Among the early berries that many people enjoy, cherries occupy a special place. Already in June, cherry trees look bright and elegant, thanks to the juicy dark red berries. Harvesting does not always go well if aphids appear on cherry leaves.
It is difficult to believe that insects from the group of Homoptera proboscis feeding on plant sap can settle on dense leaf plates. The small insect multiplies quickly and forms a real colony. Experts recommend how to get rid of aphids on cherries so that the berries are not damaged and the tree retains its strength for the next season.
Description of black aphids
Aphids are insects from the genus Hemiptera. Cherries, plums and other stone fruits are attacked by black aphids. These are small creatures that reach a size of no more than a couple of millimeters. The body shape of an insect is always different.
Aphids can be both wingless and winged. The wingless type of insect does not leave its habitat and constantly reproduces there. One individual insect can produce 4-5 generations of offspring within a couple of months. The number of individuals reaches several hundred thousand, which constantly reproduce. In summer, 10-12 generations can be born.
Aphids are attracted to cherries by their juice. They extract it from the plant by piercing the surface of the shoots with their proboscis. Aphids prefer the juiciest plants for food; it is easier to get food from them. Black aphids infect the bases of leaves and tops of shoots.
The winged subspecies spreads aphids to other plants. It is not born in every generation, but only when the colony becomes too large for one plant. Also, winged aphids appear during cold weather and other unfavorable conditions.
During feeding, aphids secrete sweet honeydew, which attracts other garden insects. Bees use honeydew to create honeydew honey. The main lovers of the sweet substance are ants. They become a kind of protectors of aphids. Ants protect aphids from other insects and transfer them to other plants.
Why is it dangerous for trees?
This family of insects is quite a nasty pest.
Settling on the underside of leaves, aphids suck juices from fresh green plants, destroying young shoots. At the same time, it secretes poison, which causes the leaves to curl, change shape and die, the shoots do not grow, and the tops become bent. Aphid waste - sweet secretions - contaminates the leaves, thereby disrupting the natural life of the plant. She also spreads viral infections through her saliva. Among fruit trees, the greatest damage occurs to young seedlings. Aphids are familiar small insects up to 7 mm. They have a special piercing-sucking proboscis, which they use to pierce the surface of leaves, buds or new shoots and suck out the juice. The plant is greatly weakened and becomes susceptible to viral diseases. Some species of aphids damage plant roots. Aphids come with wings and without wings. Some fly away with the wind up to 25 km, while others reproduce locally 2 times a year, in spring and summer. The excrement excreted by aphids contains a lot of carbohydrates; ants love this special treat. Ants carry aphid larvae over considerable distances to succulent parts of the plant, protecting them from bad weather even in their anthill. It is ants in symbiosis with larvae, winged and wingless representatives of aphids that can cause great trouble in your garden.
The insects adapted to seasonal changes and studied the physiology of the plant they liked. They reproduce in two ways: the first is natural mating of males and females, and the second method is viviparity of virgin females. Aphids are a dangerous insect and must be combated in spring and autumn. In the fall, females lay eggs that overwinter on trees and shrubs and hatch into wingless females.
Ants carry such wingless creatures from tree to tree. In May, winged females appear, capable of migrating over distances that will give birth to males and females in September. They are fertilized again and this process is endless, which once again proves the complexity of combating this type of pest.
The aphid's diet is enormous; it feeds on fruits on apple, pear, quince, plum, medlar, hawthorn, serviceberry and dogwood trees. It multiplies and therefore harms sunflower, thistle, chamomile, thistle, and comfrey. There are lovers of flower plants - roses, meadowsweet, tulips, black currants, viburnum. There are 450 species of aphids in our hemisphere.
Obviously, without taking special measures to destroy these pests, enormous damage will be caused to the garden and the entire area.
The fight against aphids is further complicated by their rapid reproduction.
In addition to methods of getting rid of aphids, which we will consider later in our article, you need to pay attention to preventive measures
Reasons for the appearance of black aphids on cherries
Before you fight aphids on cherries, you need to pay attention to the causes of tree infestation. The main reasons for cherry aphid infestation are:
• a large number of weeds around the tree; • colonies of ants living nearby; • weak plant immunity.
An unkempt garden with a lot of weeds will quickly lead to the appearance of various diseases. Winged aphids can reproduce on weeds in early spring, and then transfer their relatives to cherries in June, when cherries are in fruiting period.
Aphid colonies would not be able to develop quickly without the ants. The wingless aphid would be destroyed by other insects or would die from lack of food. Winged aphids reproduce poorly and would not be able to restore the colony. The wingless subspecies cannot move normally around the plant without ants.
Precautions when working with Iskra series drugs
As when spraying plants with any other insecticide, when using Iskra you need to protect your face and hands from small drops of the drug. To do this, they usually wear a mask, gloves, and special clothing, which should be thoroughly cleaned and washed after use. Plant treatments should be carried out in the early morning or evening, when the sun is inactive, in dry, rainless weather and in the absence of strong gusts of wind.
If you don’t feel the makings of a professional chemist who knows the properties of poisons, or an entomologist familiar with the habits of insects, it doesn’t matter. To defeat the army of pests, choose simple, easy-to-use and safe preparations that will reliably protect your garden and vegetable garden, from the formation of ovaries in the spring until the moment of harvesting fruits in the summer and autumn.
Damage from black aphids on cherries
The action of the pest leads to the following negative consequences:
• infestation by aphids can lead to the death of the tree; • plants have an increased chance of being infected by various viruses; • yields are significantly reduced; • berries become small and ugly; • the possibility of infection of all neighboring plants.
Black aphids can infect currants, gooseberries, raspberries and other neighboring plants. The insect can also harm plums, apricots and other stone fruits. The pest feeds on plant sap, which disrupts the flow of nutrients into the leaves. They dry out and curl, and the affected surface turns black.
There is a risk of getting infected from black aphids. Various fungal diseases can develop on the shoots. Along with insect saliva, various microorganisms enter the cells. Sooty fungus can lead to crop loss, and if the tree is not cured before winter, it will die.
cherry fly
Seemingly harmless flies can cause no less harm. The cherry fly, for example, is a dangerous pest of cherries, due to which you can lose almost the entire harvest. The larvae laid by insects feed on the fruits and spoil them. When the cherry falls to the ground, the grown insect goes to the surface layer of soil for the winter.
Miner flies are no less dangerous. Cherry pests are detected by the passages in the leaves. Winding tunnels inside the leaf blades indicate that the eggs laid have turned into larvae, ready to emerge and become a new generation of adult insects by spring. In case of mass infection, the leaves suffer so much that the tree cannot properly prepare for winter, as a result it freezes, gets sick, and produces a smaller harvest.
How to deal with aphids on cherries
When black aphids appear on cherries, how to get rid of the pest must be decided as quickly as possible. An integrated approach to treatment will help to completely remove aphids and save cherries.
The fight against the parasite is carried out using the following methods:
• regular weeding of the soil to remove weeds; • destruction of cherry shoots; • timely application of fertilizing and fertilizers; • use of chemical and biological agents; • preventive treatment; • attracting insects to the cherry that feed on aphids.
Main pests of berry crops
Black currants are the most vulnerable to pest invasion. Curled leaves indicate that the bush is infested with aphids. Red currants can harbor their own aphids. Signs of its presence are reddened leaves. And several more species of sawflies, moths, and leaf rollers strive to deprive you of the harvest of black, red, white currants, and at the same time gooseberries. Therefore, treatments should be started as soon as the buds begin to bloom.
Since there are a huge number of pests of vegetable and garden crops - these include leaf-eating beetles, caterpillars of various butterflies, and the ubiquitous aphids - gardeners cannot do without a special universal action product. Back in 2000, specialists developed the preparations Iskra and Iskra-M for early spring treatment of fruit trees against insect pests. Products under the Iskra brand have stood the test of time and are considered one of the most popular among summer residents on the insecticide market. The secret of their long-term popularity is their ease of use and effectiveness.
Chemicals to control aphids
Among the most effective ways to treat cherries against aphids are the following:
• Karbofos; • Fufan; • Arrivo.
These are fast-acting contact agents. They penetrate the insect through the outer cover. This treatment leads to the death of parasites.
The fight against aphids on cherries is also carried out with intestinal and systemic drugs. These methods of control can quickly rid cherries of aphids. The substances enter the insect's body when it eats.
The following preparations will help remove aphids from leaves:
1. Aktara. The product is absorbed into the plant tissue, after which it is effective for 14 days. The active ingredient is thiametoscam. 2. Actedylic. The drug is an insecticide that contains pirimiphos-methyl. 3. Inta-vir. The active ingredient is cypermethrin. 4. Confidor. Insecticide containing imidacloprid. The duration of action of the drug is very long.
Treatment with pesticides should be carried out at least a month before picking berries. Preparations can be used at the beginning of summer or after flowering has ended; this can destroy aphids that have just attacked. It is important not to treat with insecticides during flowering, as this will lead to the death of bees. For prevention, you can apply the product 20 days before the flowers appear.
Plum moth
This pest overwinters as an adult caterpillar in cocoons under the bark and in cracks of trees. The beginning of the flight of inconspicuous gray-brown butterflies, similar to moths, coincides with the end of plum blossoms. Two generations develop per season.
The flight of insects continues until the end of August. The codling moth lays greenish-white eggs in fruits and sometimes on the undersides of leaves. The hatching of caterpillars from eggs begins 2-3 weeks after the plum tree begins to bloom. The caterpillars feed on the pulp of the fruit and during years of mass development they can destroy the entire plum crop.
If you see a drop of gum on a plum fruit, there is a high probability that the codling moth is in full control there. While feeding, the caterpillar acquires a red color and makes its way to the place where the petiole is attached. In unripe fruits, it gnaws through the pit, and in ripe ones, it eats away the pulp near the pit, leaving excrement in the passages made inside the plum.
Biological agents to combat aphids
Aphids on leaves can be destroyed using insecticides that contain toxic substances of biological origin. Cherries are processed with the following preparations:
• Aktofit; • Phytofarm; • Nemabact; • Anthonem-F.
The first 2 products contain avermectins, which are products of fungal synthesis. Nemabact and Eetonema use predatory microorganisms that feed on parasite eggs.
You can control pests with biological means even during the growing season. The preparations are much weaker than chemical ones, which allows you to pick berries just a few days after use. Such preparations do not remain on the leaves for a long time and do not pose a danger to bees.
What rules should you follow?
Insecticides are used to control various insects. They are intended to kill pests, but can be toxic to humans. This feature forces you to follow certain rules when performing work; most often they are described in the annotation. Let's look at the main ones:
- It is prohibited to increase the dose of the drug when preparing the solution. It will not be possible to cure the plant faster, but it may suffer.
- You can treat the garden with insecticides only in protective clothing. It must be closed. It is necessary to use goggles and a respirator to prevent the toxic component from getting into the eyes and respiratory tract.
- The solution must be applied immediately after preparation. The remainder is disposed of, since it will lose its effectiveness before the next treatment.
- To prepare solutions, you need to take separate dishes that will not be used in the garden.
If all the described rules are followed, cherry pests will die and will not spoil the harvest. In this case, it is important not only to prepare the working solution correctly, but also to carry out the processing in a timely manner. It is better to carry it out immediately after the kidneys swell, and then repeat after 2 weeks to consolidate the effect.
Traditional methods of fighting aphids on cherries
To combat aphids, you can make various solutions yourself. Folk remedies for combating aphids should be positioned only as an auxiliary treatment. Treatment should be carried out using a comprehensive method.
One of the most popular means is soap solution. If you spray this liquid on a tree, the number of insects will be significantly reduced. To create the product you will need 200 g of crushed laundry soap, which must be diluted in 2 liters of water. To enhance the effect, you can add 100 g of ash. After complete dissolution, you need to spray the tree.
Aphids do not tolerate garlic well, so it is recommended to make an infusion from it. To create it, you need to chop the head of garlic and place it in water. The product should steep for 4-6 days, after which the infusion is filtered and diluted with water. For 5 liters you need 30 g of solution.
You can prepare a solution based on iodine. One bottle must be diluted in 1 liter of water. This solution can also be sprayed on currants, raspberries, strawberries, etc. For effectiveness, you can add a little milk to the liquid.
Spark Double effect – total protection against pests!
The universal tablet against insect pests Iskra Double Effect has been a confident leader in sales since 2001 and successfully protects plants from more than 60 types of pests. What properties of the drug have maintained high demand for it for almost 20 years:
- Versatility and speed of action, which allows the Iskra tablet to be used as an “ambulance” remedy.
- The effect is enhanced by the addition of a second active component - potassium supplementation, which allows the plant to accelerate the recovery of the damaged part. Today Iskra is the only double-action insecticide!
- Low cost of treatment combined with high efficiency, especially against weevils and aphids.
- Easily dissolves in water. The drug has been awarded many gold medals and diplomas at Russian and international exhibitions.
Using food to control aphids on cherries
You can fight aphids on cherries with Coca-Cola. This drink contains phosphoric acid, which kills pests. The cola should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1 and the solution should be sprayed on the affected tree.
Baking soda can kill aphids. It is necessary to dissolve 10 g of soda in 1 liter of water and treat the cherries. This method is effective at any stage of infection.
To combat parasites I use dry mustard. For 1 liter of water you need to take 100 g of mustard in powder form and mix everything. Both aphids and ants dislike the mustard scent. After treatment, they begin to quickly leave the plant. To enhance the effect, you can add a little liquid soap to the solution.
Ringed silkworm
This garden pest can damage a range of woody plants:
- pome fruit crops;
- stone fruits;
- berry bushes;
- hazel;
- hawthorn.
The insect is represented by a yellow-brown butterfly, with two dark stripes on each wing. The hind wings are slightly lighter than the front wings. Their span is approximately 4 cm.
Females lay eggs on growing branches. The hatched caterpillars gnaw out the soft tissues of the leaves and build spider nests in the forks of the branches. During the day they sit in them, and at night they come out to satisfy their hunger.
Soon they turn into pupae, and after a couple of weeks the butterflies leave the cocoons. They immediately start laying eggs.
Causes and symptoms of plant infection
The main reason for the appearance of a colony of pests in the garden is their need for certain amino acids. The family of black aphids belongs to the oliphagae, which obtain the necessary substances only from stone fruit trees, preferring cherries and cherries. The juice of these plants allows insects to maintain life and reproductive cycles, promoting rapid reproduction and settlement over a large area.
There are several symptoms by which you can determine that black aphids on cherries are spreading quickly. These include:
- discoloration, curling and falling of leaves before the leaf fall season;
- the appearance of gall formations on the leaves and bark of young branches.
Colonies always leave behind a sweet secretion (honeydew). The presence of sticky areas on the plant and scurrying ants are mandatory symptoms confirming the presence of cherry aphids.
Winter moth (Operophtera brumata
When the season is over and the harvest is harvested, a very dangerous and insidious enemy flies to the plots - the winter moth. Owners of dachas located near forests or other tree plantations should be especially wary of it. If in September-October you notice nondescript light brown or beige moths, know that it is too early to leave the area.
The wingspan of an adult moth does not exceed 25 mm. The front wings are gray-brown with dark wavy transverse lines, the hind wings are slightly lighter. Caterpillars are up to 28-30 mm long, yellow-green, with a longitudinal brown stripe on the back and a yellow-brown head. They appear approximately 10-14 days before flowering and feed on leaves and other parts of the plant. Caterpillars gnaw out buds, flowers and ovaries, entwining them with cobwebs. A month later, the insects descend into the ground and pupate, remaining in this state until autumn. In September-October, butterflies emerge from the pupae, for which a temperature of 5-11°C is considered favorable. They are not afraid of even night frosts down to –15°C! Adult females lay eggs near the buds, in cracks or folds of the bark, and can lay up to 300 eggs in the fall.)
