About spider mites on an apple tree: how to fight the pest, how to treat the tree

Spider mites are small insects invisible to the eye; they feed on the juices of the plant and weave it with thin webs, along which they move very quickly. They have amazingly high fertility and can be a real challenge for the gardener. What to do if these small, but not at all remote pests suddenly settled on the site?

Spider mites love to settle on apple trees, but they can also move to other fruit and berry crops. Their omnivorous nature easily turns a small pest into a gardener's nightmare. The dominance of spider mites quickly reduces the immunity of a crop and makes it vulnerable to secondary infections of various origins. How to overcome an insect? Let's look at this issue in more detail.

Fighting spider mites on an apple tree

Spider mites appear on apple trees in warm weather conditions. It feeds on plant juices, thereby weakening the trees. As a result, they lose some of their foliage, disrupting the process of photosynthesis. Young apple trees begin to lag behind in development, and fruit-bearing ones reduce their productivity.

Fighting spider mites on an apple tree

What diseases does it lead to?

Roses

The foliage of roses affected by spider mites turns brown, loses its attractive appearance and color, the buds mostly wither, and the surviving ones are smaller than those formed on a healthy bush.
Deprived of the normal amount of nutrients, the plant does not have time to prepare for winter and may die if the cold season turns out to be frosty and with little snow.

Rose bushes exhausted by mite attacks often disappear due to a decrease in immunity to gray rot.

How to get rid of spider mites on a rose? If you notice a small number of spider mites on a rose, you can get rid of them by spraying with an aqueous solution of laundry soap. How to treat a rose against spider mites? A more radical method, when a web has already formed on the rose, is treatment with Actellik or Nero.

Spider mite on a rose - photo:

Marigold

Quite unpretentious to care for, marigolds are also susceptible to spider mite attacks if the summer is dry and hot. The settled colony of pests drinks the juice first in young shoots, and then attacks previously grown branches and leaves.

The formation of buds on the plant slows down, already formed flowers do not open completely, and have an atypical shape for the species. The leaves curl and the flower begins to wither. Spider mites can cause marigold disease.

Spider mites on marigolds: what are the control measures? The preparations Actofit, Apollo, infusions of onion peels, and potato tops will help protect flowers from existing mites.

Spider mites on marigolds - photo:

Apple tree

When an apple tree is initially infested with spider mites, red and black dots appear on the leaves of the tree. On the back side of the leaves there are clusters of small bugs that slowly move along the surface.

The defeat of a tree at the flowering stage leads to a disruption in the formation of ovaries. If a spider mite attacks an apple tree during the period of fruit ripening, then due to the inability to absorb sunlight in sufficient quantities by the affected leaves and metabolic disorders, the tree will drop some of the fruit.

If most of the green mass of the tree is affected by the mite, it may even die.

A tree exhausted by mites has reduced immunity, so the risk of the apple tree becoming infected with scab and bacterial diseases increases. If spraying trees with herbal infusions does not correct the situation, then use preparations No. 30, 30c, 30m, Rovikurt, colloidal sulfur.

Spider mites on an apple tree - photo:

Marijuana

During the initial attack, marijuana foliage gradually changes color due to numerous puncture sites and subsequent sucking of the juice by mites. In the absence of control measures, the number of ticks on the bush increases.

As a result of the increased appetites of the colony, the plant does not have the strength to form a normal peduncle, becomes less resistant to possible temperature changes, and is more difficult to tolerate the lack of modern watering.

Spider mites on marijuana - what to do? They save marijuana from spider mites by spraying a solution of bleach through a spray bottle (tbsp per 1 liter of water). If there are a lot of insects, then use the drug SM-90.

Spider mites on marijuana - photo:

Soybeans

The typical time for spider mites to infect soybeans is the end of May, the first two decades of July, since during this period the foliage of the plants is most juicy. Mites siphoning sap from growing soybeans can prevent the plant from reaching its typical size for the crop.

This will lead to less formation of ovaries and lodging of the cultivated crop, which threatens the ripening beans with rot viruses or soil pests.

To prevent a decrease in soybean yield due to pests, chemicals are used.

Signs of appearance

Spider mites belong to the arachnid family.

It is small in size, growing no more than 1 mm in length. It can be seen from the underside of the foliage, where it is attached by punctures in the leaf tissue, sucking the plant sap from them.

In places of punctures, necrosis forms on the upper side of the leaves - a white, yellow or brown spot formed from dead tissue cells.

With a massive attack of a mite on an apple tree, which can produce up to 5 generations per year, gardeners are often faced with the complete destruction of the garden crop.

A large colony of a pest that has settled on apple tree foliage looks like a plaque. When the mite population reaches a large size, cobwebs become clearly visible on the foliage.

How to understand that a plant is infected

Signs of damage:

1. Light, brown spots on the bottom of the leaf. Over time, it dries out and falls off.
2. The leaf blades become bronze, burgundy or marbled in color.
3. Dense web, mainly on the upper shoots. When the infection is severe, cobwebs cover the entire plant, and swarming clusters of mites are visible on young leaves.
4. The leaf is deformed and twisted along with the petioles.
5. The buds are withered, the growth of the plant is slow.

Description of varieties

There are many varieties in the spider mite family. Most of them are too small, so they can only be recognized with a magnifying glass.

Fruit red

The fruit red species measures up to 0.4 mm and has an oval-shaped red body.

A large population appears as a single spot with a yellowish tint along the leaf vein.

Fruit brown

The brown fruit variety has a flat body up to 0.6 mm long, colored brown. Prefers to settle on the kidneys.

Its presence is recognized by the remains of silvery larval skins after molting, which accumulate on the bark of trees.

Gallic

The gall species prefers a secretive lifestyle, hiding inside twisted foliage and buds. Its size is up to 0.25 mm, its shape is elongated, oval, tapering towards the rear base, its color is white.

On the foliage, the population forms galls - yellow or brown spherical swellings, which is where it gets its name.

Kidney

Pests can destroy all buds

The bud type is considered the most dangerous, because it prefers to settle inside the buds on young shoots, robbing them of the chance to develop further.

Its length is no more than 0.2 mm. The shape of the body is round, elongated, worm-shaped. The color is white or with a yellowish tint.

As a result of its presence, large, deformed, diseased buds appear on the apple tree.

Schlechtendahl tick

The tick-borne variety of Schlechtendahl is less common. The length of the pest is up to 0.2 mm, the color of the body is yellowish with brown.

It is characterized by increased fertility: females are capable of laying up to 2 million eggs during their life cycle.

Due to the active feeding of these pests, photosynthesis processes in the foliage are disrupted and they fall off.

Danger of ticks in the garden

The pest is very prolific; the female lays up to 7 pieces per day on the underside of the leaf. eggs The clutches are drought- and frost-resistant, they are able to survive a harsh winter under the snow, and in the spring larvae hatch from the eggs.

The period of active reproduction in the Central Federal District occurs in June, in the south of the Russian Federation - with the onset of hot weather (April-May). By the end of summer in cold regions, ticks hibernate, but if the hot season is long, they remain parasitic until September.

Arthropods overwinter in plant growth, in tree bark, soil, and plant debris; they often huddle in the cracks of garden buildings and safely wait out the cold period there.

It is important to know! Ticks are carriers of dangerous garden diseases - viruses, fungi, bacteria. They are not able to fly, but are carried on webs with the wind, on garden tools, clothes, and shoes.

What harm does

The main harm from spider mites is the disruption of photosynthesis processes in the foliage due to tissue damage, as well as the weakening of the trees' resistance to viral, bacterial and fungal infections due to the lack of plant juices for adequate nutrition.

As a result of the active development of tick colonies:

• young apple trees stop developing;
• mature weakened trees become susceptible to infections;
• gardeners lose their harvest and face the complete destruction of their garden crops.

Description of the pest and damage caused

The presence of spider mites on an apple tree is revealed by a thin web that envelops part of the leaves.
Hot and dry summers often lead to massive reproduction of ticks. The insect settles on the reverse side of the leaf, sucking the juice from it. A puncture in the leaf causes tissue necrosis, and dark spots begin to grow in this area. Violation of the photosynthesis process leads to drying and falling of the leaf.

A cluster of insects looks like a plaque. The pest multiplies rapidly, producing 5–6 generations per season. This is why it is so difficult to get rid of.

The damage caused to an apple tree by a mite is very multifaceted:

• loss of some drying foliage, often by mid-summer the tree already loses half of its leaves;
• decreased immunity of the apple tree;
• increased susceptibility of the tree to fungal and bacterial infections, viral diseases;
• deprivation of part of the harvest due to impaired formation of the ovary and dropping of fruits;
• possible death of the entire fruit tree.

Ticks are not very mobile, and their life expectancy is short. But the huge numbers and rapid reproduction make this pest quite dangerous. In warm weather, ticks reproduce until September.

Important! One week passes from the time the eggs are laid until the adult larva emerges.

The microscopic size of the mite makes it difficult to detect this insect in a timely manner. Only large colonies of mites that envelop the space near the leaves and young shoots with cobwebs become clearly visible.

Ticks are arachnids, so they produce a web that covers their colony for protection. On the web they spread throughout the garden. Ticks overwinter under fallen leaves and in cracks in the bark.

Effective ways to fight

The fight against spider mites on apple trees must be carried out comprehensively, using completely different means at the same time.

Chemicals

If a pest appears en masse, you can destroy the pest using special preparations:

They contain malathion, which has a rapid destructive effect on the pest, and have a complex effect, simultaneously destroying other pests - scale insects, leaf rollers, moths and others.

Apply by spraying or dusting in dry weather without wind. Use 30 days before the planned harvest.

The detrimental effect occurs on the second or third day after treatment. The permissible number of treatments per season is no more than 2.

It is recommended to alternate treatment drugs

Targeted chemicals:

They have an extended period of protection against tick-borne parasites, up to 20 days. Many of them include Propargite as an active ingredient. The advantage of their use is that they select the effect only on the pest, without having a toxic effect on other insects.

It is recommended to alternate drugs to avoid resistance.

Biological methods

Biological control methods make it possible to destroy the mite without causing toxic harm to the apple tree and its fruits.

However, they are less effective and are unable to fight at low ambient temperatures, starting to work when the air warms up to 18 ° C and above.

Such drugs include Fitoverm and Apollo; they contain waste products of fungal microorganisms that are toxic to ticks.

The advantage is the possibility of using them before harvesting (2 days before) and increasing the frequency of treatments during the season. They are also capable of having a detrimental effect only on the imago, without destroying the tick larvae.

Traditional methods

Folk remedies help get rid of tick attacks without causing toxic damage to apple trees:

• garlic - 50 g, pour 10 liters of water, add up to 40 grams of laundry soap and spray the trees from top to bottom;
• tar soap - 100 g per 10 liters of water, sprayed weekly;
• onions - infusion of 200 g of onion peel and 10 liters of water, kept for 1 hour, spray the garden crop in the affected areas;
• horseradish - chopped vegetable (400 g) is infused in 10 liters of water for 2-3 hours and sprayed on apple trees;
• black henbane - poisonous berry (2 kg) is boiled in 10 liters of water, increase the volume of liquid to 10 liters and spray the plantings;
• apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp per 1 liter of water) also helps fight against aphids and fungus.

Prevention

It’s better to prevent pests from appearing so you don’t have to deal with them. To do this, procedures are carried out to destroy other pests, as well as to increase immunity.

Preventive measures include:

• spring pruning and spraying;
• use of insecticides before flowering;
• cleaning damaged branches;
• cleaning the bark and whitewashing it;
• cleaning the trunk circle.

If you keep your garden healthy, the likelihood of spider mite infestation is minimized. But don’t think that care will provide a 100% guarantee. Ticks are small and mobile, easily transported by wind from neighboring areas.

When to treat

Apple trees should be protected from spider mites throughout the entire growing season.

Until the buds open

The initial anti-mite treatment in the spring occurs before the apple buds open, i.e. until approximately March. It destroys overwintered individuals.

Treatments begin at ambient temperatures of 5 °C and above, using acaricidal preparations or copper and iron sulfate. The trees and soil around the trunks are treated.

Before the inflorescences appear

Secondary anti-mite treatment occurs from the time after the buds have opened until the inflorescences appear. Usually this is May.

Insecticides will help get rid of the pest

To protect apple trees from the pest at this stage, insecticidal or acaricidal preparations are used.

At the flowering stage

During the flowering period of apple trees, treatment is not used, because the active components they contain adversely affect the fruits and lead to the death of bees and other beneficial insects necessary for pollination.

Spraying is carried out in exceptional cases when there is a threat of death of a garden crop.

At the fruiting stage

The third anti-mite treatment begins at the stage of formation and growth of apples and occurs most often in June; it is stopped 30 days before the planned harvest.

For it, it is recommended to select a different insecticidal complex than the one used during the initial spraying.

After harvest

Final pest control occurs after the apples are harvested before the leaves fall. It allows you to destroy individuals remaining for the winter. At this stage, copper sulfate, urea, or insecticides are used.

Processing times

To protect the apple tree from spider mites and other pests, there is an established order in which spraying should be carried out during the growing season.

Before the buds open

The first spring treatment is carried out to destroy ticks and other insects that have overwintered on the apple tree.

Before the buds open in March, at temperatures not lower than 5 ºC, you can spray the trees with a solution of copper or iron sulfate . Also treat the soil around the apple tree with this solution, because many pests also overwinter in it.

After bud break

The next spraying should be carried out after the buds open and before flowering begins (in May). Treatment can be carried out with any of the insecticides or acaricides mentioned above.

During flowering

Spraying during flowering is undesirable . Chemical exposure during this period can negatively affect the harvest and cause the death of bees and other beneficial insects.

Spraying should be carried out only as a last resort, if you were unable to treat the trees against mites before flowering, and their numbers pose a threat to the apple tree.

During fruiting

The next treatment should be carried out at the beginning of fruit growth (June). The same insecticides should not be used several times in a row.

ATTENTION! You cannot spray apple trees while the fruits are ripening; the last treatment with chemicals should be carried out on average a month before harvest!

Damaged fruits and branches are removed and burned.

Final processing

The last treatment is carried out after harvest and before the leaves fall with insecticides, copper sulfate or urea to kill mites that have remained over the winter.

If chemistry is unacceptable

It is not always possible to use particularly toxic, even very effective, drugs on the estate. In this case, biological preparations come to the rescue to help cope with the pest.

The following drugs can be considered as the most effective.

Akarin

The basis of the product is a substance with a pronounced acaricidal enteric contact effect - Avertin-N.

Akarin acts for 4–16 hours, but this is quite enough to kill the pest.

Soil microscopic fungi tend to secrete toxic substances that act directly on mites. Biologists have adopted and extracted from these biological objects.

The emulsion concentrate is packaged in ampoules and offered for sale. The working solution is prepared in dilutions of 10 ml per 5 liters of water.

When processing, pay attention to the following aspects:

1. The diluted drug cannot be stored for more than 1 hour .
2. Should be used in the absence of rain, wind and open sunlight.
3. Rainy weather during the day before or after treatments will reduce the effectiveness of the drug.
4. Treatments are best carried out at temperatures from 18 ᵒC to 22 ᵒC .
   You need to spray in dry weather, in the morning or evening.
5. Spraying is carried out especially in places where accumulations of insects are visible, or near their habitats.
6. The drug does not affect the egg stage. Taking this into account, the treatment should be repeated after 3-5 days depending on the ambient temperature.
7. The effect of the product begins 2-3 hours after applying it to the tree. The insect does not die immediately, but stops feeding.

Vertimek

"Vertimek" (analogue of "Biokill CE"). It is based on abamectin.

The drug Vertimek acts only on adult insects located on the leaves at the time of treatment.

The active substance is also a waste product of soil microscopic fungi . The contact effect of the drug is short, since it quickly penetrates into the leaf cells, but the intestinal effect is long-lasting. Ticks, eating leaves, die within 1–3 days.

The main substance of the drug is not able to move inside the plant and accumulate in the fruits. Consequently, the waiting period from processing to removing apples from the tree does not exceed 2 days.

• The preparation of the working suspension is carried out at the rate of one package ( 10 ml ) per bucket ( 8 liters ) of water.
• Dilute the product immediately before using it. It is better to carry out treatments in the morning or evening.

Fitoverm

"Fitoverm" is a drug from a Russian manufacturer. The active ingredient is avermectin-S.

The biological product Fitoverm is most effective in hot weather.

The drug does not penetrate the plant cell and does not accumulate in fruits. Treatment can be carried out at any stage of growth and fruiting of the apple tree.

1. The working solution for spraying is prepared by pouring 1 ampoule into 1 liter of water .
2. The drug is not stable . The treatment is carried out immediately, the excess is disposed of.
3. 5–6 hours after treatment, the effect becomes noticeable, the insects stop feeding, and after 2–4 days their death is already noticeable.

A huge advantage of the drug is that it behaves well in any weather and high temperatures are not a reason to refuse wood treatments.

Bitoxibacillin

Treatment of apple trees with Bitoxibacillin is possible at any time, since the drug does not contain toxic substances.

The drug is supplied to the consumer in the form of dust (finely ground powder) and is spores of microorganisms Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis. 1 g of the drug contains 20 billion spores.

• The solution is prepared from 40 g of the drug and 10 liters of water. , 5 liters are enough for one average tree .
• Carry out 2 treatments with an interval of 7–8 days .
• The waiting period before harvesting is 5 days .
• The drug is compatible with all chemical and biological drugs, so it can be used in a tank mixture.

The product can be used at any stage of the apple tree’s growing season.

What does an apple mite look like?

There are several varieties of spider mites, each of which will be slightly different in appearance and appearance on the tree. What unites pests is the formation of small cobwebs on the outside of the leaf during infection. A photo of a spider mite on an apple tree can have different colors, it all depends on the species that affected the trunk:

• Red fruit mite. The parasite is small, an adult reaches a maximum of 0.4 mm, and is not visible to the naked eye. Under a magnifying glass or microscope, the oval shape of the body and a specific reddish tint are noticeable. You can recognize that the garden has been affected by this particular type of spider mite by the following signs: yellow spots of regular shape appear along the veins, and gradually the leaf will begin to die and fall off.
• Brown fruit. This species is easy to detect on fruit trees. If the gardener noticed red or gray shades on the leaves, drying of the buds, then this is definitely a brown spider mite. It has a brown color, flattened body, and grows up to 0.6 mm in length.

Red and brown mites
Apple trees are also affected by gall mites:

• The parasite leads a secretive lifestyle. Affected leaves are characterized by the formation of spherical swellings, in which a colony of gall mites is located. A single individual is very small, body length only 0.25 mm, oval in shape, slightly tapering at the end. The color is white, and the formed galls have a multi-colored color.
• The bud mite almost completely destroys the buds on the branches; the shoot from it will no longer be able to develop, and if it does, it will be sick and unable to bear fruit. The pest can be recognized by abnormally large buds on trees and bushes.
• Schlechtendahl's mite. This species is less common, but is found in many gardens. The length can reach 0.2 mm, the body is colored yellow-brown. A special feature of the tick is the fertility of females; each can lay up to 2 million eggs per season under proper weather conditions.

Spider mite: features

Spider mites are a group of insects of various species from the arachnid family. They affect not only apple trees, but also many other plant species. The infestation of such insects leads to a decrease in the yield and immunity of trees, making them vulnerable to various infections.

Spreading

Spider mites are ubiquitous because many of their species are omnivores and feed on any plant. Some species prefer more southern or northern regions, but in general their habitat covers any area where there are green plants.

What does it look like

The appearance of the pest depends on its species. In general, these are small ticks, most often no more than 5–7 mm in diameter, but larger individuals are also found. The most common unwanted guests on apple trees are:

• red fruit mite – an oval small mite of bright red color, 0.4 mm long;
• brown fruit mite - insects 0.4–0.6 mm long, flat, brown or reddish in color;
• gall mite is an extremely small insect no more than 0.25 mm long, the characteristic feature of which is the formation of swellings on the leaves;
• kidney mite – arachnid 0.5–0.7 mm long, bright brick color;
• Schechtendahl's mite is a yellow-brown insect 0.2 mm long, characterized by high fertility;
• The common spider mite is the most common type, length is about 0.4 mm.

Life cycle

The life cycle of any spider mite includes 4 stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult, or adult insect.

• An egg can be either fertilized or unfertilized, depending on the species and the ability for parthenogenetic reproduction. One female can produce from 150 to 350 eggs per year over 8–10 generations. The eggs are small, most often no more than 0.2 mm long. They develop depending on the air temperature.
• The larva is a small insect about 0.1 mm long with three pairs of legs. Actively moves and feeds. It develops within 8–20 days, depending on weather conditions, and feeds on the juice of leaves, fruits and shoots.
• The nymph is an intermediate stage between the larva and the adult. The body shape resembles that of an adult insect.
• Imago is an adult insect ready for reproduction. Actively moves, feeds and looks for a partner for mating. Females can lay parthenogenetic eggs and the cycle begins again.

Measures to combat spider mites on apple trees

The arachnid can cause severe damage to the garden, which is why it is necessary to fight spider mites as soon as traces of its presence are discovered. There are several solutions:

• chemical, the most effective, but has a number of warnings and prohibitions;
• biological is an innovation in processing methods;
• agrotechnical, which can also be used for prevention;
• traditional methods that have stood the test of time.

Each of them has its own characteristics and contraindications, precautions for use. Each gardener decides for himself how to deal with spider mites on apple trees, but first it is advisable to study all the methods in more detail.

Chemical attack

This method involves treating with chemicals that will completely rid the garden of pests and parasites of various kinds. The drugs used are very toxic; harvesting immediately after treatment is strictly prohibited. Before treating a diseased plant, you must read the instructions and strictly follow all proportions when preparing the working solution.

Anti-tick medications

Chemicals are divided into two types:

• Acaricides that affect only mites, including spider mites. The most effective are Sunmite, Onmite, Avrik, Aniklesch, Kleshevit.
• Insecticides can rid the garden not only of ticks, they can also destroy other pests. The most commonly used are Fufanon, Aktara, Karate-Zeon, Karbofos.

What types of ticks are there and why are they dangerous?

Before finding out what types of ticks there are, it is worth understanding what they are as a species. These are arachnid insects of small or very small sizes. You can see exactly how they look in the photo below. Their bodies are similar to those of spiders: 8 legs, a head fused to the chest. Their habitat is very diverse; they take root on any objects of living and inanimate nature: moss, water, soil and, of course, plants. Ticks are not very mobile, and their life span is also short. However, the number of their varieties in the world is about 50 thousand. Like many insects, they have highly developed adaptation mechanisms that help them survive even in the most extreme conditions. Evolution has provided them with comfortable living in any climate zone.

The greatest interest of scientists and the public is naturally focused on those types of ticks that are dangerous to humans and their activities. These include:

• encephalitis tick - a carrier of a dangerous disease;
• scabies - causes scabies, is dangerous for people and mammals;
• rat, snake and chicken;
• cheese, onion, as well as other food items that are unusable;
• and finally, spider mites, which attack plants. First of all, cultivated species suffer: melons, fruits, indoor plants, as well as cotton.

Spider mites can live on stems and fruits, as well as on the inner surface of leaves.
If the number of insects is large, then you can notice a web on the plants along which small pests (0.4-0.5 mm) move. Over time, the web penetrates between the leaves and also envelops the stems of plants. Insects can be transferred by air currents or people to both other garden trees and indoor flowers. A variety of power sources are suitable for them. The most common types of spider mites are:

• red spider mite;
• Atlantic;
• flat mites: red flat mite and cactus flat mite;
• Bryobia: Bryobia grass) and Clover mite;
• root mites: bulbous root mite and bulbous mite;
• cyclamen mites;
• ordinary

The latter is classified as a so-called “world pest”, since it can live on 960 different plants, including vegetables and flowers, causing serious damage to farms around the world every year.

If there is sufficient food and warm weather, ticks can reproduce until September. Dry summer weather has a good effect on their numbers, but coolness and rain have a negative effect on them.

Due to the incredibly small size of this pest, it is very often impossible to find them in a timely manner. Even experienced gardeners and gardeners often have to take radical measures in order to protect healthy garden plants - simply get rid of the diseased tree. Next, we will look at other, less painful, methods and measures to counter this dangerous insect.

Reviews

Each of the above methods of control has its supporters and those who are categorically against this method of treatment.

As soon as I retired, I immediately moved to the dacha, where my garden, which my husband and I planted in our youth, had been waiting for me for a long time. I was horrified to discover in the spring that some apple trees suffer from spider mites. I didn’t think for a long time, I remembered the recipe that my grandfather used to eliminate this pest. Tar soap gave results very quickly.

Larisa Alexandrovna, Tula

She lived in an apartment all her life, but got married and moved to the private sector, where there is a vegetable garden, a garden, and flower beds. Unknowingly, I almost destroyed several young apple trees that were attacked by spider mites. Thanks to the sellers from a specialized store in the region, they suggested how to treat the trees. Sunmite helped almost immediately, and we reaped an excellent harvest.

Spider mites have always plagued our garden; since childhood, I remember how my father treated fruit trees. Now the house is mine, and so is the garden plot. Experienced gardeners advised treating the trees with a less aggressive natural-based preparation called Fitoverm. I saw effectiveness in the summer, but in the spring the drug did not cope with the task, as the advertisement claims.

Fighting the codling moth

This is the most common pest that attacks the apple tree. Its caterpillars spend the winter in cocoons at the base of a tree or in the ground. When the apple tree blooms, the caterpillars begin to pupate, and 7-8 days after the end of flowering, the codling moth butterflies lay eggs. The emerging caterpillars damage the peel of unripe apples, reach the core, eat the seeds and crawl out. One caterpillar can spoil more than one fruit in this way. Affected apples do not ripen completely and soon fall.

The main methods of combating the codling moth are collecting fallen apples and destroying them, cleaning tree bark, and constructing trapping belts. Special preparations also work well against the caterpillar - insecticides, which do not allow the codling moth to penetrate the fruit, destroying unwanted pests. For example, two weeks after the apple tree has bloomed, the tree should be treated with a solution of karbofos (0.3% solution) or chlorophos (0.2% solution)

It is important to take into account that the effectiveness of these drugs decreases in the heat, and their too frequent use can attract ticks, which also attack the apple tree and spoil the ripening fruits. When spraying for the first time, it is recommended to apply the solution to only one tree and check whether the condition of the apple tree worsens. If this does not happen within 24 hours, then the product is suitable for controlling the codling moth on all other trees.

Carefully read the instructions for use of the drug so as not to damage the apple tree and future fruits. Be sure to follow safety precautions when treating trees with insecticide

If this does not happen within 24 hours, then the product is suitable for controlling the codling moth on all other trees. Carefully read the instructions for use of the drug so as not to damage the apple tree and future fruits. Be sure to follow safety precautions when treating trees with insecticide.

If you prefer more gentle means of getting rid of moths, you can set up a butterfly trap using an electric lamp as bait. Reacting to the light, the butterflies fly towards the lamp and fall into a trap set up - for example, a container with diesel fuel or sticky paper, which is located next to the light bulb. In addition, it is possible to spray the apple tree with pine concentrate, infusion of wormwood or burdock. The first time spraying should be done 12-14 days after the end of flowering, and then repeat it twice every two weeks.

Another effective remedy against codling moths on an apple tree is tansy decoction: they need to spray the plant every 5-6 days. Finally, tomatoes planted between trees repel the pest.

Pest varieties

1. Red fruit mite. It is very difficult to detect, since the body length of the insect does not exceed 0.4 mm. The first signs of an attack by this parasite are light spots on the leaves. Initially they appear along the veins, but quickly grow. Then the leaf fades and crumbles. When there are a lot of red fruit mites on a tree, a thick, felt-like web is found on the underside of the leaves, under which the insects lay eggs.
2. Brown fruit mite. This variety is slightly larger. Its body can reach a length of 0.6 mm. The insect got its name because under its influence the buds and leaves of apple trees become gray-brown in color and quickly fall off.
3. Gall mite. This is the trickiest pest. It is simply impossible to detect it, since it lives in the very structure of plants and has an insignificant body size. You can only examine it under a magnifying glass, since the length of this insect does not exceed a quarter of a millimeter. In the place where the gall mite lives, dirty brown swellings form. Later the leaves turn black and fall off.
4. Kidney mite. From the name it is clear that this affects the buds of plants. It is considered the most dangerous pest, since under its influence the growth of young shoots stops.

Preventive actions

The main prerequisite for the appearance of true spider mites is dry air and low air humidity, therefore high air humidity and regular spraying of the outer part of the plant is a good prevention of the occurrence and reproduction of the pest. However, high air humidity only helps with infections by true spider mites; false spider mites, on the contrary, love it very much. However, practice shows that orchids are most often attacked by true spider mites rather than false ones.

When spraying a plant, you must be very careful so that the water does not remain for a long time in the core of the plant and the grooves of the leaves, as this can very easily lead to rotting. You need to be especially careful in winter, since in low light conditions and low temperatures, water evaporates quite slowly. Completely immersing the plant in water is unlikely to help, since insects protect themselves with air bubbles that cover them when they come into contact with water.

It is also necessary to pick up old fallen leaves, remove faded flowers, and periodically carefully remove dust with a soft brush.

Neem tree oil has proven itself to be very effective in preventing the occurrence of spider mites. It works reliably and is well tolerated by plants. This product contains many healing substances against which ticks do not develop immunity.

Consequences of spider mite infestation of apple trees

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The difficulty of controlling the pest is that at the early stage of damage to apple trees, this insect is practically undetectable. It reproduces incredibly quickly. A week after laying the eggs, a full-fledged insect is already formed, ready to continue its genus.

Codling moth

Distributed throughout Russia in areas where fruit growing develops. It feeds exclusively on fruits and can destroy up to 90% of the crop in a season.

Main characteristics of the butterfly:

• color – gray-brown, with dark brown spots, transverse dark stripes and an oval yellowish spot at the top of the wing;
• the shape of the folded wing is roof-shaped;
• wingspan – 16–23 mm;
• body length 8–12 mm;
• laid eggs are light green, up to 1 mm in diameter;
• fertility – 50–200 eggs;
• number of generations per season – 1–3 depending on climatic conditions;
• peak flight - 10–12 days after the apple tree begins to bloom;
• egg laying – 7–10 days after the end of flowering when the average ambient temperature is +16…+18 °C.

Caterpillar:

• color – pale pink or flesh-colored with gray warts;
• head – brown;
• length – up to 22 mm;
• the pupa is light brown or beige with a golden tint, 9–12 mm long.

Mature individual of the first generation

The mass flight of sexually mature butterflies begins during the formation of the ovary on the apple tree and continues for 45–60 days. Maximum activity is observed in the evening hours, after sunset.

During this period, mating of individuals occurs, which ends with the stage of laying eggs. First of all, the pest lays eggs on the upper side of the leaf, then on the fruit.

Egg

In the laid egg, embryonic development begins, which lasts 9–12 days. During this period, the ambient temperature reaches a stable value of +20…+22 °C.

Larva (caterpillar)

The hatching of caterpillars begins 15–17 days after the end of flowering of the latest varieties of apple trees.

Within 1–3 hours, the caterpillar moves to the fruit, and from that moment its defeat begins, which consists of several stages and is accompanied by stages of larval development:

• the caterpillar covers the selected fruit with a thin, almost invisible web;
• within 10–30 minutes it selects the most vulnerable place, gnaws through the skin and penetrates into the pulp of the fruit;
• having penetrated the fruit to a depth equal to the length of its own body, the caterpillar turns its head towards the hole and closes the passage with a dense plug consisting of pulp and cobwebs;
• for 24–48 hours the caterpillar feeds on the subcutaneous pulp, then gnaws out the chamber and molts in it for the first time;
• over the next 48 hours, it gnaws a hole into the seed chamber and molts a second time;
• having destroyed the seeds in the chamber, the larva molts again;
• the last, fourth, stage of caterpillar development is accompanied by gnawing the exit from one fruit and moving to another.

The affected apple often appears ripe ahead of time, falls off, and rots. During the season, one caterpillar destroys up to 3 fruits.

A mature larva forms a dense cocoon in cracks in the bark of an apple tree or in the soil, at a depth of no more than 3–4 cm, while uncollected fallen leaves or weeds serve as additional shelter and protection.

Doll

When a stable temperature of +8...+10 °C is established in the spring, the caterpillar begins the pupation process. The development of the pupa lasts for 14–25 days and ends with the emergence of butterflies during the period when the apple tree begins to bloom.

How to get rid of a pest?

There are several ways to protect apple trees from mite invasion. This is the use of chemical and biologically active drugs with systemic effects, using agrotechnical methods or folk remedies.

Chemical plant protection products

A group of drugs used to control harmful insects is called insecticides. Those that act against spider mites are called acaricides. They are a concentrated toxic substance in the form of an emulsion, suspension, powder or solution.

It must be taken into account that all insecticides and acaricides are strong poisons; it is necessary to work with them with the utmost caution, strictly following safety rules.

To rid the garden of apple mites, it is recommended to choose products with limited impact. These are “Sunmite SP”, “Omite SP” and the like. They do not destroy beneficial insects, but only affect the productive ability of mites.

Unfortunately, the use of such drugs is fraught with the accumulation of substances harmful to human health in the fruits.

Biological plant protection products

They are fundamentally different from the chemical method. Its essence is not poisoning insects with poisons, but exposing them to bacteria, which lead to the death of parasites. Such drugs are usually called systemic agents.

Biological plant protection products contain live bacteria that are deadly to this insect. These bacteria are isolated from the fungi Streptomyces. They enter the body of an adult tick along with the sap of the plant. That is, after spraying, these bacteria first penetrate into the plants themselves, and only then into the body of the mites. Under their influence, adults die.

The disadvantage of such drugs is that they are not able to destroy spider mite eggs or larvae. They are used only in late spring and summer, when it is warm outside, since at low temperatures the fungal bacteria die.

The advantages include environmental safety and a fairly long period of exposure.

Agrotechnical protection measures

The essence of agrotechnical control measures is to manually remove the affected parts of the tree. All torn leaves and cut branches are subject to mandatory burning. You should also burn the bark that has fallen from apple trees, as it may contain spider mite eggs.

Folk methods of protection

These products most often do not destroy, but repel the tick. They can be used quite successfully for prevention. Here are some folk recipes.

• Pour 50 g of garlic cloves into 10 liters of water and leave for 3 days. Then add a little liquid soap and spray the apple trees with it. The smell of garlic will repel ticks.
• Mix 100 g of tar soap with 10 liters of water and treat the apple trees. This product can be used to treat any garden or garden plants every week.
• Infuse 200 g of onion peels for an hour in 10 liters of water. After this, strain the infusion and squeeze out. Apple trees are also treated with it every week.
• Hot pepper concentrate also successfully repels spider mites. To prepare it, you need to pour 100 g of hot pepper into a liter of water and bring to a boil. Let the product sit at room temperature for a day. To spray apple trees, a solution is made from this concentrate at the rate of 8 ml of infusion per 1 liter of water.

• Tobacco infusion is also a good way to protect apple trees from spider mites. To prepare it, you need to infuse 200 g of cheap tobacco in five liters of water for a day. Then bring the infusion to a boil and leave to simmer over low heat for two hours. After cooling, the broth should be filtered, diluted with water 1:1, and 50 g of tar soap dissolved in it.
• Horseradish infusion is used to treat apple trees against spider mites. To prepare it, you need to chop 400 g of horseradish root and leave it in a bucket of water for 3 hours. Then the infusion is filtered, squeezed out, and the apple trees are sprayed with it.
• A decoction of fresh henbane has a very effective effect on spider mites. This product is poisonous, so you need to work with it with extreme caution.

Traditional recipes and preventive measures

There are situations when the use of chemical and biological agents is unacceptable. In this case, you can use proven folk remedies, which include:

Spraying with infused garlic solution. To do this: 50 grams of chopped garlic cloves are poured into 10 liters of water for 10-12 hours; the resulting composition is filtered; 100 ml of liquid laundry soap is added to the infusion. Treatment is carried out by applying the composition from top to bottom on the leaves.

Infusion of tar soap with onions

To prepare you need: grate 100 grams of sulfur-tar soap, pour in 10 liters of water and leave until the soap is completely dissolved; add 200 grams of onion peel to the resulting soap solution, leave for 1-2 hours; Strain the resulting mixture. Affected trees and shrubs are sprayed every 7-10 days.

A good result is obtained by using an infusion of horseradish leaves with a decoction of poisonous henbane. To prepare it you need:

Pour 2 kg of henbane stems and leaves into 10 liters of water, cook over low heat for 1 hour from the moment it boils; Strain the cooled broth, add 400 grams of finely chopped horseradish leaves; leave the resulting composition for about 3 hours, then strain; if necessary, dilute with water so that the resulting amount of infusion is equal to 10 liters. Since this product is very poisonous, when handling it it is necessary to take precautions, as when working with toxic drugs.

It is impossible to get rid of kidney and spider mites without regular prevention. Therefore, to reduce the number of overwintered ticks it is necessary:

• dig up the soil around trees and shrubs in late spring, as well as early autumn;
• regularly inspect buds, shoots, foliage;
• remove and burn fallen leaves and damaged branches;
• clear loose bark from trees during the autumn-winter period;
• increase plant immunity by fertilizing during flowering and fruiting;
• treat plants against ticks by spraying with preparations in early spring before buds open and in the fall, after harvesting.

Apple trees and currants are favorite places for ticks to settle. In order for these plants to be healthy and produce a good harvest, proper agrotechnical conditions must be created for them, which can only be achieved with proper, careful care of the garden, as well as regular watering.

Biological products

Start fighting parasites in the spring, when the bright sun is shining outside, the trees have not yet woken up, during the opening of the buds, in the absence of flowers

Carry out summer procedures with extreme caution, otherwise there is a risk of burning the crop with a toxic solution. The preferred treatment time is the period of budding, shedding of ovaries, 20 days after flowering

There should be a gap of 1-2 weeks between procedures. The fight against cobwebs on apple trees is carried out using the following drugs: