Why are red bugs on lilies dangerous and how to get rid of them
Red beetles on lilies are a common problem that often occurs when growing a luxurious flower. Insects actively eat the leaves, and then the buds of the plant. The fight against red beetles must be started immediately after their appearance, otherwise the plant will die.
Description of the pest
Most often, liliaceae are attacked by two types of parasite - onion rattle and liliaceae:
- The onion rattle is the most common leaf beetle insect and can be recognized by its bright red body and head. The pest has a strong and powerful jaw apparatus, which allows it to eat not only the foliage, but also the stems, buds and buds of the lily.
- Lily rattler - characteristic features of insects are a rich scarlet body color and a black head, which gave rise to its name "fireman".
Beetles are small - up to 7-10 mm in length. Together with adults, firefighter larvae also live on lilies - small caterpillars of white, yellowish color with a black head. They also feed on the green part of the plant, causing irreparable harm to it.
Harm from red beetles
The presence of red beetles on lilies causes serious harm - the insect is extremely voracious, but it does not cause the death of the flower. The main harm is carried by firemen larvae. Miniature caterpillars live on the underside of the leaves, making them difficult to spot.
The larvae eat not only the leaves, but also the rest of the lily - stems, buds, buds. In order to completely eat the plant, they will need no more than 4 weeks, so the fight against leaf beetles should be started immediately after they are discovered.
After 15-20 days, the larvae of firefighters move to the soil, where they pupate. After another 3 weeks, the pupae turn into adults and go in search of new food.
Insects spend the winter in fallen leaves or soil. That is why when planting flowers, be sure to line sheets of garden film between the rows - thanks to this, leaf beetles will not be able to bury themselves in the soil.
Red beetles on lilies: effective control methods
There are several ways to get rid of red beetles on lilies. When choosing the most effective control method, consider the size of the flower bed and the degree of damage to flowers by pests. With a small number of leaf beetles on lilies, you can use simple and affordable physical methods and folk remedies. With extensive damage to the flower bed, insecticidal preparations cannot be dispensed with.
Treatment of lilies from red bugs
With a large number of red beetles on lilies, as well as their larvae, treatment with insecticidal preparations brings the greatest effect. It is best to use means of intestinal action. In this case, insect pests die not only from eating the treated leaves, but also from simple contact with it.
How to treat lilies from red beetles:
- Kinmix;
- Abiga Peak;
- Calypso;
- Nemabakt;
- Medvetox;
- Fufanon;
- Aktofit;
- Talstar;
- Decis;
- Spark Gold;
- Inta-Vir.
To kill red beetles on flowers, you can use any insecticide designed to combat Colorado beetles in potato beds.Leaf beetles are highly resistant to other drugs. Spraying with insecticides is carried out only if the plants are not blooming.
Use the insecticidal solution immediately after preparation, it loses its properties during storage. Spray affected plants in dry, warm and calm weather, preferably in the early evening or after sunset.
In most cases, the death of insects occurs within the first 24 hours after treatment, the effect of the insecticidal preparation lasts up to 3 weeks.
Biological methods
Biological control methods are the use of parasitoid insects. They settle in the body of the leaf beetle, feeding on it and gradually destroying it. At the moment, 6 varieties of parasitoids are used against fire beetles, including flies and wasps.
The use of biological methods allows you to stop the reproduction of leaf beetles and prevent harm to lilies and other garden plants. According to gardeners' reviews, the use of wasps can destroy up to 100% of firefighter larvae, which are the main cause of flower death.
Physical methods
The physical method of struggle is one of the simplest and safest. Its essence lies in the manual removal of insects from lilies. But this method is only suitable if the flowers have a small amount of pests.
Beetles can be shaken off the leaves in a glass jar or collected by hand. Keep in mind that insects can easily get out of the container, so the jar must be closed with a lid.
Physical control is not suitable for a large garden with many flower beds. When danger approaches, firefighters can fall back down on the ground and burrow into it, becoming invisible, which makes it difficult to collect insects.
It is necessary to collect not only adult beetles, but also their larvae, which hide from the bottom of the sheets, as well as pupae lying on the surface of the earth. Processing must be carried out several times per season.
Effective folk remedies
The fight against the lily beetle can be carried out using simple and effective folk remedies. This method is natural and completely safe for lilies.
Effective folk remedies for combating leaf beetles on lilies:
- Spices - Mix mustard powder, cinnamon, cumin, black and red pepper in equal proportions. Pour 1 liter of laundry soap solution and use to spray the affected plants. Repeat the procedure after 2-4 days until the pests are completely destroyed.
- Ash - fire beetles do not tolerate wood ash... It does not cause the death of insects, but it has a powerful irritating effect, forcing insects to go in search of a new "home". Put a few tablespoons of wood ash in a soapy solution, use for watering and irrigating lilies. Repeat the procedure every 7 days.
- Wormwood is a plant with a pronounced, pungent odor that not only scares off adult beetles, but also destroys their larvae. To prepare the solution, you can use both fresh and dried plants. Chop the wormwood, pour 2 cups of boiling water and leave to infuse for 24 hours. Strain, add grated laundry soap and spray the flowers with the prepared product every 2-3 days.
Combine several methods for the fastest possible result. Combination - manual collection of beetles using insecticides or folk remedies.
Lilies are beautiful and fragrant flowers that not only people, but also insects like. When red beetles appear on the leaves and stems of the plant, you must immediately begin to fight. Otherwise, it may die. Using effective insecticides, simple and affordable folk remedies, physical and biological methods will help get rid of pests and grow beautiful and healthy flowers.