How to permanently get rid of the Colorado potato beetle on potatoes and how to poison it

A lot of insect pests attack the garden every season.But some of them are so clearly parasitic on the beds that they can not be overlooked. These pests include Colorado beetles. Each summer resident of the Colorado potato beetle and the fight against it are associated with certain difficulties. The main reason for the hatred of the garden gardeners for this little bug is its voracity and quantity. The spread of the species occurs quickly, and it is very difficult to prevent its settlement in all the plants it prefers. This scum can be brought out of the garden only when using effective means at an early stage of infection.

Brief description of the form

The pest owes its name to the US state of Colorado, where its large-scale invasion of potato fields was recorded. The insect itself belongs to the family of leaf beetles and was first found in Mexico. There it specialized in the destruction of tobacco leaves and nightshade. Later the leaf beetle spread to the north of the mainland, where it adapted itself to eat potato tops.

The Colorado potato beetle is very noticeable on plants due to its bright colors - yellow and black stripes. It is the best known pest of potato tops.The size of the leaf beetle usually does not exceed 1 cm in length. But in width it is almost as much.

Photos of the Colorado potato beetle demonstrate its visibility against the background of dark green leaves. The rounded body covers the chitinous layer, under which the wings are hidden. The beetle flies perfectly, so its invasion of the gardens can take anyone by surprise to the owner of potato plantations.

On a note!

Beetle damage to about 80% of the green shoots of potatoes leads to the loss of at least half of the crop.

Leaf beetles have an enviable fecundity. One female is able to lay about 500 eggs at a time. Laying can be found on the back of the leaves of the potato. Red small eggs are impressive in their quantity. The larvae that hatch from them are bright red insects with a black head and limbs. They are very similar to formed beetles, but do not have a protective shell of chitin.

Colorado beetles
Colorado beetles

Red beetles have no less appetite than adults. Feeding on the soft parts of the leaves, they leave behind only the median veins. After 2-3 weeks the larvae descend into the ground for pupation.After another 2 weeks, an adult individual is formed from the pupa, which can remain in the ground until the next spring or crawl out and continue sabotage.

Striped insects in addition to potatoes are not averse to feast on the leaves of other garden crops:

In order to save potatoes or other garden crops from a ruthless and voracious pest, it is necessary in time to apply effective methods to combat the Colorado potato beetle. The extermination of the beetle is the destruction of all insects at different stages of development: eggs, larvae and adults.

Fighting the Colorado potato beetle

Chemicals against the Colorado potato beetle
Chemicals against the Colorado potato beetle

Before you get rid of the Colorado potato beetle in the garden, you need to analyze the situation. If insects appeared on plants in the initial period of vegetation or flowering, it threatens to lose most of the crop, as the inflorescences can be damaged. Weak flowering will attract few pollinating insects, and the plant may remain hollow flowers.

In such risky cases, control measures must be quickly taken and brought to action.Any hitch will cause the death of most of the crop. In another situation, when beetles were found on potatoes in the final period of the formation of root crops, they pose no great danger to the crop. For different cases it is advisable to apply the appropriate methods of dealing with the Colorado potato beetle.

Among the wide variety of anti-pest agents there are several treatment options:

  • the use of biological preparations that do not adversely affect the fruits of the plant (Bitoxibacillin, Colorado, Bowerin, Fitoverm, Agravertin);
  • use of potent chemicals which are applied in accordance with the instructions and in compliance with safety measures ( Aktara , Sonnet, Corado , RegentKonfidor);
  • folk methodsbased on the accumulated experience of people and using safe improvised means.

Each summer resident chooses the best way to handle the garden from the Colorado potato beetle.

On a note!

Before you deal with the Colorado potato beetle on potatoes, you should warn about the treatment of neighbors in the area. If they also have striped guests on the beds, it is recommended to perform all the procedures for getting rid of pests at the same time.Then the insects will not have a chance to hide in the nearby garden.

Bioactive agents

Methods of dealing with leaf beetles
Methods of dealing with leaf beetles

The safe option to erase leaf beetles from potato plantations is to use preparations containing special bacteria. The state of the soil and vegetable such ways of dealing with the Colorado potato beetle does not affect, as well as the health of the person.

The effectiveness of such an impact on leaf beetles lies in uniform spraying of the whole plant. The solution with bacteria enters the body of the insect, thereby destroying it from the inside. A few days later the beetle dies. It is impossible to poison the eggs in this way, so the procedure must be repeated after 2 weeks, when the larvae appear.

Colorado

The biological product is made on the basis of biological ingredients that stimulate the growth and development of plants, but detrimental effects on insects. The dry contents of the package are dissolved in water at a ratio of 150 grams per 10 liters. The resulting solution is sprayed with each bush of potatoes. The procedure is recommended to carry out in dry weather.

On a note!

After a week, you need to repeat the treatment to destroy the newly hatched larvae from the eggs.If necessary, spraying can be repeated in case of leaf beetles from the ground or from neighboring areas.

Chemicals for the destruction of the Colorado potato beetle
Chemicals for the destruction of the Colorado potato beetle

Bitoxibacillin

Brown powder is a reliable protector of vegetable crops against pests. Besides Colorado potato beetle biological product will help to exterminate other insects:

The action of the drug is based on organic toxins that enter the body of the insect along with the foliage and create an unfavorable environment. The death of pests occurs 4-5 days after spraying the plant.

The solution is obtained by mixing 100 grams of the product with 10 liters of water. Spraying is done 2-3 times with an interval of 7-8 days. For the season, you can repeat the processing again. The effectiveness of the action of a biological agent depends on what time of day the treatment was carried out and in what weather.

On a note!

According to the instructions for the preparation, the leaf beetles are most likely to be poisoned when the treatment is carried out in the morning in sunny and calm weather. Air temperature should be 18-25 ° С.

Fitoverm

Phyto farm from the Colorado potato beetle
Phyto farm from the Colorado potato beetle

The biological drug is made from the metaplasm of fungi that live in the soil. Getting into the digestive system of the insect, the active ingredient paralyzes the internal organs. As a result, beetles on potatoes die in 3 days.

Important!

During the use of the drug a person should use personal protective equipment: gloves, respirator, thick clothing.

To achieve the highest result, the spraying of plants should be carried out in the morning or in the evening in the absence of dew on the leaves. Air temperature should be above 18 ° С. The solution is prepared at the rate of 2 ml of emulsion per 1 liter of water. On sale there are ampoules of small volumes, as well as containers with a ready-made composition of 5 liters each.

Feedback

Every year I process potato beds with bitoxibicillin. Reliable and inexpensive remedy for bugs. The main thing in this process - time to understand when to poison the Colorado potato beetle. As soon as I see red larvae on the leaves, I immediately spray the solution. Then again in 7-10 days. I use this tool for the third season, so far without complaints.

Alexey, Saratov

Feedback

My effective fight with the Colorado leaf beetle is sprinkling potatoes Phyto ferm. Before that, I did not know the best way to poison these bugs.A neighbor in the country suggested this biological product. The main thing is that it does not harm potatoes.

Hope, Yaroslavl

Use of chemicals

Potent chemicals against pests do an excellent job. They are able to kill most insects in one application. Such a struggle with the Colorado potato beetle has its drawbacks:

  1. Processing by chemical means is carried out in strictly certain time till 10 in the morning or after 18 in the evening. The weather should be calm and warm. For greater efficiency, the next 3 days after treatment should be without precipitation.
  2. It is not recommended to remove beetles to people with a tendency to allergic reactions, pregnant and lactating women, children under 18 years.
  3. During the treatment, the person must wear a protective suit, gloves, and a respirator. During the entire procedure, you should not eat or drink, or smoke. At the end of all the work you need to rinse your mouth with water, wash your face and hands with soap and water. Clothes subjected to washing at high temperatures.
  4. To poison the Colorado potato beetle with chemistry, a special sprayer or spray gun should be used, which should not be used for other purposes.After the treatment is finished, rinse all parts of the sprayer, dry them and store in non-residential premises separately from food.

Aktara

Toxic chemicals from the Colorado potato beetle
Toxic chemicals from the Colorado potato beetle

The Swiss insecticide contains the active ingredient thiamethoxam, which is absorbed by the plant through the surface of the leaves or through watering the soil. Entering pests with food, the poison destroys their nervous system. After 30 minutes the insect cannot move and dies.

For spraying you need to prepare a solution at the rate of 4 grams of the substance per 1 liter of water. Apply the composition should be immediately. To poison the Colorado potato beetle on potatoes should be in sunny weather at temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius.

On a note!

If it rains after treatment, it will wash away most of the drug from the leaves, and the result will be zero. Before treating the plants, you need to make sure that rain is not expected in the next day.

With the help of Aktar can not destroy the eggs of the Colorado potato beetle. But the larvae that have emerged from them will eat tops to be processed. The residual content of toxin in the foliage lasts about a month.

Regent

Highly effective contact-intestinal pesticide can poison pests of potato beds in one application. Regent can be used in the fight against leaf beetles, who have already developed immunity to certain insecticidal agents.

The advantage of this drug is its effectiveness even at high air temperatures. One day after spraying, all insects die. Insecticide, getting inside through food or direct contact, paralyzes the internal organs of striped leaf beetles.

Regent is available in the form of a concentrated liquid in ampoules or in the form of odorless powder. During the preparation of the working solution and the application itself, it is necessary to observe safety measures: wear glasses or a mask, cover all parts of the body with protective clothing.

Feedback

My favorite method of dealing with leaf beetles is the use of Aktar. A good drug helps to quickly get rid of parasites on potatoes. I use it 2 seasons in a row, I recommend to all summer residents.

Michael, Ufa

Folk methods of struggle

Folk ways to deal with Colorado beetles
Folk ways to deal with Colorado beetles

For those people who are categorically opposed to the use of insecticides and other toxic agents in their beds, there are many popular ways of dealing with the Colorado potato beetle. The most popular among them are the following:

  1. Wood ashes fertilize the earth during planting potatoes. When flowering begins, flowers can be sprinkled with fine ash. Colorado beetle avoids contact with ashes. This method of dealing with leaf beetles is also a good fertilizer.
  2. Soap solution based on laundry soap is sprayed with potato tops. To do this, one piece of soap is crushed in a bucket of water and left to brew for half an hour.
  3. Tobacco Infusion able to effectively eradicate the striped pest. Home remedy can be prepared as follows: pour 200 grams of dried tobacco with 10 liters of water and infuse the mixture for 2 days. Then strain the infusion and spray them with plants.
  4. Celandine decoction is known for its use against leaf beetles. The recipe for celandine remedies is quite simple. Leaves and stems of celandine need to fill with warm water in the ratio of 1 kg to 10 liters of water. In a separate container dissolve 15 grams of calcium chloride to 1 liter of water.Mix both solutions, filter and spray the tops with the resulting liquid.
  5. Soda and vinegar are effectively used in the fight against the striped leaf beetle. To obtain a solution, baking soda or tea soda 100 grams is mixed with 100 ml of table vinegar and 10 liters of water. The mixture is suitable for spraying potatoes.
  6. The most natural remedy for bugs is their natural enemies. Many types of home birds feed on colorado beetle. To make the birds willing to eat them, chickens from three weeks of age are mixed into the food with chopped potato tops and shredded beetles. After reaching 2-3 months, the young bird is released into the garden.
  7. Ordinary garlic from the Colorado potato beetle also effectively helps. To do this, grind 200 grams of cloves and green arrows add to a bucket of water. Infuse the liquid for 4 days and then spray it on the green tops.
  8. Some insects belong to the natural enemies of the striped beetle beetle: ladybug, wireworm, golden-eyed bug, ground beetle, spider. These useful bugs can not be destroyed.
  9. Before you sprinkle the potatoes with any means, you can try to collect the beetles by hand.If their number has not yet had time to grow, the procedure of shaking off insects with a broom into a wide container or pelvis will be quite effective. Collected leaf beetles can be poured into a deep jar and pour gasoline or kerosene. This method of struggle is the safest.

Feedback

I have heard many times about different ways of pest control, but I wanted to find a recipe for how to get rid of the Colorado potato beetle forever. After reading the reviews of the celandine, I decided to try this recipe: I filled a third of the plant's bucket with water and boiled the solution for 15 minutes. Then the liquid is cooled and diluted with water in the ratio of 1 liter of broth to 10 liters of water. After one spraying, all insects die.

Maria, Pskov

Feedback

For many years, I fought the beetle, collecting it by hand. And recently I stumbled on the Internet for feedback on the fight against the Colorado potato beetle and found a new way for myself. One bag of mustard powder is dissolved in a bucket of water and 100 ml of vinegar 9% is added to the same place. Instead of mustard is allowed to use red pepper. By spraying such a solution, you can kill all insects. The effect is instant!

Peter, Moscow


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