How to Fight Colorado Potato Beetle: The Most Effective Methods
Where did he come from?
The pest was first discovered in the 19th century in Mexico. Its elytra had 10 black stripes, and the beetle was dubbed the ten-lined beetle. In the places where it first appeared, there was not much food, and it adapted to eating wild nightshade and tobacco leaves. The insect received its current name after it arrived in the United States and destroyed all the potatoes in Colorado in one go (1859).
In the next three years, the Colorado potato beetle managed to spread across the entire territory of North America and get to Europe. In the 40s, it appeared here too. The pest easily adapts to new environmental conditions and today there is no place where few people know about it.
What is it?
In scientific circles, the Colorado potato beetle is known as Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Its appearance does not give away its terrible nature. The insect has a convex shape and looks very cute due to the dark stripes on its yellow elytra. But behind such an attractive appearance there are great possibilities – the insatiability of the pest is legendary.
The beetles overwinter in the ground at a depth of 25 cm. When the ground warms up to +13-16 degrees, the beetles wake up and go “hunting”. Egg laying lasts about 3 months. During the summer, the female can lay 800 bright yellow eggs, which quickly turn into larvae. The active destruction of leaves by the larvae continues for about a month, after which they crawl to the ground and pupate. After 14 days, young beetles emerge from the pupae, finishing the job started by the larvae. With the onset of frost, the beetles hide in the soil. The circle closes and with the arrival of spring everything is repeated.
Why is it so hard to fight the Colorado potato beetle?
There are many methods of combating this scourge, but despite all this, it does not make things any easier for summer residents. Every year they have to destroy hordes of Colorado beetles, but their army only increases. Why are they so tenacious? There is an explanation for this.
On our land, the beetle has few natural enemies – no one and nothing prevents it from reproducing;
the number of eggs laid by one female per season goes off the charts and reaches 1000 or more;
the insect, in the absence of food, falls into hibernation, which lasts up to 3 years. And then – wakes up and produces quite viable offspring;
During wintering in the deep layers of soil, the Colorado potato beetle becomes inaccessible to most chemicals;
beetles easily change their feeding place, flying en masse over hundreds of kilometers;
In the process of fighting, it is impossible to cover the entire infected territory at the same time – while you are destroying it in one place, it appears in another.
Is it really that bad and is the “total destruction operation” doomed to failure from the start? Of course not. Provided you know which means are the most effective.
Folk methods
There are many methods of fighting color. And although you can buy special preparations in specialized stores, you should not underestimate folk recipes. They are time-tested and definitely worth attention. In addition, fighting, for example, with ash, garlic or beans does not cause harm – you will protect the plantings from the harmful effects of chemicals, and therefore, maintain health.
Ash . One of the most well-known methods is dusting the bushes with ash. Birch ash is considered to be the most effective in this regard, but if you don’t have any, any other will do. Consumption: 10 kg per hundred square meters. It is better to spray ash early in the morning, while the leaves are still wet from the dew. You can deal with larvae and adults after one treatment.
Sawdust . Sprinkle the soil between the beds with pine sawdust – the Colorado will avoid these places. Before flowering, the procedure is carried out once every 14 days, after flowering – once every 30 days. The method is simple, but very effective.
Walnuts . To combat this, use an infusion of shells and leaves. Pour a bucket of boiling water over 1 kg of fresh leaves. Leave for 5 days and strain. Another option is to pour a bucket of hot water over 300 g of dry leaves and shells. Leave for 7 days and also strain. Spray the plants with the resulting infusions twice with a 10-day interval.
Wormwood . Mix 300 g of wormwood with a glass of ash. Pour 10 liters of boiling water, leave for 3 hours and use to treat plantings. It is better to do this in the evening.
Elecampane . Pour 5 liters of boiling water over 100 g of dry crushed roots. Leave for 2 hours and strain. You can spray potatoes with this infusion when the tops grow higher than 15 cm. To consolidate the result, repeat the procedure three times per season.
To prepare infusions, you can use fresh leaves of white acacia, poplar leaves, celandine, onion peel, dandelion, hot pepper, garlic. When using, it is important to remember several rules.
It is recommended to spray in dry weather. Preferably in the evening. To increase the stickiness of the solutions, add soap to them. After preparing the infusions, use them immediately – they lose their properties during storage. Do not use the same solutions for a long time – alternate them.
Natural helpers – plants and birds
Do not neglect the help of plants, insects and birds – they can be invaluable in the fight against Colorado beetles.
The beetle does not tolerate the smell of some flowers. Plant marigolds, calendula, coriander, night violet, borage next to potatoes, eggplants and peppers. The pest is repelled by green beans, beans, horseradish – plant them nearby.
Some insects and birds are loyal allies in the fight. These include lacewings, ground beetles, pheasants, starlings, guinea fowl and even turkeys. If you have the desire and time, you can accustom ordinary chickens to such a “delicacy”. To do this, regularly feed them bread balls with “Colorado” filling from an early age.
Biopreparations
Biological preparations are absolutely safe for humans and pets. They do not harm the soil, water, air or the plants themselves. By choosing such a poison from the Colorado potato beetle, you get a “clean” harvest that does not pose a threat to health.
Bitoxybacillin
A powerful biological preparation, effective against both adult beetles and larvae. Kills insects at any stage of development. Acts through the intestines, blocking the feeding process. The death of pests begins after 2 days and continues for 15 days.
Advantages: universal purpose, does not cause addiction in insects, has a prolonged effect, is compatible with other means, is safe for humans and the environment. First, the powder is diluted in a glass of water, then the amount of water is increased to 10 liters. Consumption: 0.5 g / m2.
Spraying is carried out in the evening hours. The number of treatments per season is 4.
Bicol
It is used to combat many pests, highly effective against the Colorado potato beetle. Like bitoxibacillin, it acts through the intestines. It is produced in the form of a dark gray powder. It is produced using a unique proprietary technology. The shelf life is 1.5 years. After this period, the activity of the bacterial spores included in the composition decreases.
High efficiency is confirmed by repeated tests. The death of Colorado larvae occurs in 98% of cases. Dosage: 70-160 g / 10 liters of water. The interval between the first and second treatment is 10 days. The number of sprayings per season is 3. It is better to treat in the morning or evening.
The leaves of the plants must be dry. If it rains within 2 days after the treatment, the procedure is repeated.
Despite the fact that the drug is not toxic to humans, when working with it you should wear a respirator, glasses, and an apron.
Fitoverm
The preparation has contact and intestinal action. It paralyzes Colorado spiders, ticks, and codling moths, causing death in 3-5 days. The first results appear 10 hours after spraying — the pests lose the ability to feed.
The maximum effect is observed on the 7th day. Under favorable conditions, the effect lasts for 20 days. Release form – concentrated emulsion.
Spraying is carried out during the growing season. The number of treatments for complete destruction of the pest is 1-3. Work on the destruction of the beetle begins in windless weather, when the probability of precipitation is reduced to a minimum. Spray the plants thoroughly – the leaves should be evenly watered.
The effectiveness of the preparation is reduced by rain, dew, and a drop in temperature to +15 degrees. The solution is prepared before treatment – it becomes useless during storage. Fitoverm cannot be used together with alkaline reaction preparations. With pyrethroids and organophosphorus preparations – yes. The product does not pollute the air and soil, and is safe for humans.
Agravertin
This insecticide is designed to destroy a number of garden pests. It also helps against Colorado beetles. The action is intestinal-contact. The drug first limits the mobility of insects, then “kills the appetite” and soon causes death. The first results are noticeable 6 hours after treatment, the strongest effect is noted on the 5th day.
Release form – ampoules. Dosage – different, depending on who you want to direct this “formidable weapon” against. So, to destroy the Colorado potato beetle, you will need a 5 ml ampoule and 1.5 liters of water. Process 20 days before harvesting. Do this in the morning or evening in dry weather. Make sure that Agravertin does not get on neighboring crops. Do not spray against the wind. The finished solution cannot be stored.
When processing, wear protective clothing. The preparation is harmful to bees and fish. It does not pose a danger to humans. Bees can be released only 24 hours after spraying. Avoid getting the solution into ponds – this will harm the health of underwater inhabitants.
Analogues of the listed drugs, which are similar in their mechanism of action, are Lepidocide, Batsikol, Baktokulitsid, Nemabakt.
Poison from Colorado beetles – chemicals
The most effective methods of control, leading to quick results, are chemicals. Many believe that the use of chemicals entails irreparable harm. In fact, everything is not as scary as it seems. With strict adherence to the manufacturer’s recommendations (processing times, dilution algorithm, etc.), the risks are reduced to almost zero. So if you approach the issue of using chemicals with a fair amount of common sense and caution, there will be no harm.
Specialized stores offer a wide range of chemicals that kill the Colorado potato beetle outright. It is noteworthy that manufacturers are working tirelessly to ensure that chemicals are as effective as possible, but at the same time as safe as possible. By the way, they are doing quite well at this. So, which chemicals can be trusted with the difficult task of ridding the area of the striped scourge?
Corado
It is rightfully recognized as one of the best preparations for combating the Colorado potato beetle. The effect lasts for a long time – 1.5 months after treatment. That is, in one go you can get rid of the problem, the elimination of which previously took all your free time. The effect begins after 1.5 hours, complete death is noted on the 2nd day.
Corado has many advantages. It does not accumulate in potato tubers and works equally well in any weather. The product is very economical – to completely get rid of pests on 100 square meters of land, one ampoule (1 ml) diluted in 10 liters of water is enough.
Release form – ampoules of 1 ml and 5 ml, bottles of 25 ml. Treatment is carried out before 10 am or after 6 pm.
Wet the leaves generously and evenly, avoid contact with other plants. The product is toxic and requires safety precautions. When diluting, strictly follow the information on the package.
Aktara
A modern product with a triple effect. It quickly affects pests. After 1 hour, the bugs stop eating, and after 3 hours, they die. The effect lasts from 2 weeks to 1 month.
To prepare the mother solution, the contents of the packet (4 g) are diluted in a liter of water, and then the missing liquid is added. The working solution is prepared in the sprayer. Pour a quarter of the water into it and add 200 ml of the mother solution. The methods of use are different. Aktara is intended for watering, spraying, soaking seedlings, and treating tubers when planting.
The preparation is highly toxic to bees, low toxic to birds, mammals and humans. When working, use personal protective equipment. Aktara is compatible with any other products, except those that have an alkaline reaction.
Prestige
It is produced as a suspension and has several features. The undeniable advantages include ease of use, cost-effectiveness, long-lasting effect, low toxicity. Prestige is used to treat late-ripening crops. By the time the harvest is collected, the effect of the components ends – the fruits become absolutely safe.
One of the advantages of the product is the combination of insecticidal and fungicidal properties. That is, it not only helps fight the Colorado potato beetle, sawfly, leafhopper, leafhopper and other insects, but also protects plantings from various diseases, in particular from rust, powdery mildew, rot and mold.
The calculation is based on the amount of planted potatoes. It is more convenient to count in buckets. So, to spray 10 kg of Prestige fruits, dilute with water at a dosage of 1:10. To protect seedlings, the proportions will be different – follow the instructions.
Of course, this is far from a complete list of pest control products. Highly effective chemicals include Regent, Commander, Molniya, Apache, Tabu, Sonnet, Confidor, Mospilan… The list can go on and on.
The poison for the Colorado potato beetle is constantly being improved, because the pests get used to it. To prevent this from happening, alternate the preparations every year. Do not neglect the mechanical method of removing insects (manual labor) – with a small area, anyone can handle this method.
Don’t discount “grandmother’s recipes.” They have been tested many times, which means they are not so bad. However, if the size of the land is impressive, you will have to resort to “chemistry.” There is nothing wrong with that, the main thing is to follow the instructions.
