How to effectively control wasps in the vineyard and preserve the harvest
During the ripening period of grapes, wasps and hornets cause significant damage to the future harvest, becoming a serious problem for gardeners and winegrowers. There are several effective ways to deal with wasps in the vineyard - both mechanical and chemical. Timely application of these measures helps to get rid of the invasion of wasps and preserve a rich harvest of tasty and sweet berries.
Mechanical methods of struggle
First of all, you need to get rid of the wasp nest, otherwise you will not be able to completely get rid of insects. Examine the site carefully - most often, nests can be found under roof slopes, in attics, in the interior of pipes or trellises, as well as in the ground.
Earthen wasp nests can be poured with boiling water, poured over with kerosene or other flammable substance and set on fire. If the nest is found under the roof or in the attic, it will be more convenient to drown it in a bucket of water. For protection, use heavy gloves, closed clothing and a protective headgear.
After the destruction of the wasp nest, the place where it was found must be treated with an insecticidal preparation, it is advisable to seal the cracks under the roof and other openings with polyurethane foam.
Wasp traps
Vineyard wasp traps are an easy and effective way to get rid of insects.
Such a design can be easily done with your own hands using an ordinary plastic bottle:
- cut off the neck of a plastic bottle;
- turn it over and insert with the narrowed part down, in the form of a watering can;
- secure the trap with tape;
- pour bait into the trap - it can be beer, sweet lemonade, diluted honey or jam, sugar syrup;
- hang these traps all over the vineyard.
With this simple design, you can catch up to 50-100 insects per day. Such a trap will not help to completely exterminate wasps on the site, but will significantly reduce their number.
Wasp nets
The wasp-proof grape net helps keep the ripening clusters safe from insect attacks.
These are simple and affordable tools that have a number of advantages.:
- do not absorb drops of moisture and do not spoil the taste of berries;
- provide reliable protection by blocking access to grapes for wasps;
- protect bunches of berries not only from insects, but also from birds;
- let oxygen pass through, preventing berry rotting;
- protect grapes from negative weather conditions;
- suitable for repeated use.
Wasp bags for grapes can be bought at gardening stores or you can make your own. For this purpose, you can use a fine-mesh bandage, gauze, nylon tights. It is most convenient to use a clothespin or elastic to secure the mesh to the bunch.
Such a bag is put on each bunch - while you need to carefully monitor so that there are no open areas left. Only material with a mesh diameter of less than 1 mm will provide reliable protection.
The use of synthetic bags is one of the most popular ways to fight wasps in the vineyard when growing especially valuable varieties.But this method is only suitable for small vineyards, since it is physically impossible to put a net on each bunch on large-scale plantations.
Wasp feeders
The principle of operation of wasp feeders differs from traps, because they allow insects not only to "feast" on bait with insecticidebut also fly back to the nest. A plastic container or cake packaging is used to make a feeder.
Lure options:
- 500 ml of beer and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar;
- 60-70 ml of apple cider or wine vinegar, 500 ml of water and 3-4 tablespoons of granulated sugar;
- 30-50 ml of sweet white wine;
- any sweet fruit cut into pieces;
- raw meat.
An insecticidal preparation that does not have a pronounced odor and is safe for human health is added to the selected bait. The wasps taste the poisoned treat and take it to the nest, which leads to the rapid death of the entire colony.
Scaring off wasps
One of the ways to protect grapes from wasps is to scare them away. For this, herbs and various products with a pronounced odor are used, which insects cannot tolerate.
Ways to scare away wasps:
- The easiest and most effective way is to fumigate the vineyard with smoke. To do this, you can use liquid smoke to smoke products. With its intense scent, it provides long-term protection of the vineyard.
- Spraying with ordinary warm water from a spray bottle helps to get rid of wasps for a while, since insects cannot move with wet wings.
- The ammonia will quickly scare the wasps away from the vines. Mix 2 liters of water with 2 tablespoons of ammonia and spray on the vineyards.
- Table vinegar - 1 spoonful of vinegar per 200 ml of water is used to prepare the working solution. With this solution, you can not spray the bushes, but pour it into small plates and arrange it around the vineyard.
- You can also use baking soda to scare wasps away. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in 5 liters of water. To improve efficiency, you can add a spoonful of grated laundry soap. This solution should be sprayed on vines before or after sunset.
Plants with a pronounced odor, planted next to grape bushes, also help prevent the appearance of wasps in the vineyard. These are geranium, lemon balm, peppermint, basil, wormwood. They contain rich essential oils, the aroma of which repels insects.
How to deal with wasps in the vineyard with chemicals
Chemical control agents are considered the fastest and most effective in case of extensive damage to grape bushes by wasps. Gardeners recommend using such insecticides only in the most severe cases, because despite their modern and improved composition, they contain toxic substances that can penetrate the berries.
Effective insecticidal preparations for wasp control:
- Lambda Zone;
- Delta Zone;
- Get;
- Troapsil;
- Alaptar.
When choosing an insecticide, keep in mind that wasps are very sensitive to strong odors. That is why preparations with pronounced aromas will only repel insects, and not destroy them. It is best to choose odorless chemicals.
The working solution must be prepared immediately before use, in accordance with the proportion indicated in the manufacturer's instructions. The insecticidal treatment of the vineyard cannot be carried out more than once a month, but it must be remembered that chemical preparations can have a toxic effect not only on wasps, but also on bees.
Wasps in the vineyard can be a serious problem for gardeners and cause significant damage to crops. To combat insects, affordable and effective mechanical and folk methods are used - special traps, feeders, nets or scaring away. With extensive wasp colonies, insecticides that are safe for humans and destructive to wasps will help.