Hobby gardeners have repeatedly encounteredthat, not seeing the destroyer of their labors, they observe the unpleasant result of their activities. This beetle is called "earth cancer". For those who have not yet guessed, our conversation today will be devoted to the mole cricket and possible options for dealing with it. The mole cricket is an insect whose length can be from 35 to 50 mm, has short leathery elytra, digging front legs resembling claws (hence the common name). It mainly settles in soil that is rich in humus. The winter burrows of the mole cricket reach a depth of 100 cm. At an air temperature of 12-15 degrees, they make a massive exit to the surface, and at 5-6 degrees they begin to prepare for winter, arranging a rookery in a pile of manure, sawdust or plant debris, and as deep as possible. These pests mate underground, after which the females begin to build a nest. One clutch can contain from 100 to 500 eggs, the development of which lasts from 10 days (depending on weather conditions). For the clutch to develop normally, it needs 100% humidity. For 3 weeks after hatching, the larvae remain under the supervision of the mother in the nest. The pest destroys the underground parts of tomato plants, cabbage, peppers, eggplants, strawberries, flowers, onions, etc. After this, the shoots dry up, lose strength, and are easily pulled out of the soil. In potato tubers and other root crops, mole cavities are eaten away by mole cavities, they eat seeds, and damage root systems. They often destroy greenhouse vegetable plants and seedlings planted in tunnels under film. They can destroy up to 15 eggplant or pepper bushes per day. If there are winding earthen ridges on the soil surface and there are small diameter holes, about 8-10 mm, in the ground (especially noticeable after rain), then your "green charges" have been attacked by a mole cricket, which is not so easy to remove from the garden, but still possible. So how to get rid of a mole cricket?
Protective measures
Everyone knows that it is easier to prevent a disease,how to treat. Experienced gardeners carry out a number of protective measures to prevent the appearance of the mole cricket in the garden. Their example should be taken into account by novice amateurs. In the second half of September, holes are dug in the garden, no more than ½ meter deep. These depressions are filled with horse or any other manure together with straw. (Remember what we said about the wintering of mole crickets). When the cold weather begins (late autumn or early winter), the "traps" are dug up, and the manure from them is scattered. As a result, all the mole crickets will die from the cold. You can get rid of the mole cricket in the garden with the help of half-liter jars, which are dug into the ground up to the neck, and water is poured inside about 2/3. This should be done in places where the insects accumulate the most. From late May to early July (vegetation season), the row spacing is loosened 2-3 times to a depth of 10-15 cm, which kills the dug-up larvae and eggs. When planting vegetable crops (peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, etc.), use plastic bottles (1-1.5 liters), which are cut into 10-15 cm rings. These "structures" are dug into the ground, leaving 5 cm above the surface, and seedlings are planted in them. You can destroy the mole cricket with bait (lumps of fresh manure), which is laid out in early May. Insects crawl into them to make their burrows and hatch their offspring. After 3-4 weeks, the manure is reviewed and the pests are destroyed. Experienced "pest fighters" tell how to get rid of the mole cricket with a homemade poison. To do this, take an eggshell and grind it into powder, moisten it with sunflower oil and seal it in the soil. You can avoid damage to plants by these insects if you put garlic in the hole when planting. One clove will be enough. In the fall, as an option, use a mixture of kerosene with water, at the rate of 100 g per 10 liters. Pour 30 g of solution into each hole. You can use a solution of ordinary washing powder.
Pest repellant
How to get rid of a mole cricket in the garden if itmigrates from neighboring areas? This is a rather serious question, since the "neighboring pests" can look into your well-groomed area, and then peace will only be a dream. There are several means that will simply scare away the "earth cancer" from the territory under your care. Marigolds should be sown between vegetable crops or green alder branches should be placed at a distance of 1.5 meters. Withering alder should be periodically replaced with fresh branches. If these harmful insects have nevertheless settled on your site, in the summer you can use an infusion made from onion peel for watering. It is prepared as follows: 900 g of peel is taken for 10 liters of warm water, insisted for 4-5 days. Before using the resulting decoction, it must be diluted in a ratio of 1: 5. Watering should be done after rain in 5-7 days 2-3 times. If there is no rain, just water. You can prepare an infusion of chicken manure: 10 liters of water per 2 kg of manure, mix well and dilute 1:5. Water the dry soil. Pests simply will not start in such soil. Using sand moistened with kerosene, you can scare away insects (1 glass is a bucket of sand). Pour the sand onto the ground, then water with kerosene, shovel for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the resulting "surprise for mole crickets" on the areas where the seedlings are planted (1 m2 - up to 0.5 liters).
Several radical methods of struggle
How to get rid of a mole cricket if other methodswere not very effective? In such a situation, you will have to resort to radical measures - chemicals. The roots of the seedlings should be moistened in a suspension of Aktara 25WG before planting in the ground. The solution is diluted at the rate of 1.5 g / l of water per 250 plants, at a temperature of 18-23 degrees. The exposure time is from 90 to 120 minutes. This method is suitable for protecting seedlings of sweet peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and cabbage. To protect potatoes, as well as cabbage and tomatoes, you can use Medvedtoks-U (1 are - 300 g). The preparation is applied to furrows (3-4 cm deep) between the beds or along the perimeter, after which the furrow is sprinkled with earth, watered after planting seedlings or tubers (1 m2 - 10 liters of water). Prestige 290 FS suspension (at the rate of 10 l - 100 ml) can also help in the fight against the mole cricket. Soaking time of plants is from 6 to 8 hours. Phenoxin plus granules have an enticing smell that attracts mole crickets, there is poison inside the capsule. In the manure, where mole crickets often nest, make a depression and fill it with granules. The "trap" should be covered, protecting domestic animals and birds from a lethal outcome. The preparation can also be used directly on the beds, making beards up to 3-5 cm deep, in which granules are laid out at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other. Do not forget about the earthen cover. If the mole crickets have changed their location and the granules are not needed, they should not be dug up, they will dissolve on their own over time from watering, without causing harm. If you are sure that mole crickets have appeared, repeat the process in 2 weeks, when new offspring of pests appear.
Folk remedies and useful tips
- How to get rid of a bear with beer. In spring, glass bottles are incised at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground and fill them with 100 g of beer, closing the gauze with a gauze. The dug-in container is sprinkled with earth for 3-4 cm. After two weeks, the "beer" should be replaced with fresh. During the day, 3-4 individuals fall into the trap!
- Pests do not tolerate needles. You can scatter coniferous branches, larch, for example, between beds. In addition, the smell of fir for these insects is very unpleasant.
- The smell of rotten fish this malicious pest is alsoDo not tolerate. It should be put in the hole when planting 2 pieces of cheap fish. Seeds with crops can be put on the perimeter of the pieces of fish and sprinkle them with earth. During the germination of seeds, the fish will spoil and frighten off the bear.
- You can pour the fermented beer directly into the hole of the bear.
- How to destroy a bear with the help of porridge,prepared according to a special recipe? Cook a small pan of wheat porridge. The preparation "Regent" is introduced into the porridge, the balls are rolled from the received "delicacy" and pushed into the burrow of the bear.
- Identify the presence of a bear can be as followsway: abundantly water the path leading to the beds, let the water soak in, and squeeze into the ground a piece of plywood or board. A day later we look: if there is at least one move under the board, it means that the bear has already settled in your garden. You can pour the passages with soapy water.
- Mix metaphos with boiled corn, barley, wheat, cake, at a rate of 1 kg per 50 g of the preparation. Then add 30 g of vegetable oil and spread out near the manure (1m2 -50g).
- Lubricate the jar with honey (below the neck), dug into the ground level, cover with a piece of cardboard or a bent sheet of iron, put straw on top. Medvedka reacts to honey and is in the bank.
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