Protection of plants from aphids

She is already here!

Aphids (aphids) are considered one of the worst pests among summer residents.

What is dangerous about aphids?

Leaf aphids quickly weaken young plants by sucking their cell sap. At the same time, it also emits poison, due to which the leaves twist, deform and die, the shoots stop growing, and the tops are twisted. Sweet secretions (natural emissions) contaminate the leaf surface, disrupt the normal life activity of plants.

Through saliva, aphids can infect plants with harmful viruses, which can cause great damage, especially in gardens or professional rose gardens. When aphid colonies become too large, leaves and young shoots wither and die. Aphids cause the greatest damage to young seedlings of fruit trees. Dealing with aphids is extremely difficult: they multiply rapidly and continuously. Therefore, we must try to get rid of it faster than it deprives us of the harvest.

Where and why does aphid appear?

The aphid feeds on the sap of the plant, piercing its skin with its proboscis. The most frequent places of damage are young parts of plants. Simply put, the tops of the bushes and the underside of the leaves. Therefore, our task is to protect young shoots and leaves.

How does aphid appear on plants?

It is most often carried by ants, they need the sweet syrup that aphids give when they feed on plant juice. Therefore, ants will constantly deliver new and new aphids to young leaves. Not only that, they will also protect them from all enemies. Therefore, our task is to separate them, block the ants' access to the aphids.

Who can help us in the fight against aphids?

Aphids have many natural enemies, both insects and birds. In addition, there are plants that aphids will avoid. And as you know, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Therefore, our task is to find ways to involve these friends-helpers in the struggle.

Scaring plants

They repel aphids with their phytoncides (volatile odorous substances). These are herbs with a pronounced smell - marigolds and coriander, onion and garlic, mint and fennel, mustard and basil, Dalmatian chamomile and pyrethrum, as well as lavender.

Attractive plants

These plants are just the opposite — they attract aphids to themselves, thereby distracting them from the desired culture. These are nasturtium and petunia, mallow and cosmea, cleoma and tuberous begonias, sleeping poppy and beans. Of the trees, aphids are most attracted to linden, viburnum and cherry. Such plants are recommended to be planted away from the main crops that need to be protected from pests.

Insects

Insects that feed on aphids: beetles; ladybugs (their larvae are the main enemies of aphids); surfid flies; golden eyes; ear twisters; riders; beetles; some wasps (Aphidius); predatory bugs To attract beneficial insects, carrots, parsley, dill and other fragrant herbs are planted in the garden. It is recommended to plant daisies to lure the beetles to the site.

Rodents do not destroy aphids, they feed on daisy pollen. But the larvae of midge flies in large quantities absorb aphids that are nearby. Therefore, you will not make a mistake when you invite the dulcimer to the dacha.

You can arrange flower pots with wood shavings in the garden - earwigs can settle in them, which also do not mind eating aphids.

In addition, larvae of ladybugs and goldeneyes can be purchased at specialized garden centers (or ordered by mail) and then released on your plot.

Birds

What is especially pleasing: aphids are food for many small birds. They feed it to their chicks. Willingly eat aphids: sparrows; tits; kings; hives; robins; hemp seeds To attract these birds, you can hang birdhouses (and feeders) on the summer cottage, place containers with water - in short, make the birds want to come here.

Will all methods of struggle work?

Colonies of aphids are always numerous, they affect many plants, so treatments will have to be carried out repeatedly. The use of chemicals can be effective in case of extreme damage to the area by the pest, but of course it can also harm beneficial insects and accumulate in fruits and soil.

Therefore, our task is to find methods of struggle that will be effective and safe. Here it is worth paying attention to biological preparations, bioinsecticides, developed on the basis of vital substances of various bacteria and fungi.

Imexab™ - a bioinsecticide developed on the basis of a complex of natural avermectins of groups B1 and B2, produced by the beneficial soil fungus STREPTOMYCES AVERMITILIS, has proven its effectiveness in the fight against aphids on various crops. The application rate is only 10g/10l of water.

Efficiency of the Imexab™ treatment against aphid on the apple tree. 1 day after treatment

Bover IM bioinsecticide - 10 g/10 l of water is also highly effective.

Due to the natural origin of the active substance, drugs do not accumulate in plants, fruits and soil. It does not cause aphids to get used to the avtive ingredient, which allows multiple treatments without reducing efficiency, and at a temperature above +30C it retains its effect, when most chemical insecticides stop working.

Safe for bees as long as the instructions are followed (restriction of flight during treatment).

Due to the fact that aphids often settle on the lower part of leaves, in young shoots that have not yet opened and later twist the leaves - this leads to difficulties in processing plants, since the working solution simply does not get there. That is why it is necessary to add Izomax™ adjuvant in an application rate of 2 ml/10 l of water to treatments against aphids. Due to the reduction of the surface tension of water, the working solution evenly covers the plants and reaches even hard-to-reach places, which significantly increases the efficiency of the treatment.

This is far from a complete list of the means that we can use in the fight against this small pest-parasite - aphids. Use different methods and means at the same time and in a complex you will always be able to protect your plants from this pest.