Acidic and moist soils, especially those infested with wheatgrass, are the favorite habitats of the wireworm. The larvae cause the greatest harm to root crops, especially potato tubers.
Means of dealing with wireworm
You need to start with soil cultivation. For a successful fight against the wireworm, it is necessary to carry out an autumn, deep enough (up to 25 cm) digging of the earth.
Very good results are obtained by such digging, with the introduction wood ash, in late autumn before the onset of frost.
In addition, it is good to spread small heaps of manure or straw around the entire area and remove them after the onset of frost. In this way, much more larvae of these pests can be destroyed.
In the spring, an additional smaller digging should be carried out. During these works, it is necessary to clean the removed soil from larvae, pupae and beetles.
Reducing the acidity of the soil can be achieved by adding lime, chalk, crushed eggshells, ammonia mineral fertilizers.
Constant weed control, especially wheatgrass and planting legumes: peas, beans, beans, will help you in the fight against wireworm.
Bait to fight wireworm
Other effective tool baits are used to kill this pest. Baits should be prepared a few days before planting potatoes.
Sow the seeds of wheat, corn or oats in nests, and when they germinate, dig them out along with the larvae. Such baits can be made from pieces of raw potatoes, beets or carrots, which are mounted on sticks 25 cm long.
They are buried so that the ends of the sticks remain on the surface, and every 2-3 days they are taken out to collect all the larvae. This method can be used throughout the summer.
To deal with already adult beetles, you can use another method. At the bottom of a half-liter jar, place the bait and bury it in shady place to the neck. For every hundred square meters you need 10 such cans. Every 3 days you need to collect bugs and change the bait.
Another simple, but quite effective method is the layout of rotted material into small recesses. This is best done in those areas of the ground where you expect the greatest accumulation of larvae: such a wet shelter will attract many beetles. After a few days, you need to collect everything and burn it.
In general, working with baits requires care, but the effectiveness of this method is obvious.
How to protect planting potatoes from wireworm
Most of the wireworm larvae live in those areas where the roots are densely intertwined, so you should not plant potatoes next to lawns sown with perennial herbs or near the uncultivated part of the site.
During the planting of potatoes, the prepared wells should be poured with a solution of potassium permanganate at the rate of 5 g of powder per 10 liters of water. For every 20 holes you need 10 liters of solution. This is enough effective method if the contamination of the soil with pests is not very large. In this case, planting leaf lettuce between the potato rows also helps to get rid of the wireworm. The larvae, feeding on its roots, will not touch the potato.
It is good to water potatoes 2 times a week with a solution, which includes: celandine (100g), dandelion (200g), nettle (500g), coltsfoot (200g) per 10 liters of water.
If the degree of contamination of the soil is high, in this case, nitrogen-containing fertilizers will come to the rescue: ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate.
Potato seeds, before planting, can be treated with Aktara and Prestige solutions in accordance with the instructions.
Wireworm control chemicals
If the described methods of struggle do not lead to the desired result, you will have to use special chemicals. These include: effective, but highly toxic "Bazudin", as well as "Diazinon", "Gromoboy-2", "Medvedox-U", "Calypso". These funds must be used in accordance with the instructions.
Good results are obtained by placing the Provotox granules in each well next to the tubers. "Provotox" is gradually distributed in the soil and reliably protects plants, providing a lasting effect.
The latest preparations for the fight against wireworms include Nemabakt. The drug was obtained as a result of symbiosis of a predatory nematode (variety roundworm) and bacteria. The nematode, penetrating the wireworm, releases a bacterium that destroys its insides, and they, in turn, are eaten by the nematode.
At the same time, the nematode does not harm earthworms and other beneficial soil inhabitants. It is not dangerous for humans and animals. "Nemabakt" will become your faithful assistant in the fight against wireworms. In addition, the "Protection" soil has been developed, which is already populated by nematodes.
Weeds that contribute to the spread of pests can be controlled with the selective herbicide for potatoes "Lazurit". Destroying weeds, it does not harm the culture itself. "Lazurit" removes weeds at the germination stage. It is effective against even such hard-to-remove weeds as ragweed, quinoa, gauze, dandelion, chaff, colza, chickweed.
Harm received in the garden from the wireworm
Wounds inflicted on young tubers by small larvae heal and look like funnels on already adult tubers.
Older larvae cause much more harm, they can gnaw through a potato tuber. Pathogens of fungal and bacterial diseases can penetrate through the damaged surface. This can lead to rotting of the tuber during storage.
Gluttony of larvae is largely dependent on weather conditions. If the formation of tubers occurs during a dry period, then the larvae, in search of moisture, are especially actively introduced into the tubers. So early varieties potatoes, the tubers of which are formed in sufficiently moist soil, are less damaged by the wireworm than later varieties.
Thus, in the fight against the wireworm, effective assistance is provided by timely adopted agrotechnical measures tillage, use of baits, special preparations. During the dry season, care should be taken to retain moisture in the soil.
And also, do not rush to get rid of the toads on their site, they, like ground beetles, love to feed on wireworm larvae and will provide you with invaluable assistance in the fight against this pest.
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Before we tell you how to deal with a wireworm in the garden, let's figure out what kind of insect it is, in fact? So, this is how small and large future larvae are called - this is a small worm (2 cm long) of yellow or light brown color, shamelessly destroying our crop (for example, potatoes).
and habitat
The development cycle of the wireworm lasts for 5 years. In the first year, small light brown larvae appear, in the second and third years they grow, increasing in size, and in the fourth they become pupae. The latter, after 3 weeks, turn into full-fledged click beetles. The fifth year of the life of this pest is marked by the laying of new eggs.
The wireworm in the garden chooses acidic and damp soil, dense plantings and weeds that have not been removed in a timely manner. Cannot stand thickets of legumes: peas, beans, beans.
"Combat" unit
Before we tell you how to deal with wireworm in the garden, I would like to make a small reservation. Remember! Wireworm larvae exist together with pupae and adult beetles! This is a full-fledged "combat unit": small and large larvae, pupae and, in fact, click beetles.
How to get a wireworm out of the garden?
It won't be easy, but it's possible! Remember that the fight against this pest occurs in two ways: agrotechnical and chemical.
How to deal with wireworm in the garden? Agricultural methods
How to deal with wireworm in the garden? Chemical Methods
- Before sowing root crops and planting potatoes, apply fertilizers containing ammonium to the soil.
- Water the soil with a weak manganese solution.
- Use the insecticide "Bazudin" ("Diazinon"). Start with the following dosage: 40 g per square meter soil. This is a great option for dealing with wireworms when the pest has taken over your entire garden.
And finally
Note that chemical methods much simpler than agrotechnical ones, but it is advisable to resort to them only in case due to their toxicity (for example, the drug "Diazinon" is poisonous to humans and animals). That is why, if the number of wireworms in your garden is relatively small, limit yourself to agricultural practices! Good luck!
In order to know the enemy in person, it is necessary to have an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat a wireworm looks like. These are adult larvae of click beetles (lat. Elateridae), which got their name because of a very strong and rigid body, like a wire - they cannot be crushed with your fingers. The larvae are colored in yellow, brown, dark brown tones and reach a size of 10-45 mm in length. The development cycle of beetles is five years. Click beetles come to the surface of the soil in April. Oviposition is carried out in the ground, to a depth of 1-3 cm. One female can lay 120-150 eggs. After two or three weeks, small larvae appear, painted in White color and easily vulnerable. At this time, they can be destroyed by ground beetles. They are not yet capable of harming cultivated plants.
As they grow, approximately in the second year of life, the larvae of the click beetle acquire a yellowish or brownish color, their body becomes more and more rigid. In this state, they are eaten by chickens and insectivorous birds. And it is at this age that they cause the greatest harm to plants. Wireworms live in the upper layers of the soil - at a depth of up to 5 cm. Under adverse weather conditions, they deepen by 50-60 cm. The larvae pupate in the middle of summer of the fourth year of life. Adult beetles appear after 15-20 days. They winter in the ground.
Did you know? Wireworms are practically omnivores. In search of food, they can move in any direction for long distances.
What crops are damaged by the wireworm
The most adored delicacy of the larvae of the click beetle is the potato. Also, his favorite plants are beets, carrots, barley, wheat, corn. Damage onions and sunflowers. Of the weeds, wireworms love creeping wheatgrass. The larvae feed on seeds, sprouts, roots, the underground part of the stem, root crops and tubers. Plants that have been damaged by wireworms slow down growth and reduce yields. Potato tubers affected by this pest are not suitable for planting, as they quickly rot. In addition to agricultural, wireworms also harm horticultural and forest crops.
Did you know? The wireworm actively spreads on damp and acidic soils, in a thickened garden littered with creeping wheatgrass.
Now you can easily recognize the wireworm and have an idea of what it is. dangerous pest, capable of causing such great harm - up to the destruction of most of the crop. Next, we will look at the most effective measures, which help rid the garden of the larvae of click beetles.
Preventive measures and agrotechnical work on the site
There are three ways to bring out the wireworm on the site:
- agrotechnical;
- biological;
- chemical.
The greatest effect in the fight against wireworm can be achieved by using several methods simultaneously. In order to avoid the appearance of pest larvae in your garden, you must follow the rules of agricultural technology. Since beetles and larvae hibernate in the soil, deep digging is shown in the garden, as well as moldboard plowing. They are produced in October, towards the end of the month. These procedures bring wireworms to the surface of the soil, where they will be destroyed by the first frosts.
Important! autumn processing soil will allow to reduce the number of pests by 50-90% within two to three years.
It is also important to destroy the plant remains of cultivated plants and creeping wheatgrass - manually pull out its rhizomes. In no case should potato tubers be left in the ground for the winter. After all, in this way, you will provide food for the pest on winter period. On the contrary, it is necessary to deprive him of this pleasure. Do not neglect one of the main rules of agricultural technology - the timely destruction of weeds. In addition to wheatgrass, be sure to get rid of burdock. Moreover, they should be destroyed along with the roots, since it is there that the larvae like to live. In May-June, surface loosening of the soil is used. Preventive measures also include luring the natural enemies of the click beetle. These include insectivorous birds: turtledove, rook, thrush, crow, starling, wagtail. Also beetles and larvae are eaten by frogs, ground beetles, spiders, ants.
Soil acidity reduction (liming)
The wireworm likes to live in acidic soils, so one of the preventive measures is to reduce the acidity of the soil by adding lime, coal dust, chalk, wood ash. Lime is scattered directly on the beds, or brought into the planting holes. Also, onion peels and ash are added to the wells.
Sowing cereals, legumes, mustard
Rotation of crops
The correct crop rotation allows you to completely expel the wireworm from the garden. The fact is that over time, the soils are depleted, everything settles in them. large quantity diseases and pests. Therefore, it is not recommended to plant the same crop or its relatives annually in the same place. The earth must be allowed to rest for three years. In addition, if, for example, next season a crop is planted in place of potatoes that wireworms do not eat, then many of the individuals will die of hunger until they find food elsewhere. Before potatoes, it is recommended to plant such crops: spinach, legumes, rapeseed, mustard, buckwheat. They must be alternated for two to three years - during this time the wireworm will leave.
Beetle baits
Beetles and larvae can be lured with baits. For example, they are prepared as follows. At the end of April - beginning of May, when the wireworms are still feeding on weeds, they make small indentations into which half-rotten grass, straw or hay is placed. Top covered with boards. In search of food, the larvae will move into these traps. After one or two days, when grass and straw are massively chosen by pests, it is removed and destroyed by burning. To achieve the effect, the procedure is carried out several times.
Similar baits can be made from cut potatoes, pieces of carrots, beets. They are buried in the ground to a depth of 7-15 cm at a distance of 1 m from each other one to two weeks before planting young crops. Later, they are also dug up and destroyed along with the larvae. Places for burying traps are marked with signs. Potatoes can be strung on sticks in a fishing line. Cans filled with young potato leaves are also used.
They are placed in the amount of 10 pieces per hundred square meters. Every two or three days, the contents of the jars are updated. Lettuce leaves are also planted as a trap between potato bushes. First, the wireworms will destroy the roots of this particular plant, which will allow the potatoes to be untouched for some time. Helps get rid of the pest and shredded eggshell. It is scattered around the garden throughout the summer. Baits are a laborious method, but safe for environment and allows you to significantly reduce the number of pests in the garden.
Before plowing or during planting potatoes, you can make a composition prepared as follows. Scatter 5 kg of superphosphate in granules on a film. Dilute the pesticide (“Actellik” (15 ml), “Karate” (1 ml), “Decis Extra” (4 ml)) in a water-acetone solution (80 ml of water, 200 ml of acetone). Spray the granules on polyethylene with the mixture, dry and spread over the area. The consumption of the mixture is calculated per 100 sq. m. After this procedure, the soil must be dug up.
Important! The use of wireworm insecticides is a last resort, used only if other methods have not helped.
With a massive invasion of the wireworm, other chemicals can be used. The most undesirable among all methods is the introduction of the drug "Bazudin". Consumption - 40 g / 1 sq. m. Active substance, which is part of this product - diazonin, is highly toxic to humans and the environment. 5% diazonin is also added to the wells at planting (30 g/10 sqm). A number of insecticides used in the mass distribution of wireworms include "Prestige" (destroys up to 50-70%). However, its use is possible only in the middle-late and late varieties Otherwise, the risk to human health is great. In addition to the wireworm, it also helps to cope with the Colorado potato beetle. The drug "Provotox" is aimed only at getting rid of the wireworm. With its help, potato tubers are processed before planting.
How to get rid of the wireworm in the garden? This question worries many gardeners. The pest gladly perforates beets, carrots, potatoes. He does not disdain corn and barley.
The fight against it is complex. All methods are divided into two types: agrotechnical and chemical. On the net you can find the most unusual ways. Some are questionable, so let's figure it out.
Agricultural measures
Compliance with crop rotation. Every year, transfer landings to another place, while returning to the old one no earlier than after 4 seasons. Well, if the area of \u200b\u200bthe site allows this. But some gardeners are forced to plant, for example, potatoes for many years in a row in the same place.
The life cycle of the click beetle is 5 years. Of these, 4 years old, he is just a larva, the same wireworm. Therefore, the method works only with a five-year crop rotation.
Humidity. The wireworm loves moisture in the soil. With its lack, the larvae die. Well, yes, in the dry summer of 2010, almost all summer residents of the country complained about him. And only those who had the opportunity to constantly water their plantings did not see this nasty worm in their eyes.
Accordingly, the larvae love dry soil. With normal humidity, the wireworm cannot always find food. And with increased, he loses the ability to move and suffocates.
Hence the conclusion - throw all your strength into normal watering. Otherwise, you will again collect the remains of perforated root crops.
Weeding. Very often you can see such a picture: beautiful well-groomed vegetable gardens, and on the borders between them - thickets of wheatgrass, burdock, thistle. And then the owners complain about the ineffectiveness of the weeding method. Say, they have a clean garden, and the wireworm is raging.
Keep clean not only the beds, but also the stitches between them and neighboring areas. Remove couch grass, burdock and sow thistle. If you need a grassy boundary between vegetable gardens, then sow it with clover or lupine. The wireworm does not tolerate them. Because huge colonies of nodule bacteria that produce nitrogen live on their roots. And the larvae do not like mineral salts and fertilizers.
Joint landings. It is for the above reason that it is recommended to plant in the same hole with potatoes. legumes. Of course, on large area doing this is problematic. But on small area well enough for everyone. At the same time and saving a seat.
It is only important to remember: if the potatoes are treated with insecticides, then the whole green bean blades cannot be eaten. But ripe beans, peas or beans are quite suitable for eating after peeling.
If you still fear that you will eat poison, then leave the harvest for joint landings next year.
Traps. Most effective method deliverance. But very labor intensive. Although, do you need your harvest whole? Without damage, rot, holes? Then let's get started:
- During the entire gardening season, barley or corn seeds are planted on the affected area. For each hundred square meters, 9-12 holes are dug with a depth of no more than 5 cm. 16-18 grains soaked in insecticide are placed on the bottom. Sprinkle with earth. As soon as the first sprouts appear, they dig out the contents of the hole, they are surprised at the number of larvae. Then they take it outside the site and burn it. Because crushing a dense larva is very difficult. If you are not squeamish, then you can tear each one in half with your fingers.
- They arrange the same holes, only instead of grains they pour a handful of raw fresh manure or rotten wet grass. Just do not sprinkle with earth, but cover with scraps of boards or pieces of slate. After 2 days, you can harvest the "harvest".
- Old root crops are cut into medium cubes, soaked in a solution of any insecticide for 2 hours. Then they are instilled into the same wells as described above. There is no need to dig them up, because the wireworm will eat the poisoned treat and die.
- If you are opposed to using chemicals on your site, then drop cubes of root crops without pre-soaking. Then every 3 days you will have to pick out the bait from the holes, take it out of the site. There it must be burned along with pests. To make them burn well, they are either thrown into a powerful fire, or doused with kerosene (gasoline) in the old fashioned way and set on fire.
- Put on a twig, stick or wire on a piece of root crop. The structure is buried to a depth of about 12 cm so that a visible tail remains on the surface. After a day or two, you can dig out the “good” and admire the vile guests.
- Lay strips of polyethylene or oilcloth on the beds, smear with thick sugar syrup. Adult beetles and many other pests flock to such a bait. But they can no longer peel off and run away. Only use this method early spring or autumn, when there is no active summer of bees and bumblebees. Otherwise, they will also stick to the strips in pursuit of sweets.
- in glass or plastic containers finely chopped root crops are placed, a little liquid sugar syrup is poured. Dip on the site so that the neck of the container is at a depth of 1-1.5 cm below the soil level. Every day they check. Inside there will be both wireworm larvae and beetles. You can not add syrup, then they certainly take a vessel with a narrow neck so that adults cannot fly out.
Boarding supplements. Some substances are placed in the hole along with the tuber, which kill or repel the wireworm.
- Specialized soil. It says "Protect" on the packaging. It only takes a pinch. This soil contains a predatory nematode that does not harm club or other insects. But he loves to feast on wireworm larvae. You can also pour such soil into the garden thin layer before sowing seeds of beets and carrots. Sometimes one application every 4 years is enough. The nematode destroys from 70 to 99% of the larvae.
- Eggshell, finely ground. Mixed with aromatic sunflower oil in a ratio of 1 to 1. A dessert spoon is enough for one well. Having tasted such a treat, the wireworm dies almost immediately.
- Handful onion peel or dried citrus peels. Also paid upon boarding. According to reviews, it repels many pests well.
- Dry needles of pine or spruce. Matchbox per landing hole.
Salt. Plain kitchen salt. It is generously scattered over the surface of the earth, then harrowed. The wireworm quickly leaves such soil. But you can repeat the procedure only after 7 years, not earlier. Otherwise, the lion's share of the crop will go with the pest.
Digging. In autumn, after the onset of the first stable frosts, they plow deeply or dig up the soil. Pupated larvae and overwintering adults will die from frost. In this case, the processing depth should be at least 16-18 cm, otherwise there will be no use.
In the spring, immediately after the ground thaws, but before the start of the main plantings, it is recommended to dig up the beds again, while carefully breaking large clods. Sunlight is detrimental to overwintered larvae. And the rest will be picked up by birds.
Chemical Measures
Liming. This nasty insect loves acidic soils. Therefore, be sure to deoxidize the soil regularly. This may be the introduction of lime, chalk, dolomite flour, ash. Only ash should be from deciduous trees.
Legendary manganese. Before planting, shed the soil with a warm, pale pink solution. Plant and sow cultivated plants can be no earlier than a day after such treatment.
In early spring, immediately after the soil warms up and in August, after harvesting, they do not wait until the pest crawls away to other feeding places. The earth is thoroughly shed with a strong maroon solution, with a temperature of about 80 ° C. Pickle at the same time most pathogenic bacteria and pathogenic microbes.
Preplant treatment of tubers. They are sprayed with special long-acting preparations. Within 56-58 days there is protection from pests. After this period, the wireworm will again attack the landings. However, if during these two months you have carried out other events, then it is quite possible that there will simply be no one to devour the harvest.
mineral salts. Application before planting ammonium sulfate in the ground. For 1 sq. m. enough 16-18 g of fertilizer. Sprinkle evenly over the surface of the soil and close up with a flat cutter, rake or harrow. Subsequent watering or natural rain will allow the mineral salt to penetrate deeper layers. The larvae do not like such additives very much. Can be replaced with ammonium nitrate. The dosage is identical.
There is a recipe that, according to reviews, also helps well. It must be diluted in 10 liters of water 2 ml ammonia. Water plantings under the root with this solution. Up to half a liter per plant. Processing is carried out once a month.
- Plant tagetes (marigolds) along the perimeter of the site and, if possible, between the rows. You can’t get rid of the larvae, but adults bypass such beds.
- Do not leave food to the wireworm in the winter. That is, remove absolutely the entire crop from the site. Many gardeners do not harvest small root crops, perhaps they will rot over the winter. This goes without saying, but before rotting, they will have time to feed a considerable number of larvae. Therefore, dig up even the smallest carrots and potatoes.
- The earth must not be empty. Look in nature, is there a bare patch of soil somewhere? No. So your site after harvesting must be sown with green manure. The best way to get rid of the wireworm is clover, rye, white mustard. In the spring, all this stuff must be dug up right with the stems and leaves. So you also get a good dose of natural organic fertilizer. This will increase the nitrogen content in the soil. After such an addition, the wireworm will bypass your beds, the larvae do not like nitrogen.
- If you have chickens on your farm, then do not burn the worms collected in traps. Give them to your birds, let them feast.
otherworldly forces
There is a recommendation to sprinkle the site with holy water or read conspiracies. Interesting advice. We do not in the least diminish the significance of such procedures for those people who believe in their effectiveness. We simply call to remember the famous folk wisdom: "Trust in God, but don't make a mistake yourself." One sprinkling of holy water or thrown words will not be enough if you then sit down with your arms folded. You can wait a very long time to get rid of adversity if you do nothing yourself.
How to get rid of the wireworm in the garden? The most important thing is to comply with the full range of measures for five years. Because after destroying the first wave of larvae, you will be delighted and fold your arms. But they will be replaced by grown individuals. Do not give up, and soon you will be able to clear your garden of this unpleasant scourge.
Video: how to defeat a wireworm