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Summer at the dacha is associated not only with delicious berries, fruits and vegetables, but also with the struggle for a good harvest. If you grow an early variety of cabbage is not too difficult, then later varieties will have to protect from different pests and especially moths cabbage. A small butterfly lives on the whole territory of our country. It also reached the northern latitudes - the Kola Peninsula and Karelia. Particularly harmful from moths cabbage on their beds feel the gardeners of the southern regions. To achieve good results in the fight against small pests, it is necessary to study information about the insect itself and its habits, to use complex methods of struggle.
Cabbage moth and its way of life
It is very difficult to find out on the cabbage beds of a pest to visible damage to plant leaves. An inconspicuous butterfly with a color from greyish to brown lives only 30 days. During this period, it is capable of depositing up to 300 eggs on the lower part of the cabbage leaf. 72 hours after the mating, the larvae peck out. The light appears small spindle-shaped yellowish, characterized by special activity caterpillars. Growing up, they change color to a light green color. This is clearly seen in the photo of the cabbage moth.
1 - pupa, 2 - cocoon, 3, 6 - butterfly, 4 - egg, 5, 7 - caterpillar, 8 - eggs on the cabbage leaf, 9 - damaged leaf
After 1-2 weeks, the grown-up eater pupates pupate and already in the cocoon the pupae develop to give birth to a new butterfly. The life cycle can be from 2 to 7 weeks. The main influence on its duration is the air temperature.
Important! At an air temperature of less than 8 degrees of heat, adult moths die moth and laid eggs. To stop the development of larvae, a temperature of +5 and below is needed. At +9 Celsius, the development of pupae is suspended, but they survive and are able to survive the winter.
As soon as the air warms up to +10 and above - the years of the wintering butterfly begin. In the southern regions, the summer begins in the first days of April and ends in the autumn. In the northern regions, the cabbage moth begins to fly from mid-June.
How and what damages the cabbage moth?
The maleficent pest prefers the plants of the cruciferous family. In natural conditions, the attack of cabbage moths is subjected to wild rape, wild rape, a steward, a rape, a wild radish, a shepherd's bag. Among the plants grown by man, the butterfly adores cabbage of any kind, horseradish, rapeseed, turnip and radish, turnips, mustard, and rutabaga.
Gluttonous larvae eat stems, strings and leaves. Appearing caterpillars first gnaw through the top layer of the leaf and climb inside. There they remain until a certain age. The adult caterpillar crawls to the surface of the leaf and continues to feed on it.
Signs of the appearance of cabbage moths on the site:
- Stop the development of cabbage heads.
- The presence of moves in cut cabbage heads.
- The upper leaves are damaged, there are windows and grooves. On the plants there are gnawed kidneys.
- The outer leaves become pale and dry up.
- Caterpillars crawl on plants.
Only using all methods of combating cabbage moths can you achieve a good result and save the crop of vegetables in your beds.
Comprehensive struggle with cabbage moths - the key to success
A small nondescript butterfly is not able to make independent long distance flights. Above the ground, it rises only 2 m. Emigration from the site to the site occurs due to gusts of wind. Pest control is conducted all year round, using for each season its methods and means.
Important! The task of each summer resident is not to allow cabbage moths to multiply in their beds.
Cleanliness of the site and surrounding areas
- After the complete removal of the vegetable crop from the beds, it is necessary to proceed with the removal of plant residues from the site. It is in them winters carefully wrapped in cobwebs. The collected garbage is burned, and the small remains of organics are plowed.
- As soon as the motley grass and weeds begin to grow around the site in spring - take the plait in your hands. The first butterflies fly out in a period when the beds are still being prepared or the first vegetables are planted. For their development and reproduction, they choose wild plants.
- Cabbage moths have their natural enemies. In the country they can become real helpers in the fight against the devourers of vegetables. You should not destroy toads, frogs, birds and lizards.
- They love eating larvae or cabbage moth eggs, amazing insect-riders. To attract diadromus, trichogram, apanteles, nitobium to your beds, grow clover, parsley, dill, onion, carrot, coriander, mustard.
- As soon as you see on the sheets of eggs - make foliar dressing superphosphate with potassium chloride. After 3 weeks, repeat the procedure for increasing the resistance of vegetables to pests.
The situation is complicated by the defeat of 15% of plants and detection of up to 5 caterpillars on one root. In hot summer and exceeding the critical level, it is necessary to conduct treatment with insecticides. Without a powerful blow to the butterfly and larvae to save a good harvest will not work.
Chemicals in combating cabbage moths
Many summer residents are asking how to fight a cabbage moth without the use of chemicals? It is practically impossible to save a crop when the pest is severely affected without the use of chemicals. Under the influence of drugs only young larvae and butterflies fall, which will require several treatments of the site for complete destruction.
Important! Before using chemicals, you should carefully read the instructions and protect your respiratory system.
Insecticides used to control moths:
- Nurell.
- Carbophos.
- Talcord.
- Fluorosilicate sodium.
- Rippord.
- Amush and actellik.
Bacterial remedies for combating cabbage moths
Preparations are made of toxins and bacterial spores. It is best to use with high activity of larvae. The advantage of bacterial treatment is their nontoxicity and duration of exposure.
Most often the beds are treated with solutions:
- The lepididicide.
- Entobacterin.
- Dipela.
- Bactosphere.
- Dendrobacillin.
- Bithoxybacillin.
- Gomelin.
To treat the lower part of the leaves and the whole plant, you can prepare a tincture of dandelion leaves. For 10 liters of water, add 500 grams of crushed raw material and a spoonful of liquid soap. Insist at least 3 hours.
