Content
Currant scale is a dangerous pest that feeds on plant juices. This leads to a weakening of the bush, a lag in its development and a decrease in yield. The insects are small and can fly to neighboring plantings. At the same time, they multiply quickly. If the invasion is severe, the death of currants is possible. The main methods of destruction are treatment with chemicals. You can also use proven folk remedies.
Description of the scale insect with photo
Scale insects are small insects with an armored body with a diameter of 5 mm. The surface resembles scales; they are colored in grayish, brown and yellowish shades.
They have sexual dimorphism - females and males are very different:
- Males live much shorter lives, only 24 hours. They have wings, so they fly from one currant bush to another. Despite the fact that their share in the population is no more than 10%, they pose a particular danger to plants. They are active in May and June.
- Females do not have legs or wings, so they move by crawling. There is a shell on the back, its middle is light and the edges are dark.They are active throughout the warm period. They lay up to 100 eggs per season. The larvae emerge the following spring, after which the cycle repeats.
Scale insects that have settled on currants can lead to the death of the plant
Signs of defeat
Pests are small in size, so it is difficult to see them with the naked eye. However, an invasion can be determined by other signs:
- Currant leaves become covered with brown spots. Gradually they increase in size.
- The leaves dry out, curl and die.
- A sweetish mucus appears on different parts of the bush - honeydew. It is not dangerous in itself, but serves as a breeding ground for infectious pathogenic microorganisms.
- A gray coating appears on currant shoots and foliage. This is a sign of an advanced stage, when the bush no longer has enough nutrients.
- Cracks appear in the bark, the bush looks unhealthy, does not set berries well, and is noticeably lagging behind in development.
Causes of pests
Scale insects settle mainly on old currant bushes, but they can also appear on young ones. Insects also parasitize almost all other plantings - fruit trees and shrubs, vegetables and ornamental crops. Scale insects are ubiquitous, so invasion of currants cannot be completely eliminated even with very good care.
The main causes of pests are:
- planting new seedlings with contaminated soil;
- lack of preventive treatments against insects;
- too dense placement;
- insufficient watering;
- strong shadow;
- excess nitrogen fertilizer;
- other diseases that weaken the bush.
Consequences
Scale insects are small insects, but they can cause great harm to currants.Pests feed on plant juices, which leads to a number of adverse consequences:
- weakening of the bush;
- nutritional deficiencies;
- significant reduction in yield;
- decreased immunity to disease.
If timely measures are not taken, scale insects will multiply and infect all new parts of the currant, as well as neighboring plantings. Over time, this can lead to the death of the bush. A particular danger is associated with the fact that scale insects spread on currants very quickly. Literally in a season you can lose a significant part of the harvest.
Insects can lead to the death of currant bushes
Measures to combat scale insects on currants
To combat scale insects on red, black and white currants, different methods are used. First of all, pests are removed manually. To do this, use a cotton pad, sponge or toothbrush. They are pre-moistened in a strong soap solution. If the branches are heavily damaged by scale insects, it is easier to cut off the shoots completely and burn them. The cut areas should be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Agrotechnical techniques
Agrotechnical methods are used in the early stages of currant damage by scale insects, and also as an additional control measure. The main techniques are:
- In autumn and spring, dig up tree trunk circles.
- After pruning and leaf fall, carefully remove all currant plant residues and burn them.
- Avoid overfeeding with fertilizers, especially nitrogen ones.
In March, the earthen embankments are removed. During this period, the eggs die due to recurrent frosts.
Chemicals
The most effective way to deal with scale insects on currants is with special chemicals - insecticides:
- “Batraider” is a triple-action drug based on three components, it is highly effective, the protective period lasts up to two weeks.
- “Prophylactic” - this remedy against scale insects contains two effective substances. The product begins to act at a temperature of +4 ° C, the protective period lasts up to 30 days.
- "Tanrek" is a good drug for colony destruction and prevention; the consumption rate is small - only 5 ml per 10 liters.
- "Colorado" is another effective systemic insecticide based on imidacloprid, used in an amount of 2 ml per 10 liters.
- “Apache” is a modern drug, available in the form of granules; to destroy scale insects on currants, dissolve 10 g in 10 liters.
As a rule, even one treatment is enough, the maximum number of procedures is two. When preparing the solution and during spraying, you must follow the instructions without exceeding the prescribed dosage.
Folk remedies
In the early stages of the invasion, when there are not so many scale insects, folk remedies also help well for prevention. Experienced summer residents recommend using the following recipes:
- Tobacco dust contains poisonous nicotine and valuable nutrients, including phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. To prepare, you need to take 80 g of dust, pour in a liter of hot, but not boiling water and leave for a day, then strain and bring to 10 liters.
- Laundry soap - take a small part (30 g), rub, get shavings and dissolve in 1 liter of hot water. Add 90 ml of vegetable oil and dilute in 10 liters. The emulsion is applied to the foliage and branches of currants overnight and washed off in the morning. For prevention purposes, use a stronger solution - 100 g of soap in 10 liters of hot water. Oil can be added in an amount of 100 ml.
- Garlic infusion. Grind 10 heads and soak in 1 liter of warm, but not hot water. After a day, filter, bring to 10 liters and begin spraying.
- A strong infusion of wood ash. Pour the substance (300 g) into a liter of boiling water and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Then let cool and dilute 10 liters.
- Infusion of chili pepper pods - 500 g. First, crush them and pour 3-5 liters of boiling water, cook for 50-60 minutes over moderate heat, infuse for 10-12 hours. Strain, bring to a total volume of 10 liters and begin processing. You can also add 30-50 g of laundry or tar soap shavings, after holding them in hot water until completely dissolved.
- Concentrated solution of hot soap (100 g) with kerosene (200 g). The piece is ground on a grater. Then dissolve in a small volume of hot water, add all the kerosene and dilute to 10 liters.
Preventive treatments of currant bushes prevent the invasion of scale insects and other pests
It is advisable to spray in the early morning or late evening. In this case, the weather should be dry and windless. Number of treatments – at least two (interval 3-5 days).
How to protect currants
Preventing the appearance of scale insects on currants is easier than fighting a strong invasion. The main preventive measure is carrying out treatments in spring and summer.You can also attract ladybugs, which are natural enemies of scale insects and aphids.
Preventative treatments
Already in early April, before the onset of warm days, the root zone is cleaned and dug up. After sanitizing the currant bushes, they must be treated at least once to prevent the appearance of scale insects and other insects. You can use any of the drugs described above.
Natural enemies
The scale insect has natural enemies - ladybugs and chilocorus beetles. They have a small body 4 mm long, black or brown. They lay orange eggs. Adult insects actively destroy scale insects - up to 500-1000 individuals per season. Wasps also feed on pests.
To attract beneficial insects, it is necessary to plant fragrant herbs next to the currants: dill, mint, parsley, caraway, coriander, tansy, anise.
Resistant currant varieties
Getting rid of scale insects on currants is not always easy. Therefore, summer residents strive to purchase seedlings that are resistant to this pest. Among the varieties of black currant, the following can be distinguished: Dacha, Veloy, Selechenskaya 2, Pamyati Pavlovskaya, Temptation, Izyumnaya, Charm.
It is also useful to know about red currant varieties that are resistant to scale insects: Vika, Gift of Summer, Gazelle, Dutch, Scarlet Dawn, Ural Beauty, Alpha, Natalie, Ilyinka, Ogni Ural.
Conclusion
Scale insects on currants are particularly dangerous. It is difficult to see small insects, but if the first signs of an invasion appear, you need to immediately carry out treatment. For prevention, it is better to use chemicals. They are also used during a strong invasion. Shortly before harvesting, it is advisable to spray with solutions and infusions based on folk remedies.
