A biologist told how to protect fruit trees from weevils

What does a weevil look like on a strawberry?

The weevil is a dangerous insect pest from a large family of beetles, uniting about 50 thousand species, distributed on all continents. Goes through 3 stages of development:

The larvae are thick worms of a creamy, yellowish color, curved in the shape of a “c.” A characteristic feature is the presence of bristles running throughout the body. At the same time, the head is brown and hard.
The pupa has the rudiments of legs and wings, and the body is exactly the same.
Adult beetles are mostly up to 1 mm in length, less often up to 5 mm (visible by eye). They can be either spherical or diamond-shaped, elongated. The color is varied - from yellow and brown to red and black. It has a long trunk, from which the pest gets its name.
Read also: Mosquitoes that cause the most harm to humans

The main signs of the appearance of weevils on strawberries:

numerous small (up to 2 mm) holes on sheet plates;
drying and falling of buds;
damage to the bases of bud petioles;
fruits of irregular shape.

What does a weevil do to strawberries?

Insects feed on the juices and green mass of strawberries, and the larvae suck out the liquid from the roots. This takes away the strength of the plant and slows down its development. Therefore, when the first signs of damage appear, you need to get rid of pests. It is better to do this before the buds form, since females lay eggs in the flowers.

Is it possible to treat strawberries for weevils?

It is possible and necessary to treat bushes against insects. For preventive purposes, this is done in spring and autumn. In summer, spraying is carried out only when pests appear:

before the formation of buds using folk remedies;
during flowering with chemicals;
during fruiting - with biological insecticides.

It is imperative to get rid of weevils on strawberries, otherwise the yield will noticeably decrease

Folk remedies

Treatment of strawberries against weevils can be carried out not only with the help of chemicals, but also with the use of folk remedies. However, it is worth considering that folk remedies will not protect plants from pests, but will only scare them away for a while, so they must be used as often as possible.

Folk remedies will help repel female beetles, preventing them from laying eggs in the buds of the plant. Let's look at several interesting recipes for preparing such preparations and how to get rid of weevils on strawberries during flowering.

1 teaspoon of iodine per 5 liters of water. It is necessary to treat bushes only early in the morning, or in the evening, after sunset
100 g of mustard per 3 liters of water, let the solution brew for at least 3 hours. Processing is also carried out in the morning or evening
100 g of chopped garlic should be added to a container with 0.5 liters of water. Let the solution brew for at least 5 days, then filter and pour into 10 liters of clean water, add 350 ml of pine extract from the pharmacy and 2 tablespoons of boric acid.
Using simple wood ash will not only repel beetles, but also add excellent fertilizer to the soil. To do this, the bushes need to be thoroughly powdered with ash; the product is absolutely harmless to everyone except pests.

When to treat strawberries for weevils

When planning processing, it is extremely important to adhere to deadlines. Usually this procedure is performed in two cycles - in spring and autumn. However, in case of emergency (a large invasion has appeared), spraying is done in the summer, even before the berries appear. If the fruits have already set, you should not use chemicals.

When to treat strawberries for weevils in spring

Spring treatment is carried out in the second half of April. The bed is cleaned, last year's tops are removed, the soil is loosened, and the plants are watered. After this, mulch is laid and sprayed with solutions according to folk recipes or biological preparations.

When to treat strawberries for weevils in the fall

Autumn treatment of strawberries against weevils is carried out after harvesting - there are no strict deadlines. All damaged leaves are first cut off, after which they are sprayed once with a chemical preparation or twice with a biological or folk remedy.

How to treat and how to deal with weevils on strawberries in spring, summer and autumn

To get rid of weevils on strawberries, a variety of methods are used. In the first stages (before flowering), folk remedies help; during budding, chemicals help. If the fruits have already appeared, it is better to use only biological preparations. Moreover, after processing, the berries can be collected only after 3–5 days.

Chemical preparations for weevils on strawberries

If a weevil appears on a strawberry during flowering and fruiting, it has already laid eggs. Therefore, it will not be possible to get rid of insects by simply scaring them away with folk remedies (for example, fragrant herbs). In these cases, the most effective means are used - chemical insecticides:

"Decis";
"Spark double effect";
"Green Soap";
"Fufanon";
"Alatar";
"Commander";
"Medvetox".

“Decis” and other chemicals allow you to get rid of pests in 1–2 days

Biological insecticides for weevils on strawberries

You can also water strawberries against weevils with solutions based on biological preparations (insecticides and insectoacaricides):

"Fitoverm";
"Vertimek";
"Akarin";
"Iskra-bio";
"Spinosad".

The drugs act on insects gradually, the first results are noticeable after 4–5 days. Therefore, spraying is carried out 2 times a week until the pest is completely destroyed. If the situation is not advanced, two procedures are enough to get rid of insects. The advantage of biological insecticides is the possibility of application at any stage of development, including during flowering and fruiting.

Agrotechnical control methods

Agrotechnical methods of combating weevils on strawberries involve creating the right conditions for growing the berries:

careful digging of the bed on the eve of planting;
regular cleaning of the field from weeds in which weevils and other pests accumulate;
burning grass and leaves on the site.

It is not recommended to plant berries next to raspberry bushes. Periodically changing the planting site (every 3 years, it is advisable to carry out work in the fall) will help avoid the massive spread of pests.

Plants that repel weevils

Insects are repelled by the smells of fragrant plants:

marigold;
garlic;
basil;
mint;
rosemary;
tobacco;
issol;
lavender;
lemon sage;
tansy;
lemon balm.

Advice! For greater effect, you can break several branches and place them along the bed.

It is also possible to chop the green mass and pour the resulting pulp next to the bushes.

Setting traps

Pheromone traps against weevils contain substances that attract insects for reproduction. Such devices consist of moisture-resistant (laminated) cardboard, which is attached near the garden bed using metal wire. Inside the case there is a dispenser that releases pheromones.

Pheromone and glue traps can help get rid of insects

Chemicals

Traditional methods of control do not always help get rid of pests, especially when they have settled in large numbers on the site. If the available remedies for weevils do not give the desired effect, you will have to buy special chemicals that are designed to destroy the entire population of parasites. Such compositions are recommended for use in early spring, as well as during the period before and after flowering of crops. The last treatment of garden and vegetable plants should be carried out no later than a month before the expected harvest time.

The most popular chemicals for controlling weevils are:

The drug "Kinmiks" at the rate of 2.5 milliliters of active substance per bucket of water.
The drug "Decis" at the rate of 2 milliliters per the same volume of liquid.
Chemicals "Karbofos -500", "Iskra - M" or "Fufanon" are used throughout the entire growing season of plants. To spray crops, prepare a working solution, 10 milliliters of one of the products per bucket of water.

A good effect in pest control can be achieved by using Fozalon, Diazonin or Bazudin. Such substances are diluted with water in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. They are used not only for spraying the vegetative part of crops, but also for cultivating the soil.

Be careful when treating plants with chemicals and use personal protective equipment.

How to get rid of weevils on strawberries using folk remedies

Traditional methods help eliminate weevils on strawberries after several treatments. Solutions, infusions or decoctions do not act as quickly as chemicals, but they are completely safe for plants, beneficial insects and humans. They contain odorous substances that repel weevils. Therefore, it is better to carry out the treatment even before flowering (the deadline is at the moment of bud formation).

Treating strawberries with ammonia against weevils

Ammonia (ammonia solution) can be purchased at any pharmacy. The product is quite effective, so only two tablespoons are taken per bucket of water. Stir and begin weevil treatment. Since ammonia has a very pungent odor, it is better to work with a mask.

Advice! Ammonia can be replaced with hydrogen peroxide (the ratio is the same). Unlike ammonia, it does not have a pungent odor.

Treatment of strawberries with boric acid against weevils

Boric acid is a fairly effective and safe remedy for weevils on strawberries. It is better to get rid of the pest before flowering begins, since then the harvest may be lost. Acid is bought at a pharmacy. It is a white powder. It is enough to take 1.5–2 g per bucket of water (at the tip of a teaspoon). It is good to add 15 drops of pharmaceutical iodine and 30 drops of birch tar to the solution. Mix everything and process the strawberry plantings.

Attention! Boric acid is used for foliar (before flowering) and root (during early fruiting) treatment.

It is also an excellent means of killing aphids and ants - pests that help each other survive.

How to get rid of weevils on strawberries using wood ash

Wood ash is a universal remedy for getting rid of weevils and other insects on strawberries. It is a source of valuable mineral compounds, including phosphorus and potassium. To kill beetles, you need to scatter the powder directly over the surface of the bed, and also generously powder the bushes. Treatment of strawberries against weevils with wood ash is carried out during the formation of buds, as well as after harvesting (as a preventive measure).

Wood ash helps get rid of insects in 4-5 days

Kill weevils with mustard powder

You can eliminate weevils using powdered mustard. It is bought at the pharmacy and dissolved in water in an amount of 100 g per 3 liters or 330 g per standard bucket. It is better to dissolve it in a warm, but not hot liquid, then mix thoroughly and start spraying the strawberries against the weevil.

Attention! You need to work so that the solution does not get into your eyes. It is advisable to use safety glasses.

How to get rid of weevils using iodine

If weevils appear on strawberries, it is recommended to treat the bushes with an alcohol solution of iodine, which can be bought at a pharmacy. To do this, add two teaspoons of the substance to 10 liters of water, stir thoroughly and begin spraying.

Onion peels to kill weevils

Another universal, proven remedy is onion peel. Cleanings are taken in arbitrary quantities, for example, 100 g per 1 liter of hot water. Leave for a day and filter. If possible, you can immediately add 50 g of crushed celandine. It is also used as a separate remedy.

Advice! If there are not enough husks, you can take onions. To do this, chop 2 medium-sized root vegetables and add them to 1 liter of warm water. This mixture is infused for a day and filtered.

How to get rid of weevils using garlic

Both cloves and green arrows of garlic are suitable for killing insects. They are thoroughly crushed and 100 g of the mixture is poured into 10 liters of water, left for 24 hours. You can prepare it according to another recipe (for autumn processing) - dry the garlic arrows in advance, chop them, take 100 and also add a bucket of water at room temperature.

Weevil soap solution

To get rid of the pest, you can use an infusion of laundry soap (preferably 72%) or tar soap. It is crushed using a coarse grater, taking a heaping teaspoon of shavings for each liter of water. Heat a little (but do not bring it to a hot state), stir and leave for a day. Pour into a spray bottle and begin the procedure.

Advice! A soap solution can be used as a primary and additional remedy for weevils.

It is added to any other solutions. Then the active ingredients will stay on the surface of the leaves and stems longer, even in rainy and windy weather.

How to get rid of weevils using tobacco dust

The tobacco plant is often planted next to strawberries and other crops. It is also used in the form of dust, which is taken in the amount of 2 glasses (400 ml in total) and dissolved in a bucket of hot, but not boiling water for 3 days. Stir, filter and start working.

Tobacco dust helps eliminate pests

Chili pepper from weevil

A good poison to get rid of weevils on strawberries is chili pepper. It contains capsaicin and other “burning” substances that destroy pests. To work, you need to take only the pods, peel them from the seeds and cut them into small pieces (it’s better to make a powder). Take 100 g and pour 1 liter of water at room temperature, then filter and bring the total volume to 10 liters.

Infusion of marigolds from weevil

Marigolds, which help get rid of the pest, grow in almost every garden. After flowering has finished, you can cut off the petals and green part, chop them and fill them with warm, but not hot water (10 liters per 300–400 g). You need to wait 3 days. You can also pour boiling water over it, then let it cool and leave for several days.

How to get rid of weevils using baking soda

Even baking soda will help get rid of the weevil, especially in the early stages of its appearance. A tablespoon of powder is poured into 1 liter of water (accordingly, 10 tablespoons are required per bucket), mix and get to work.

Important! Since baking soda dissolves well in water and quickly rolls off the leaves, especially in windy and rainy weather, it is recommended to add a few tablespoons of crushed laundry or tar soap to the working solution.

How to fight weevils using traditional methods

Trimming damaged parts of strawberries
Many gardeners are wary of chemicals. They prefer folk remedies for pest control to poisonous insecticides. Conservative methods are most often used:

Mechanical impact:
pruning and destruction of damaged parts of strawberry bushes;
Preventive autumn loosening of beds.
Use of pharmaceutical products:
spraying with ammonia.
Fertilizer with ash fertilizer.
Complex organic and plant mixtures:
infusion of onion peel and celandine.

Manual collection of pests

Collecting weevils by hand
The fight against weevils is carried out using mechanical methods. The following methods are popular:

The strawberry or strawberry weevil overwinters under dried leaves or in the upper layers of the soil. To prevent their spread and damage to strawberry plantings, garbage and dry leaves are removed from the beds in the fall. The ground under the bushes is loosened.
In early spring, strawberry beds are watered with hot water.
Buds and ovaries damaged by insects must be collected and disposed of (burned).
Weevils are shaken off the bushes onto newspapers or other suitable coverings. A common method is to use black film. Pieces of fabric or thick newspapers are laid out in the garden around the strawberry bushes. A black film (or corrugated cardboard) is stretched over the foliage. The bright sun will force pests to hide in the shade. In the evening, remove the film, roll up the cloth or newspaper with the weevils collected on it, and burn it.

Iodine solution

Using iodine for weevils
An effective remedy for weevils is iodine solution. You need to make and use it according to the instructions:

For five liters of water use one teaspoon of iodine.
Fill a spray bottle with the prepared solution. Strawberries are sprayed during budding.
The procedure should not be performed under bright rays of the sun.

Mustard solution

Preparing a mustard solution against weevils
You can get rid of weevils using a mustard solution. The product is prepared and used as follows:

100 g of mustard powder is dissolved in a container filled with three liters of warm water.
Strawberries are treated with the prepared solution twice: at the beginning of budding and two weeks later.

Garlic tincture

Garlic tincture against weevil
A mixture of garlic tincture and pine extract is considered an effective folk remedy. The solution is prepared according to the instructions:

You need to chop 100 g of garlic, pour 200 ml of water into it, and leave for five days.
The garlic solution should be filtered, pour a bucket of water (10 l), add two level tablespoons of boric acid and 350 g of pine extract. You can buy it at any regular pharmacy.
Strawberry plantings are treated with garlic tincture against the weevil until the pest is completely eradicated.

Spraying with ammonia

Spraying strawberries with a solution of ammonia
A solution of ammonia is a proven means of combating weevils. Procedure:

Preparation of the solution requires precautions. The nose and mouth should be protected with a respirator. Inhalation of the substance can cause burns to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Two tablespoons of ammonia should be diluted in 7–10 liters of water.
In dissolved form, ammonia does not cause harm to humans.
The liquid is poured into the sprayer. Treatment of strawberry bushes is carried out during the formation of buds.

Fertilizing strawberries with wood ash

Fertilizing strawberries with ash
Weevils are repelled by ash fertilizing. It is an effective soil fertilizer and an effective pest control agent. Wood ash is scattered thickly around each strawberry bush. Layer thickness – 1.5–3 cm.

Infusion of onion peel and celandine

Infusion of onion peels against pests.
A remedy from onion peels and celandine can be prepared according to the instructions:

A 3-liter container is filled with plant matter by about one-third.
The ingredients are placed in a bowl in a two to one ratio: 300–350 g of celandine and 500–700 g of onion peels.
The plant mass must be brewed with boiling water.
The solution is cooled and filtered.
The finished chilled decoction should be poured into a spray bottle.
The plant is sprayed when the first flowers appear.
Strawberries are treated with the product twice. Two weeks after the first procedure, it is time to spray each bush of the plant a second time. An important plus is that the tincture is also effective against aphids.

Soap solution

You can make an effective product yourself from laundry soap. Instructions:

Dissolve 200 g of any laundry soap in a bucket (10 liters) of water.
Fill a spray bottle with the prepared product.
During the budding period, the plant is sprayed with a solution.
The procedure is repeated at least twice with an interval of 10–12 days.

Frequent mistakes and prevention of pest occurrence

Getting rid of the pest is extremely important, since it can cause significant damage, leading to deformation of the fruit and significant loss of yield.

One of the common mistakes is related to violation of deadlines - summer residents strive to use folk remedies without resorting to chemicals. But if you treat strawberries against weevils during flowering, there will be no effect, since the pests will already have time to lay eggs in the flowers. In this case, you will still have to use special drugs.

Plants are treated in the early morning or late evening or during the day in cloudy weather. Otherwise, the bright rays of the sun will burn the leaves and stems. Also, do not spray in strong winds or rain.

In the case of using chemical and even biological preparations, the crop can be harvested only after the waiting period has expired - usually at least 3-5 days.

It is extremely important to follow preventive measures to prevent pests from invading (getting rid of them is more difficult than preventing them). To do this, the fragrant plants listed above are planted next to the plantings. Berries are grown using black agrofibre, the soil is constantly loosened and the ground is mulched (sawdust, peat, pine needles can be used).

Marigolds and other aromatic plants can also help get rid of bugs

Strawberry weevil control during flowering

If strawberries have already begun to bloom, the process of pest control becomes much more difficult. It is dangerous to use insecticides for treatment at this stage. They can accumulate in berries and cause poisoning of the body.

If damaged strawberries grow in the garden, control of the weevil during flowering can be carried out using folk, biological, agrotechnical or physical means.

Physical methods of controlling the raspberry flower beetle include hand-picking insects, destroying damaged buds and plant parts, digging up the soil around the strawberries, and burning the litter. Many gardeners gently shake the bush after laying newspaper under it. Beetles that fall on paper are burned.