How to deal with the whitefly on strawberries?

Growing strawberries is not only the correct procedure for planting, feeding and watering, but also prevention, as well as pest and disease control. Parasites on the plant, even if they are few, can spoil the quality of the crop and significantly reduce its quantity. One of the most common pests that attack strawberries, is the whitefly. These insects dangerous for the plant must be fought with efficient methods in order to preserve the berries.

Not so long ago, this insect destroyed strawberry plantations only in hot regions. To date, the parasite is widespread. The whitefly has not only expanded its habitat, but also wintering grounds. At present, the pest can spend the winter on strawberries, open ground, and also on the surface of weeds.

The whitefly on strawberries is a small and unremarkable insect that has a white-yellow color and a length of about two millimeters. It is poorly noticeable on the strawberry leaf, as it is located on the back side of the plate. Insect life cycle:

• the female lays up to twenty light gray eggs;
• after some time, from the clutch you can notice the appearance of pale green larvae, which have a mustache and three pairs of legs;
• subsequently, an active feeding of the larva produces a pupa;
• from the cocoon comes an adult with white wings.

This pest is quite gluttonous - as a result of its activity a whitish liquid is formed, which disrupts the growth and development of the young leaf, and it subsequently dies.

Place of settlement of this insect is the lower part of the leaves. If there is a brilliant bloom on strawberries, which is a source for the development of a black fungus, then this is the work of the whitefly. Signs of a parasite lesion in a berry bush:

• the presence on the plant of a small midge, the individuals of which fly away when the bush is braked;
• a large number of small eggs are located on the underside of the leaf;
• the sheet plate is covered with a sticky liquid in the form of a white coating;
• berry bush grows slower than the others and gradually fades.

Many chemicals in the chemical industry destroy the whitefly by affecting its digestive tract. The best and effective substances include the following:

1. "Aktar", it is considered a universal drug that can destroy about a hundred types of parasites;
2. "Actellic". This drug is considered to be quite effective, since it acts within three minutes after application;
3. "Rovikurt" - it is an oil of oil, which should be used in case of mass destruction of strawberry plantations with whitefly.

The use of "Pegasus" and "Confidor" also gives good results and destroys the pest. Some gardeners are advised to use flea shampoos to get rid of the parasite. When using the above substances, it is not necessary to change the dosage - you need to use the drugs strictly according to the instructions.

Get rid of the whitefly will help folk remedies, as chemicals are toxic. If the area with plantings is small, then you can manually wash each leaf with warm water. After the procedure, it is necessary to loosen the soil to destroy the surviving larvae. Such work should be done weekly.

An effective method of pest control is garlic-based tincture. For this, three hundred grams of the fruit is rubbed on a fine grater.This mass must be transferred to a glass container and fill with water with a temperature of 70 degrees. After a tight closure, the substance is removed in a dark place and infused for about a week. The finished solution is filtered and stored in the refrigerator. To carry out spraying, it is necessary to dilute 0, 1 liters of tincture in a liter of water.

The use of lemon peels is considered a gentle method in the elimination of an insect. Twenty lemon peels are boiled in five liters of water for sixty minutes to prepare the preparation. This broth is necessary to spray berry bushes every three days.

Biological agents are an excellent alternative to chemicals in the process of eliminating pests of strawberries. The biological method is based on the use of its predatory enemy against the whitefly. Those are considered enkazarii and bedbugs - macrofousy. The basis of their nutrition is the larva of strawberry whitefly, while the insect – predator does not adversely affect the strawberry bush. After the bugs destroy all whiteflies, they leave the plantations.

Such insects can be bought in special laboratories. Also no less effective tool that helps get rid of the parasite, is a biological drug "Verticin J". This insecticide has a fungal base. At reproduction of this fungus, the destruction of insect pests occurs.

Timely preventive measures is the best way to protect your plant from the whitefly. As a preventive measure, the following procedures are required:

• do not disturb the distance when planting strawberry seedlings;
• well ventilate the greenhouse;
• do without irrigation and spraying if there is high humidity in the environment;
• carry out the cleaning of old, dried plants, weeds, dig up the soil before the winter period;
• disinfect the greenhouse.

Performing simple actions will provide good help in protecting the strawberry from the harmful insect - the whitefly. Thanks to prevention and various methods of combating the parasite, every gardener will be able to secure an excellent harvest.

The following video details how to deal with whitefly.