Almost every gardener grows raspberry bushes in his garden. During the growing process, many are faced with the fact that the bushes are attacked by ticks. Therefore, it is recommended to figure out in advance how to deal with spider mites on raspberries.
Description of the pest
A spider mite is a small arachnid insect whose length does not exceed 0.7 millimeters. There are various types of pests that differ in surface color.Most often, raspberries are attacked by pests that are brown in color. However, there are ticks whose backs have a greenish, yellowish and even milky tint. It is impossible to notice in a timely manner that a tick has attacked the bushes, since even adult individuals are difficult to see with the naked eye.
There are several stages of development of this insect:
- Egg. It has a spherical shape and is painted white with a faint brown tint. This stage lasts only 3-4 days.
- Larva. The eggs hatch into small caterpillars that move onto plants and feed on their sap. Most larvae are pink, but white specimens are occasionally found.
- Nymph. At this stage, the pest has four pairs of legs. They have a green or red tint.
- Adult. Adult males, unlike females, have several dark spots on the surface. Their lifespan is 25-35 days.
What is characteristic of the appearance of an insect?
It is no secret that spider mites harm raspberry bushes; they pierce the tissues of leaf blades and damage the chloroplast. The following signs of damage to shrubs by this dangerous pest are identified:
- The lower part of the leaf blades becomes covered with brownish or light spots, which gradually leads to complete drying and falling of the foliage.
- Young leaves may turn marbled and curl into a tube.
- All affected areas of foliage are covered with a dense layer of cobwebs.
- If you do not get rid of the pest in time, the bushes will be completely covered with cobwebs. At the same time, more mites will accumulate on the tips of the leaves, which over time will move on to healthy plants grown near the raspberries.
- Flower buds on plants with mites quickly dry out and stop growing.
Methods for controlling the parasite on raspberries
To preserve the berries and prevent the bushes from drying out, it is necessary to fight the pest. There are several effective remedies that help get rid of ticks.
Chemicals
The most effective are chemicals that quickly clean plants of any pests. There are four drugs that are popular with gardeners.
"Fufanon"
This is a drug that has a wide spectrum of action and is used for spraying berries. Experts recommend using Fufanon not only to eliminate ticks, but also to combat other gnawing parasites. After spraying, all ticks on the bushes should die within an hour.
You can use Fufanon no more than once every two weeks.
"Akreks"
Some gardeners believe that this remedy is too dangerous, but this is not so. Akrex is highly toxic only to pests, but not to humans. It has fungicidal properties that help clear shrubs of mites after the first spraying.
When processing raspberries, you need to use a weakly concentrated solution, and therefore, before use, Acrex is mixed with water.
"Aktellik"
A contact preparation used to work with raspberries and other berries. Actellik effectively fights the most common pests that many gardeners encounter. A distinctive feature of the product is its versatility, thanks to which Actellik is used both in small garden plots and for industrial purposes.
"Antio"
Twenty percent emulsifying concentrate with a specific odor. To create a working solution, a liter of the drug is mixed with 7-8 liters of warm water. Active protection "Antio" lasts for 14 days and therefore repeated spraying is carried out only after two weeks.
Biological products
Instead of chemicals, you can use biological preparations, in the manufacture of which no chemical components are added.
"Akarin"
This is a complex remedy that is made from neurotoxins of soil fungi. Raspberry trees can be treated with Akarin no more than three times per season. When microelements of this biological product penetrate inside the mites, they affect the nervous system, which leads to paralysis and death of the pests.
"Bitoxibacillin"
This biological product is most popular among gardeners growing raspberries. "Bitoxibacillin" is used to treat plants that have been attacked by spider mites. When creating a mixture for spraying seedlings, 15-20 grams of the product are added to 15 liters of heated water. Treatment is carried out twice a week, after five in the evening.
"Fitoverm"
A domestic drug that contains aversectin. The product is sold in small ampoules of 10 milliliters. To create a liquid that can be sprayed on raspberries, one Fitoverma ampoule will have to be mixed with 7-10 liters of water. Protection against pests after treatment will last for a month.
Folk remedies
Raspberries are sometimes treated against ticks using folk remedies, which can be made from:
- Tobacco. It is recommended to use foliage or young stems of the plant. The infusion is prepared from a liter of water, in which 35-45 grams of ground tobacco leaves are infused. Raspberries are processed every other day for a week.
- Pepper. An effective infusion against ticks can be prepared from the ripened fruits of bitter pepper. To do this, just add 150 grams of dry pepper to two liters of water.
Prevention is the best cure
It is necessary to prevent the appearance of spider mites in order to protect seedlings from pests. All bushes should be regularly inspected and checked for young ticks.
It is also recommended to periodically treat the berries with biological products and folk remedies.
Some gardeners recommend planting plants near raspberries that would repel insects. These include garlic, lavender, basil and mint.
Conclusion
Quite often, spider mites appear on raspberry bushes, which slow down the growth of the plant and impair fruiting. To preserve the harvest, you need to become familiar with the basic methods of insect control and the features of prevention.
