Prevention and protective measures
The pest is capable of attacking plants that have weakened immunity. This may be due to lack of nutrition. Therefore, to prevent infection of strawberries, it is recommended to regularly feed the bushes depending on their stage of development. To do this, at the beginning of the active growing season, you should use fertilizers with a high nitrogen content, and during flowering and fruiting - with potassium and phosphorus.
Other preventive measures:
- do not allow plantings to become dense;
- remove weeds in a timely manner, loosen the soil between the rows;
- sprinkle the soil at the base of the bushes with tobacco dust;
- treat plants with acaricides in autumn and spring;
- before winter, collect all plant residues and burn them;
- When growing strawberries in a greenhouse, regularly ventilate the room and lay down mulch.
Important! The best prevention is proper care of plants, which increases their resistance to the pest.
Fighting whitefly on strawberries: effective methods
The whitefly on strawberries is a pest that literally sucks out the vital juices of this plant. Therefore, when it appears on the bushes, the plantings begin to suffer: their development is slowed down, they become susceptible to diseases, and this ultimately negatively affects the taste and quantitative characteristics of the crop. Therefore, in order to get large and sweet berries, you need to start fighting whiteflies as early as possible.
Preparations for whiteflies
Many people consider the right way to control pests to be the use of chemicals that are sold in specialized stores. When used correctly and in accordance with the dosage, they are completely safe for plants and effective against pest infestation.
However, preparations for whiteflies can be harmful to people, so treatment must be carried out using personal protective equipment:
"Teppeki" for whiteflies is a systemic insecticide. Water-dispersible granules of this drug, entering the insect’s body, act in such a way that the pest stops feeding and, after some time, dies. The duration of the drug is 30 days. When treating whiteflies with this drug, you need to follow some rules. For example, the preparation of the solution should be done on the same day that the treatment will be carried out. The granules are dissolved in warm water at the rate of 1 g per 2-3 liters. Spraying should be carried out in dry weather in the morning or evening. If the procedure is carried out in a greenhouse, then after finishing the work it must be well ventilated.
“Aktara” for whiteflies is used quite often because it is a strong systemic insecticide. The drug can be used for watering or spraying. In the first case, 1 g of product will be required per 10 liters of water. When preparing a solution for spraying, the concentration of the drug is much less: 1 g of the drug needs to be dissolved in only 1.25 liters of water. This amount should be enough to process 30-35 plants. To achieve complete disappearance of butterflies, spraying should be carried out every 2 weeks (3-4 times in total).
"Fitoverm" is also often used against whiteflies. The instructions for using the drug say that this is a contact-intestinal insectoacaricide, in addition to combating whiteflies, it can be used when infecting plants with aphids and various types of mites. Humidity and air temperature determine how long after treatment the plantings will be protected from pests. Typically this period varies from 5 to 15 days. In greenhouse conditions, protection lasts longer - 2-3 weeks.
“Iskra Zolotaya” is a modern drug used to destroy whiteflies, aphids, midges, and the Colorado potato beetle. The drug is considered highly effective and has a long shelf life. After treating plantings with Iskra Zolotoy, even those insects that survived earlier, after being treated with another drug, die. The death of whiteflies after spraying with this product occurs within 1-2 days.
Pest Information
Whiteflies are the name of a large family of insects, which includes over 1,500 species. Several dozen of them are widespread in the territory of the former USSR and pose a threat to garden and vegetable plantings. This family got its name because of the characteristic waxy coating on the wings of its representatives.
Externally, whiteflies look like tiny moths
These are small insects: the length of adult individuals ranges from 1.5 to 5 mm. They feed on plant juices, and at the same time draw them out in large volumes, exceeding the required amount for nutrition.
If measures are not taken in time, the parasitic activity of whiteflies will ultimately lead to the death of the plantings.
Who are these snow-white midges?
When snow-white midges or strawberry whiteflies appear on strawberries, you need to sound the alarm.
This is the most terrible and worst enemy of the plant, although in appearance it is quite pretty. Most often it is hidden on the inside of the petal. It can be confused with a moth or a small butterfly. If you touch its wings, you can see that they are covered with a snow-white waxy coating. This insect has two rather long wings that are not so wide. It is small in size, not more than 3 mm. The whitefly is afraid of direct sunlight, so it hides in the shade of leaves. This is a very prolific insect, and in one spring-summer season 4 generations are replaced. One female whitefly can lay up to 20 eggs, from which larvae will later appear; they are quite active. These larvae attach themselves to the leaf and begin to feed on its juices. During the period of degeneration of the larvae into an adult, their whiskers and legs disappear.
What is the danger to strawberries?
Due to the abundant feeding of plant juices in large quantities, not all of their volume is absorbed in the whitefly’s body. Therefore, the insect secretes a whitish liquid, similar to dew, which is located on the leaves. This substance is a favorable environment for sooty fungus to live.
Therefore, a gardener whose strawberries have been attacked by a whitefly will face additional problems. After all, the fungus disrupts the flow of air to the leaf plates of the plant and interferes with the vital course of photosynthesis. The result will be the formation of a sticky crust on the plants, blackening and death of the green part. Whiteflies are also carriers of diseases.
Despite its small size, this parasite causes significant damage to strawberry plantings. But, knowing what whitefly looks like on strawberries and how to fight it, you can save the plants and the future harvest. The main thing is to take the necessary measures in time.
Habitat and methods of distribution
Under natural conditions, the whitefly is found mainly in the forest-steppe and central Russian zone.
It appears in public gardens, in summer cottages, and in parks, causing noticeable damage during mass development. Prefers shade, high humidity, and is a heat-loving insect.
Rapid spread is facilitated by the appearance of 2-4 generations of the pest during the growing season. In greenhouse conditions, the whitefly demonstrates the ability to reproduce year-round.
The miniature female makes her first laying of eggs in the spring after stable warm weather has established. She usually places them on the underside of strawberry leaves. Larvae of the first instar are active while they are looking for a convenient place on the plant to which they attach, and then lose mobility. They stop feeding at the stage of pseudopupa formation, which is considered the fourth instar of the larva. Then the insect spends 7-14 days in the nymph stage, after which an adult insect appears, which also feeds on plant juices.
Ways to fight
The fight against the parasite is complicated by its rapid reproduction rate. The whitefly does not live long - about a month, but during this time it manages to lay more than 130 eggs. Larvae will appear after 7 days, and adults that continue to reproduce will appear after 3-4 weeks.
But, if strawberries grow in open ground, then the whitefly lays eggs only in the spring months. In a greenhouse, this happens almost all year round, during which time up to 15 generations of the pest appear. Another difficulty is associated with the resistance of the larvae to chemicals, so only adult individuals can be affected.
Chemicals against whiteflies: top 5
Most chemicals available for whitefly control kill them when they enter the digestive system (gut action). The most effective and popular products for use on strawberries include:
All these drugs should be used strictly in accordance with the instructions for use.
Flea remedies can also help: shampoos and sprays with the active ingredient fipronil. They are sold in veterinary pharmacies. The leaves are treated with a solution of shampoo in water, and the spray is sprayed onto the soil around the bushes or mulch. Anti-flea drugs are used as adjuvants.
Processing rules
Considering that pesticides destroy only adult individuals and have virtually no effect on eggs, it is necessary to carry out multiple treatments as flying whiteflies appear. In addition, intestinal insecticides have an effect only when parasites feed, and once will not be enough, because insects feed at different times. Four treatments with a break of 3, 5 and 7 days are enough.
At the same time, with each procedure, the concentration of chemicals should be reduced so as not to harm the plants and not make its future fruits harmful to human health.
The use of insecticides designed to combat whiteflies can be combined with the use of drugs of another type: stimulants of plant growth and immunity, which improves their resistance to stress. For example "Bud".
Other important rules for treating strawberries with an insecticide against whiteflies:
If you take these recommendations into account, then the fight against whiteflies with insecticides will be successful and safe.
Biological method
An alternative to the use of chemicals is the use of biological agents. One of them is the deliberate placement of other parasites in strawberry beds - for example, encarsia or macrophus bugs. Feeding on whitefly larvae, they are harmless to plantings. You can buy such insects in a biological laboratory or large garden and vegetable farms. When the parasites complete their mission, they leave the strawberry.
Biological means of getting rid of whiteflies include the insecticide "Verticillin Zh", which contains fungal spores. It has the ability to penetrate the body of the whitefly and infect its organs, leading to death.
Biological enemies of whiteflies
White midges on Victoria and other strawberry varieties are destroyed with the help of natural enemies of whiteflies. These include:
- Encarzia is a small parasite that lays eggs in the body of midges, like a wasp. The mature larva gnaws through the body of the host and climbs out. Such insects are purchased from specialized companies.
- Ladybug - she preys on aphids and whiteflies.
- The lacewing is a predator that eats smaller insects.
- The Geocoris bug specializes in eating midges.
