Content
Every gardener cares and nurtures his plants, counting on the harvest. But pests do not sleep. They also want to eat vegetable plants and without the help of a gardener they have little chance of surviving. One of the worst enemies of vegetables from the nightshade family is the Colorado potato beetle.
This is a leaf-eating pest that can reproduce very quickly. In one season, the Colorado potato beetle can have up to 3 generations, each of which gives birth to new pests. The beetle larvae are very voracious, and as they grow, they crawl into neighboring plant bushes, continuing their harmful activities.
Every year, gardeners make a lot of efforts to cope with this insidious pest. Everyone fights the Colorado potato beetle as best they can. Some people collect pests by hand, while others use traditional methods. But most often it is impossible to do without the use of chemical means of protection. It is necessary to use various drugs to destroy the Colorado potato beetle.
Types of insecticides
Substances designed to fight insects that damage garden crops are called insecticides. They enter the body of pests in various ways:
- When an insect comes into contact with a damaging drug. Such insecticides are not able to penetrate the internal tissues of the plants that they are designed to protect, so they can easily be washed away by the first rain. This method of protection is not very reliable.
- When a pest eats a plant that has absorbed the insecticide, that is, through the intestines. With this method of treatment, the drug is absorbed by all parts of the plant and easily moves through its vessels. This method of destroying pests is more reliable, but at the same time it is less safe for the plants themselves, especially if the insecticide is phytotoxic.
In practice, most insecticides have a mixed effect, both contact and intestinal.
Insecticides may contain different substances.
- Organochlorine.
- Synthetic and natural pyrethrins.
- Based on carbamic acid derivatives.
- Preparations containing mineral and plant poisons.
- Based on organophosphorus compounds.
- The safest drugs are those in which the active ingredients are bacteria and viruses.
Description of Tanrek product
Recently, drugs based on neonicotinoids have become increasingly popular. Several substances from this group are approved for use in Russia. The most commonly used insecticides are imidacloprid-based. One of these drugs is Tanrek for the Colorado potato beetle. For every liter of the drug there are 200 g of imidacloprid.
How it works
The action of this drug is based on the ability of imidacloprid to be absorbed by the leaf mass of potato bushes. When a beetle or larva tastes such a leaf, the drug enters the pest’s stomach along with it. In this case, the activity of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme in the pest is blocked, which, in turn, causes a blockade of nerve impulses. The insects become overexcited and die. Thus, Tanrek acts in three ways at once: contact, intestinal and systemic. The effect of the treatment is noticeable within a few hours, and within a few days all pests will die. For another three weeks, potato foliage will be poisonous to the Colorado potato beetle or larvae.
How to use
Imidaproclide dissolves well in water, in which it must be diluted. The solution cannot be stored, so the drug is diluted immediately before treatment. Dilute one 1 ml ampoule of the drug with a small amount of water, stir and bring the volume to 10 liters and stir again.
Substances with an alkaline or acidic reaction negatively affect the properties of the drug.
The drug is poured into the sprayer and the treatment is carried out. It is better to do this in the morning or evening.The weather should be calm.
Potato plantings can be treated against the Colorado potato beetle once per season. Unfortunately, the pest may become addicted to the drug, so for repeated treatment it is better to choose an insecticide based on a different active ingredient.
Toxicity and safety precautions
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Instructions for using Tanrek from the Colorado potato beetle indicate that this drug has a hazard class for humans and other mammals - 3. In soil it decomposes after 77-200 days, therefore the hazard class of the drug for stability in soil is 2. The same value is also for fish, therefore it is prohibited to use the drug near bodies of water, much less pour it there. This substance is very dangerous for bees, as it causes the disintegration of their colonies. The apiary should not be located closer than 10 km from the processing site.
Using this remedy for the Colorado potato beetle can reduce it due to the death of earthworms.
In order not to harm your health, you need to handle plants in a special suit, respirator and gloves. It is imperative to wash your face, wash your hands and rinse your mouth afterwards.
Advantages
- Effective on pests of any age.
- The spectrum of action is quite wide.
- No weather dependency.
- Easy to prepare and use.
- Lasts long enough.
- Relatively safe.
- Low consumption and low price.
When deciding to use chemical pest control measures, remember that this is a last resort.Use them when other means have already been tried and have not brought results. Any harsh intervention in an existing biological system disrupts its balance and is fraught with unpredictable consequences. Take care of your health and the health of your family and friends.
