Exists a large number of insects that, one way or another, cause harm to decorative and garden plants. Among them there are pests of leaves and needles that can not only gnaw them, but also suck out plant juices. There are insects that damage the trunks and branches of trees and shrubs. The activity of many of them leads to the loss of decorative properties of plants, inhibits their growth and in some cases even leads to their death, but the most dangerous among them are insects that live in the soil and damage plant roots.

The most dangerous pests of roots should, of course, include Khrushchev, among which the eastern and western May Khrushchev are the leaders; to a lesser extent, the mole cricket (let the owners of gardens, where it often rages, not be offended by me) and some other pests, such as wireworms that damage root crops and bulbous plants, gnawing cutworms, root aphids, root bark beetles, etc.

It is very difficult to get rid of these insects due to the fact that, firstly, they are difficult to detect and determine their numbers until the soil is dug up or dead plants with gnawed roots appear. Secondly, for personal and agriculture Preparations that persist in the soil for a long time, such as hexachlorane or DDT, are not allowed, which, of course, makes it difficult to destroy these pests, but protects our health. And thirdly, there are still a large number of abandoned fields and vegetable gardens, where nothing prevents the mass reproduction and further spread of pests.

Khrushchi

In Ukraine, 8-11 species of beetles significantly damage plant roots, of which, as we have already mentioned, the larvae of May beetles cause the most significant damage. There are also numerous species such as the hairy beetle, the field beetle, the April beetle, the Kuzka beetle, the June beetle, and in more southern regions the large marbled beetle and other species can multiply greatly. Let's take a closer look at what types of beetles are most often found on our land plots.

May Khrushchi

These are the western (Melalonta melalonta L.) and eastern (Melalonta hippocastani F.) May beetles, widespread in Ukraine. The eastern border of the distribution of Western Khrushchev is the Kharkov region.
May beetles are well known to everyone; they have brown elytra and reach up to 21-25 mm in length. Their active years occur at the end of April and beginning of May. Adult beetles feed on tree leaves; they especially love oak and birch, but they also do not disdain apple trees and other fruit trees. After mating, the female burrows into the ground and lays 50-70 eggs, from which very polyphagous larvae hatch after 30-40 days. At first, young larvae feed on humus, but as they grow, especially after wintering, they begin to feed not only on the thin roots of flowers and garden crops, but also eat the roots of the lawn with appetite, and do not disdain coniferous and deciduous shrubs and trees.

The larva feeds for three years, in the middle of summer of the last year of development the larva pupates at a depth of 60 cm, after a month and a half the beetle emerges, overwinters in the soil, and flies out in the spring of the 4th year. Thus, based on the biology of the pest, a mass death occurs every four years, and the most dangerous for plants is the last year of feeding of the larvae, when they reach their maximum size and gluttony. However, due to some circumstances, there has not been a clear and obvious designation of flight years recently. Almost every year there are large numbers of beetles.

The most dangerous year for plants is the last year of feeding of the larvae, when they reach their maximum size and gluttony.

Externally, the types of May beetles differ only in the shape of the end of the abdomen - the pygidium. In the eastern May beetle, it is tapered and pumped up with a thin process with a thickening at the end, and in the western beetle, the pygidium is long, gradually tapering towards the apex, without a button-like expansion.

The species also differ somewhat in their habitat requirements. Thus, the Western Khrushchev often settles on loose, slightly shaded lands, the Eastern Khrushchev is more often found in fields, and the Eastern Khrushchev does not settle so intensively on cultivated soils.

Together with May beetles, the following species are most often found in the soil:

June Khrushchev (Amphimallon solstitialis L.)

The beetle is 14-18 mm, brown with light yellow elytra. The beetles fly for a long time, from late June to August. Females lay 20-30 eggs in the ground. The larvae grow up to 40 mm in length, and throughout the summer they remain in the surface layers of the soil, feeding on plant roots. The generation is annual.

April beetle (Rhizotrogus aequinoctialis Hrbst.)

Beetle 12-8 mm, red-brown color. They fly in April – mid-May. Eggs up to 30 pcs. They are laid to a depth of up to 30 cm. The larvae overwinter in the soil twice, by the end of development they grow to 35 mm and pupate in August. Young beetles hatch in September, but overwinter in the soil and emerge the following spring.

Hairy Khrushchev (Anoxia pilosa F.)

The beetle is 21-24 mm, brownish with lighter elytra with gray, small hairs. The beetles' flight occurs in June and early July. Beetles don't feed. In Ukraine, the generation is usually three years old.

Field hruschik (Anomala dubia Scop.)

Beetle 12.5-16.5 mm, dark green with a metallic sheen. The beetles emerge from mid-June and fly until mid-August. The female lays up to 30-40 eggs in the upper layers of the soil. They prefer to settle on light soils. The larvae grow up to 40 mm in length and overwinter once in May-July. next year pupate.

Kuzka beetle (Anisoplia austriaca Hrbst.)

The beetle is 13-16 mm, with dark or red-brown elytra, at the base of which there is a characteristic quadrangular black spot. Beetles fly during the day from June to August. The female lays 30-50 eggs in the soil to a depth of 8-10 cm. The larva feeds on small roots, grows up to 35 mm, overwinters twice and pupates in late May - early June. After 15-20 days, the beetle emerges and is found in large numbers on grain crops.

Marble Khrushchev (Polyphylla fullo L.)

The beetle is large, 35-38 mm, with brown elytra, on which there is a marble pattern of numerous white spots. The beetles fly from late June to August, during which they feed mainly on pine needles. The female lays up to 40 eggs, one at a time, at a depth of 15-30 cm. The larvae feed on the roots of tree species, primarily pine, and herbaceous vegetation. The larvae are yellowish, overwinter three times and at the end of development reach 6.5 cm in length and pupate in June. After 3 weeks, the beetle hatches from the pupa and emerges from the ground. It settles mainly on sandy soils, often in clearings of pine forests, and is very harmful to young pine plantings.

Thus, understanding that pests are serious and numerous, we come to the question - how to deal with them? First of all, we must fight the May Khrushchev, since more than 95% of the damage caused comes from them.

It is very important, even at the initial stage of planting a vegetable garden or before organizing planting in a new place, to pay attention to the number of beetle larvae present in the soil. If there are a lot of them, more than 3-5 pieces per 1 m², then you should completely treat the land on the site with chemicals, otherwise the roots of the plants will be eaten and your plantings will be ineffective. If the site is already in use and the number of beetles has increased, then it is also worth adding chemicals, the name and dosage of which I will give below.

Ecological methods of combating Khrushchev

A simple, but expensive way to prevent the appearance of May beetles is to cover especially valuable plantings during the summer with a fairly thick mesh, which will prevent female beetles from penetrating into the soil, thereby depriving them of the opportunity to lay eggs. The shelter area should be at least one hundred square meters, since the larvae move in the soil. After the flight the net is removed.

Of the environmental methods, it ranks first. Planting strawberries on agrofibre significantly reduces beetle infestation (the main thing is that the pests are not under the film before planting). Mulching the soil with large pine bark in a layer of about 5 cm has proven to be excellent. In rose gardens, with such mulch, beetles practically do not grow.

I do not believe that treating trees and shrubs on the site with pyrethroids or other chemicals During the summer, Khrushchev can significantly reduce the soil population on the site. Beetles fly long distances, and treating your 6, 10 or even 30 acres will not play a significant role in reducing the number of beetles in the vicinity of the site; they will fly in from neighboring areas. Only treating large areas can truly reduce the number of flying beetles.

The same insignificant effect is observed when using light traps, in which 30-50 beetles can actually die, but, unfortunately, this method does not eliminate all existing pests.

Among the economic methods, the method of placing heaps of humus in an area that is warmer and under which not only beetleworm larvae, but also mole crickets, crawl for the winter works quite well. The main thing is to stir up these heaps in time and destroy the pests.

agrofibre against the flight of Khrushchev

Chemical protection methods

Of the drugs used to combat larvae, diazinon-based drugs work best. The optimal time to apply the drug to the soil is the end of May - June, when the larvae are in the top layer of soil. You can apply the drug into the furrows during cultivation. It is recommended to add 10-20 g per 1 m² of basadine or 5-9 g per 1 m² of 10% diazinon. You can scatter the preparations along the rows of plants and then embed them in the soil.

The roots of seedlings can be protected by soaking them in a peat-humus mixture with the addition of an insecticide. For example, when soaking pine seedlings before planting, about 500 g of basadine are consumed per 1000 seedlings.

The roots of seedlings can be protected by soaking them in a peat-humus mixture with the addition of an insecticide.

A good effect is achieved by using the granular preparation Marshall with a prolonged action (up to 17 months) at a consumption rate of 8-12 g per 1 m².

In home gardens, the drug Prestige is used to soak seedlings, which allows you to protect plants for 60 days.

By recognizing the pest in your garden in time and taking certain protective measures, you have a better chance of keeping your plants healthy and getting good harvest. Unfortunately, beetles are not the only insects that live in the soil and can damage plant roots. There are a number of other pests from this group, which we will talk about in the next article.

Adults chafer They cause harm mainly to tree crops; they love to eat the leaves of rowan, oak, linden, maple, poplar and other trees. Much more dangerous are the beetle larvae, which eat any plants they encounter on their way.

If there is only one larva per 1 square meter of plot, you already need to sound the alarm and begin to destroy the pest throughout the garden. It is better, of course, to prevent the appearance of Khrushchev in the garden with preventive measures. If you bring manure to your site, then most likely you will also bring beetles along with it, since compost and manure are the cockchafer’s favorite places to lay larvae. One female can lay 70-200 eggs per season.

May beetle larva, photo

The larvae live in the soil for 4 years, this is exactly the time it takes to develop into adults and transform into ordinary chafers, as we are used to seeing them - shiny, large (3-4 cm), very dense, black beetles. The larva should also be very familiar to you - it is a yellowish caterpillar with a black head, curled up in a ring. At all times, except for the dormant period in winter, these pests eat both above-ground and underground parts of plants. The damage caused by the cockchafer to strawberries, potatoes, many flowers and even the lawn is especially noticeable.

Signs of plant damage by the cockchafer and its larvae

Nibbled leaves, buds and partially ovaries on cultivated plants are the work of an adult beetle.
Plant wilting and stunted growth for no apparent reason are the work of the larvae.

Dig up the dying plant and check the earthen food at the roots for the presence of cockchafer larvae. If a pest is detected, immediately take measures to destroy these insects.

The fight against Khrushchev

As usual in pest control, you need to choose a way to solve the problem - using folk remedies and methods, either by using insecticides, that is, resorting directly to chemicals.

It depends on your preferences and the number of pests on the site. If mass death of plants from this pest begins, then most likely folk remedies will no longer help and you should resort to chemistry.

Chemical means of combating cockchafer larvae

Antikhrushch

The most popular and effective insecticide against Khrushchev. It contains two new generation active ingredients - imidacloprid and bifenthrin, which interact and complement each other. Due to its combined action, the insecticide provides reliable protection cultivated plants not only from Khrushchev, but also from other pests. This drug protects against May and Colorado potato beetles and their larvae, as well as against aphids, wireworms, mites, thrips, whiteflies, codling moths, and leaf rollers.

To protect potatoes, you should spray the plant before planting with a solution of 10 ml of the drug per 5-10 liters of water. This should be enough for 1 hectare of land.
To protect cabbage and tomatoes, a 10 ml solution is made. substances per 3 l. water, before planting, the rhizomes are soaked in the solution for 1 hour, the remaining liquid is diluted in 10 liters. water and are used for irrigation.
To protect fruit and berry trees, a 10 ml solution is prepared. Antikhrusch for 5 l. water (enough for 0.2 acres), the solution should be watered generously at the root. Seedlings simple trees are also treated at the root with a solution of 10 ml. substances per 3 l. water.

Aktara from Khrushchev

Remedy for cockchafer larvae. The active ingredient is thiamethoxam. It is an insecticide for contact and intestinal damage. It is produced in granular form, which can be applied to the soil in bulk, as well as by preparing a working solution in advance.

The result after using the drug occurs within an hour, and after 24 hours absolutely all pests die. Aktara is used at any time of the year and in any weather; precipitation also does not affect the insecticidal properties of the drug.

Bazudin against the cockchafer

An insecticide that kills soil pests by contact, intestinal and translaminar routes. The active ingredient is diazinon. The drug provides long-term protection of crops from insects. 30 grams of insecticide is enough to treat 20 square meters of area.

Available in granule form. To evenly apply bazodin to the soil, you should mix the required amount of the drug with sand in a liter jar (sand 3/4 of the jar).

Before planting potatoes, add 15 g per 10 sq.m. to the hole.
To protect cabbage, the soil surface is treated at the rate of 10 g per 10 sq.m.
Flower crops are processed similarly to potatoes.

Nemabact from Khrushchev

This is a biological product based on a nematode; it selectively destroys beetle larvae and maintains balance in the soil for 2 years. The drug kills the beetle larva within 1-3 days. This product must be used when watering, diluted in a ratio of 1:100. Nemabact acts at an ambient temperature of +10-+26 degrees. It is absolutely harmless to humans and pets.

Zemlin vs Khrushchev

This is an effective remedy for Khrushchev. It is an insecticide for contact and intestinal damage. Protects cultivated plants from most soil pests. The active ingredient in the composition is diazinon at a dosage of 50 g/kg.

To protect flower plants, the drug is sprayed over the surface of the earth in a dosage of 30 grams per 20 sq.m.
Potatoes are processed by adding 10-15 g of the mixture into the holes when planting.

How to get rid of cockchafer larvae using folk remedies

Manual collection of adult beetles. Since they feed mainly on tree leaves, early in the morning you can shake the beetles off the tree onto a prepared litter and then destroy them.
It is much more difficult with the larvae, since they live in the soil, sometimes at a depth of 40 cm. As a preventive measure, autumn and spring plowing of the soil is recommended.
It helps to plant white clover, peas, beans, legumes around the beds with cultivated plants - that is, any plants that are nitrogen fixers. Planting turnips and lupines in the area will scare off the adults from the area, which means it will prevent them from laying larvae.
Adding ground eggshells to the soil will also have a certain effect.
Using nitrogen fertilizers when digging the soil also helps. May beetle larvae cannot tolerate high nitrogen content in the soil and leave such places.
And of course the birds. If you have chickens on your farm, then it’s a good idea to let them out to “graze” when digging up the garden - they will peck at all the larvae that have been turned out of the soil to the surface. Many people advise installing birdhouses on the site, since any birds love to feast on beetles and their larvae. But again, many gardeners complain that these same birds happily eat strawberries and other berries.
Adding beetle in the soil will help to destroy irrigation water a few drops of iodine.
Some gardeners make traps for the cockchafer by digging small holes in the soil and pouring manure into it. And then they destroy the beetle and larvae with fire or boiling water.
You can save currants and strawberries from beetle by spraying with a solution of onion peels. To do this, 100 grams of husks are infused in 10 liters of water for 5 days. Next, the tincture is diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio and sprayed onto the affected plants and the ground underneath them.
Watering with water and ammonia will help get rid of cockchafer larvae on strawberries. For 10 liters of water use half a tablespoon of ammonia.
Plant green manure in the garden and embed them in the soil, this will also protect you from the invasion of the cockchafer. For these purposes, mustard or others from the cruciferous family are best suited. Dropping them off in early spring, and after letting them grow a little, mow them and plow them into the soil. And then calmly plant potatoes or other cultivated plants in this place - there will be no cockchafer larvae there.

Polyphagous pests live and reproduce in the soil. Measures to combat them include digging, cultivating the soil, and keeping the garden plot clean.

– Khrushchi-May and June beetles. Damage roots, tubers of various vegetable crops. Plants are stunted in growth, wither, and are easily pulled out of the soil, as the corgis eat them. Khrushchev eats out large, irregularly shaped cavities in root crops.

-Maysky Khrushchev – black beetle, 20-30 mm long. Its elytra are yellowish-brown. The beetles fly at dusk in May–June and eat the leaves of birch, fruit and other trees. Females lay eggs in the soil to a depth of 40-50 cm. Adult larvae are up to 65 mm long, white, thick, curved in the shape of the letter C, with a large brown-red head and well-developed long thoracic legs. The larvae develop for three years, transform into pupae in the fall, and then into beetles, which remain overwintering in the soil.

-June Khrushchev – a beetle of pink-yellow color, faded, 14-18 mm long. Elytra with small dots and blurred longitudinal ribs; the beetles fly in midsummer. Larvae are 52 mm long.

-Garden beetle – 8-12 mm long. The underbody, head and front part of the back are green, blue or black, shiny. The elytra are yellow-brown. The entire body is covered with hairs. Beetles fly in June–July. Larvae up to 30 mm long.

Control measures. Deep digging of the soil, collection of larvae. Treatment of beetles with insecticides during flight: dilute 1 tablet of the Iskra preparation in 10 liters of water, consume 1 liter of working solution per 1 m 2. Spray during the flight of beetles in May and June.

-Nutcrackers – flat, dark beetles, 8-15 mm long. They eat germinating seeds, shoots, root crops, tubers of potatoes and other vegetable crops. Click beetles damage the seeds from the outside, but can also eat away the cavities. The stems of seedlings near the soil surface are gnawed, so when the plants are pulled out of the soil they break off. Defeated shoots turn yellow and dry out. In root crops, click beetles eat narrow, straight passages. Hard yellow or yellow-brown larvae of click beetles (wireworms) 20-30 mm long are harmful. Their head is brown. Click beetle larvae and beetles overwinter in the soil at a depth of up to 60 cm: Click beetles are especially harmful in acidic soils and clogged areas (especially creeping wheatgrass). Click beetle larvae are brought into greenhouses and greenhouses with peat and humus. Shiny, striped and sowing click beetles are widespread.

Control measures. Deep digging of the soil. Weed control. Liming the soil (wireworms leave alkaline soils). Adding the drug “Bazudin” to the soil before planting or sowing.

-Garden , or field , slug – polyphagous pest, 4-6 cm long, gray-brown, covered with mucus. Has a shield on the back. There are two pairs of retractable tentacles on the head. The eyes are located at the end of the longer tentacles. Slugs have a hard tongue, a radula, covered with sharp teeth, with which it eats holes and irregularly shaped cavities in the succulent tissues of plants. Damages all vegetable crops, especially cabbage, carrots, and salads. Slugs can be found on plants in cloudy and rainy weather or at night. During the day they hide under clods of soil and under leaves. The eggs overwinter under lumps of soil. In the spring, young individuals hatch, and within two to three months they reach sexual maturity. The female lays eggs in the soil in groups of 30-60 pieces. Slugs live for six to seven months. They are very moisture-loving; if there is little moisture, they die. Optimal temperature for their development 12-18 °C. In dry weather, they hide under lumps of soil and plants. They are more harmful in rainy years when plants are grown on damp, heavy soils.

Control measures. Scatter granular metaldehyde (30 g per 10 m2) along the beds.

-Common woodlouse - a pest, it can be 10-18 mm long, its body is broadly oval, with seven pairs of legs, its back is convex, gray, and there is one pair of antennae on its head. Woodlice mainly feed on decaying plant remains at night, but in greenhouses they also damage vegetative plants of various vegetable crops. More often they affect the leaves adjacent to the soil and parts of the stems of seedlings. They show irregularly shaped holes and cavities. Woodlice are able to live on land and breathe air. During the day, they hide near damaged plants under lumps of soil, fallen leaves, in cracks and other places where there is moisture. Most often they live in dark, damp places - basements, heaps of humus. They get into greenhouses along with humus or manure. They reproduce by laying eggs in moist soil. Woodlice are sometimes mistakenly called millipedes.

Control measures. Maintaining cleanliness in greenhouses. Removal of plant residues. Moderate watering. Destruction of woodlice with an insecticide: dilute 1 tablet of the drug “Iskra” in 10 liters of water, spend 1 liter of solution per 7-10 m2.

-Centipedes. Can damage various vegetable crops in open and protected ground, most often cabbage, cucumber, beans, carrots, leeks, and lettuce. They eat small, irregularly shaped cavities in seeds, leaves and stems. Seedlings and young plants wither, From centipedes plants can damage nods And drupes.

- Body nodsyakov cylindrical, 10-50 mm long, steel or yellowish in color. There is one pair of short antennae on the head. Nooks move very slowly. When in danger, they curl into a ring. Both larvae and adults overwinter in the soil. Females lay eggs in the soil. The larvae hatch in about two weeks. One generation develops during the year. Active nods at night and at dusk.

-Drupes – predatory pests that feed on worms and small insects. Their body is flat, brown, and clearly segmented. Each segment has one pair of rather long, strong legs. Drupes move quickly, making snake-like movements. Centipedes enter greenhouses with humus, manure, and soil mixtures.

Control measures. Liming of acidic soils.

Mice, rats, moles and ants cause enormous damage to garden and vegetable crops.

-Mice – polyphagous pests that feed on food of animal and plant origin. Great damage is caused to vegetable crops in early spring in greenhouses and greenhouses, in summer - in open ground. Significant damage is caused to champignons. Gnawing marks are visible on affected mushrooms and plants; traces of incisors can often be seen on root crops. Field and house mice cause significant harm.

-Harvest mouse body length - 8-11 cm, tail 6-8 cm. Ears are short, pressed to the head. The back is red-brown with a dark longitudinal stripe. The abdomen is white. Lives mainly in fields, vegetable gardens, and orchards. In the fall, it moves to barns, warehouses, and greenhouses.

– house mouse body length is 7-9 cm, the tail is the same length as the body. The ears are long and wide. The back is gray or yellowish, the belly is somewhat lighter. Legs are gray-yellow.

The room where house mice live is saturated with the pungent, persistent, unpleasant odor of the pest’s urine.

Control measures. Deep digging of the soil. Maintaining cleanliness in the area garden plot and at home. Cleaning up plant residues. Seal cracks and openings in rooms through which mice can enter.

-Voles – polyphagous pests that damage various crops, including vegetables. Voles completely or partially eat plants. Bald patches appear around vole burrows. The most harmful are the common and field voles.

-Common vole reaches a length of 9-12 cm, has a short tail covered with hairs. The ears are short, hidden between the hairs. The muzzle is short. The back is dark gray, sometimes with a pink tint. Lives in fields, meadows, often in gardens. In summer, it makes shallow burrows with several holes 3.5 cm in diameter. One settlement usually consists of three to six burrows. Sometimes voles make shallow burrows in search of food. In late autumn, some pests move into barns, grain and vegetable storage facilities, and cellars. Under favorable conditions, voles can be very fertile. In the field, they have three to four litters during the year, V each of which has five to six cubs, they breed in stacks and rooms all year round.

-Armed vole larger than usual. The body is dark brown, 11-14.5 cm long, the tail is short (four times less than the body length). Gives three to four litters during the year With family – eight cubs each.

-Rats polyphagous pests, use food of animal and plant origin. In the summer, in gardens and greenhouses, they gnaw out cavities in beets, carrots and other root vegetables. You can see traces of incisors in plant tissues, and large burrows can be found in soil or indoors. Rats spread various infectious diseases. IN middle lane In the European part of our country, gray and black rats are most common.

-U gray rat the body is 17-28 cm long, the tail is 15-19 cm. The ears, pressed to the forehead, do not reach the eyes, the muzzle is sharp, elongated. The back is dark gray or brown, the belly is slightly lighter. They prefer damper places: cellars, warehouses, sheds. In the summer, some rats move to vegetable gardens, orchards, and garbage cans. Rats breed all year round, giving birth to two to six litters, with an average of seven cubs in each. Sexual maturity is reached at four months.

-U black rat the body is 13-19 cm long, the tail is 14-22 cm. The ears, pressed to the forehead, reach the eyes. The back is pink-black, the belly is light. In the summer, rats move from indoors to vegetable gardens and feed on vegetable plants. They give birth to two or three litters during the year.

-Mole belongs to the order of insectivorous mammals, leads an underground lifestyle. Its body is cylindrical, 11-16 cm long, covered with short velvety black fur. The head is cone-shaped, elongated in front in the form of a proboscis. The soles of the feet are short but powerful, with strong claws. The eyes are very small, barely noticeable. Hearing is good, although there are no ears. The sense of smell is well developed.

The mole feeds on earthworms in the soil and insect larvae. It makes passages and harms plants, especially vegetables: it turns out seedlings, undermines roots, forms hummocks, and spoils beds.

Moles are very voracious; they constantly dig new tunnels in search of food. They dig the ground with their cone-shaped head and front legs. They crawl out to the soil surface very rarely.

There are fewer moles in light sandy soils than in other types of soil. They are active throughout the year, but in winter they go deeper into the soil.

They breed once a year. They mate in the spring, in April. At the end of May - beginning of June, females give birth to three to nine cubs. At the end of June, young individuals begin independent life.

Control measures.

Digging ditches around the greenhouses and filling them with crushed stone. Repelling moles using rags soaked in kerosene and noisy turntables that create vibrations in the soil, catching using metal “mole traps”: they are installed in holes made by moles.

The following drugs and baits are most effective in the fight against rodents:

“Storm” are wax tablets filled with flocumafen. Wear cloth gloves. Remove the tablets from the packaging and place them under the drawers. drainage pipes, trays, boxes. Place the bait around the area at a distance of 20-30 m. In places where there are more rodents, tablets are laid out every 2-6 m.

To kill mice, put 1 tablet in each container, but to kill rats, put 2 tablets. If after a week the tablets are eaten, then add more. But if the tablets are not touched, they need to be moved to another place. Usually, after eating the tablets, mice and rats die within 3-15 days.

DO NOT TAKE PILLS WITH UNPROTECTED HANDS. Read the instructions for the drug carefully about precautions.

The second, also very effective drug, is Muxidan glue, which is used against mice and flies not only in gardens, but also in residential and industrial premises. Mechanical method Application for catching mice and flies: on a sheet of parchment, cardboard, plywood measuring 30 x 20 cm or more, apply 60-70 g of glue, evenly level with a layer of 0.5-1 mm, over the entire surface, retreating from the edge 1-1.5 cm.

To catch mice, place a piece of bread moistened with 2-3 drops in the middle of the glue side vegetable oil, a piece of cheese or sausage and place it in mouse habitats.

The universal remedy for mice, rats and voles “Zernotsin-U” is highly palatable by rodents, since it is based on natural wheat grains. The cumulative effect of the active component provides effective destruction rodents

Ready-to-use grain bait "Foret" contains a second-generation active ingredient, which ensures the rapid destruction of rats, mice, and voles.

Foret briquettes, intended for the destruction of mice, rats and voles, are effective not only for dry, but also for wet rooms and garden areas, ensuring complete extermination of rodents in 5-7 days.

Highly effective granular bait "Vertox" based on natural products, will quickly get rid of house mice, gray and black rats.

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author Nedyalkov S.F., photo by the author

We consider the beetles, beetles and bronze beetles that appear in the garden to be harmful insects. They love to crunch our plants, which significantly spoils the appearance of leaves and flowers or even leads to the death of plants due to eaten roots.
All these insects belong to the order Coleoptera or Beetles, family Lamellaridae.

We often see a variety of beetles and beetles on plants: in spring and summer, beetles fly around the garden, feasting on leaves and flowers, and their larvae in the ground feed on tender roots all year round herbaceous plants. If you suddenly discover that cuttings of dahlias, chrysanthemums, bushes of other flowers and plants, or seedlings planted in the ground, which were vigorous just yesterday, suddenly dropped their leaves, the larvae of beetles and beetles may be to blame. It’s worth digging up the ground in the area of the roots of plants that have lost their elasticity, and here they are – white, thick , the curved larvae are busy on the roots with their incessant meal!

Golden larvae bronzovok(Cetonia aurata) live in rotten wood (for example, in old stumps) and do not bother living plants. But the emerald bronze beetles with a golden-rainbow tint emerging from the larvae, although they captivate with their dazzling beauty, destroy the delicate parts of the flowers.

On the image:

Western May Khrushchev ;

Eastern May Khrushchev;

June beetle (summer rootworm);

garden beetle;

the hruschik is doubtful;

golden bronze.

Khrushchi

They meet in the gardens Western May Khrushchev(Melolontha melolontha) and Eastern May Khrushchev(Melolontha hippocastani), very similar in appearance and lifestyle.
May beetles reach a length of about 2.5 cm and are brown in color. They have short, plate-like antennae that sense odors. Beetles feed on tree leaves (they prefer oak, less common on conifers). In May-June, the female lays eggs in small piles in the ground, after which she dies. Larvae emerge from eggs after 2 months, but they will turn into beetles only after 2-4 years. The beetles hatch in August, overwinter in the soil and begin flying the following spring.

Nowadays we don’t see many May beetles either. The last intensive flight of May beetles was about a quarter of a century ago. After this flight, the number of beetles decreased so much that I did not pay attention to their rare appearance. Sometimes I found beetle larvae in the garden soil, and then I did not kill them, but buried them in a secluded place. I suspect that sharp decline Birds contributed to the number of May beetles.

What happened to the May Khrushchevs 25 years ago? Apparently, up to this point there was a gradual accumulation of growth in the number of this insect. Spring that year was late, and it was cold until the end of April. In May, temperatures began to rise rapidly; the month was very warm. This contributed to the massive emergence of May beetles. Birds then simply “feasted” (especially jackdaws, crows, rooks), actively eating beetles in large quantities. The birds quickly destroyed the bulk of the beetles that did not have time to lay eggs. Over the next 2-3 years, the emergence of beetles was no longer so intense, and the birds gradually lost interest in this insect.

In addition to birds, chemicalization and the development of land near forests have contributed to the reduction in the number of beetles. But chemicalization still did not have such an impact on the destruction of Khrushchev, because nature still takes its toll. Chemistry can only curb the growth of beetle numbers for a while. Therefore, the use of chemicals in the fight against Khrushchev gives little (only harm environment), except that the mass reproduction of these insects will only be postponed for some time.

Along with May beetles, they are also found in gardens. June Khrushchi. June beetle is also called summer root gnawer(Amphimallon solstitialis) June Khrushchev is slightly lighter and smaller than May Khrushchev (up to 1.8 cm in length). This beetle prefers gardens with sandy soil because June beetle larvae are sensitive to dampness. It also feeds on trees and bushes, eating leaves and even pine needles.
June beetles fly for only a few days in June-July. Especially many beetles can be observed when flying out, at sunset.

Khrushchiki

Khrushchiki received such a “diminutive-affectionate” name due to the fact that they are smaller than Khrushchiki, but they are no less greedy for succulent parts of plants, and develop in the same way.

Khrushchik garden(Phylloperyha horticola) is similar in appearance to the May beetle, but is much smaller (up to 1.2 cm in length) and mobile. In June, there are especially many garden beetles - they feed on the leaves of fruit and other deciduous trees, their flowers and developing fruits. These beetles are found both on shrubs and herbaceous plants.

Khrushchik is doubtful(Anomala dubia) is slightly larger than the garden beetle (reaches 1.5 cm in length), its wings have a beautiful iridescent yellow-green sheen. It flies from late June to early August, feeding on leaves and flowers of plants.

About the control of insect pests of plants

IN last years I noticed a strong increase in the number of beetle larvae in the soil. Many of them are found in compost, sawdust, and in piles of rotten leaves and grass. Now we have to collect the larvae that come across, since they cause noticeable damage to the roots of plants in the garden. This is not difficult to do, and chickens eat the fatty beetle larvae with pleasure.

The sharp increase in beetle larvae in the soil gives reason to believe that a massive emergence of beetles is expected in the near future, and then nature itself will adjust their numbers.

I believe that treating the root system of plants with insecticides against beetle larvae makes no sense. This idea is only regrettable because:

chemicals do not have a long duration of action;
Plant roots treated with chemicals directly interact with the soil, with its beneficial microorganisms and earthworms, causing them great harm.

Here's what scientists write about the beneficial inhabitants of the soil: “Some soil microorganisms decompose organic matter added to the soil, contribute to the formation of humus and make nutrients available to plants. Others bind atmospheric nitrogen, synthesize organic compounds. The following ones convert these compounds into forms accessible to plants. Soil microorganisms convert phosphorus into a soluble state. They even decompose minerals (and, first of all, practically inexhaustible clay minerals), delivering “the entire periodic table” to plants. Plants are not able to develop normally without certain microflora.

As a result of the activity of beneficial soil microorganisms, the soil becomes structured and crumbly. The lifespan of bacteria and other soil microorganisms can be very short - from days to several hours. If there is food, warmth and humidity, they multiply very quickly. And they die off very quickly if the “food” runs out. But their biomass and waste products make up the very “nutrient broth” for plants. It contains not only simple compounds for plant nutrition, but also amino acids, vitamins, auxins, antibiotics and many other nutrients and plant growth stimulants.

And the plants do not remain in debt - living plants feed soil microorganisms with their root secretions, and not just with dying post-harvest residues. The composition of plant root secretions includes organic acids, sugars, amino acids and many other substances. A strong plant abundantly feeds soil microorganisms, and at the same time there is a massive proliferation of rhizosphere (root) beneficial microflora. Moreover, plants stimulate the development of predominantly such microflora, which in turn nourishes the plants, produces stimulants for their growth and suppresses microflora harmful to plants».

So, the health and life of plants depend on the activity of soil organisms. Insecticides in which plant roots are soaked against beetles, as well as others chemicals combating insect pests of plants destroy all life in the soil, poison the earth and humans.
But is it worth destroying the soil and ourselves with poison? It's time to think about our health and future, about preserving natural wealth for future generations.
Collect beetle larvae from the soil by hand, do not use toxic chemicals. And you can scare away bronze beetles, beetles, beetles and other insect pests from flowers and leaves with the help of protective plants.

Nedyalkov Stefan Fedorovich (Novopolotsk, Republic of Belarus)
[email protected]

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Khrushchik garden(Phyllopertha horticola) is a beetle from the lamellar family. The orchard beetle is a very common shiny little beetle. This small shiny beetle can be found across vast areas of Eurasia, with the exception of the northernmost and southernmost places. This little voracious beetle, if not omnivorous, is certainly a polyphagous pest of many crops and can feed on many types of plants. The pests are adult beetles and their larvae. Beetles damage the flowers and leaves of many plants, and beetle larvae gnaw on plant roots.

The photo shows the garden beetle from the side

Description of the garden beetle. By appearance The garden beetle is similar to the cockchafer, only smaller in size. The beetle's body length is from 8 to 11 mm, width is from 4 to 6 mm. The body is shiny, slightly convex, oval, oblong and narrow, covered with thin protruding light brown hairs. The beetle's head, pernotum, scutellum and pygidium are green or blue-green with a metallic tint. The beetle's elytra are brown, red-brown or yellow-brown in color. Along the edge of the elytra there is a border more dark color. The beetle has 6 legs, the legs are black and shiny, covered with small hairs. Fore tibia with two teeth on the outside. The antennae are lamellar, fan out, black in color.

In the photo there is a garden beetle, a view of the beetle from below

Lifestyle of a beetle. Active image Beetles live in warm and sunny weather. The flight of beetles begins in mid-May and ends in August. The garden beetle does not like heavily shaded and marshy places, as well as dry areas with sparse vegetation. Prefers to settle in places with rich vegetation. Garden beetle is often found in gardens, on the edges of forests and forest clearings, in meadows, cottages and vegetable gardens. The garden beetle is an omnivorous beetle with a good appetite. Adult beetles (imago) feed on flowers, young leaves and ovaries of many plants.

Adult beetles live 15-30 days. After the mating period, the female beetles burrow into the ground, lay 20-40 eggs and then die. The eggs of the beetle are white, almost round. The egg develops from 10 to 20 days, after which a larva emerges from it. The beetle larva is up to 25 mm long. The body of the larva is white, the head is yellow, without eyes. The larvae live in the soil and develop for about 10 months. The larvae feed on the roots of various plants. The larvae overwinter in the soil. Overwintered larvae pupate in early spring, in April–May. Like all lamellar beetles, the pupa is open and has noticeable legs, wings and antennae. Before pupation, the larva makes a cradle in the ground. The pupal stage lasts about 15 days. After pupation, imagoes emerge from the pupae - adult beetles. Adult beetles mate and the beetle life cycle repeats. This cycle of development and life of the beetle takes place within 1 year.

Special features of the beetle. How to distinguish a male from a female? In the male, the spur on the inner edge of the fore tibia is located opposite the main tooth. In the female, the spur is located noticeably above the main tooth. In the male, the antennal club is the same length as the flagellum, but shorter than the length of the entire antennal stalk. In the female, the antennal club is noticeably shorter than the flagellum. The body size of the female beetle is slightly larger than that of the male.

About garden beetles. This shiny little beetle is a major pest of crops. The pests are adult beetles and larvae. Beetles and larvae feed on almost any vegetation, gnaw the roots of plants, eat leaves and flowers, gnaw the ovary and fruits of fruits and vegetables. These insect pests, small beetles, are found everywhere. Despite their small size, these beetles can cause great trouble to various vegetation. Khrushchik, Khrushchik and Bronzovka are frequent guests in the garden and vegetable garden, and both types of beetles love to eat flowers.

Below on the website you can view and download large and beautiful photos garden beetles.

Beautiful photos of garden beetle: