ᐉ Root mite pest - control and preparations, types of root mites

The plant in the wild has a huge number of pests that want to feast on green spaces. Growing flowers in pots is easier, since the prevention and care of crops is simplified. And yet they are susceptible to parasites. Soil mites can be considered one of the most common. They damage the underground part of gladioli, tulips and lilies, damaging the bulb.

How to deal with root and bulb mites?

When mentioning soil pests, most gardeners immediately think of nematodes.
But the number of soil-dwelling insects that are dangerous to plant health is not limited to them alone. One of the most difficult pests to identify and control is root mites. It does not bother all plants. But for bulbous indoor stars and orchids, it most often becomes the cause of death. Root mites and bulb mites are pests that are considered a specific problem for bulbous plants only. Indeed, these harmful insects are dangerous for your favorite indoor bulbs - hyacinths, hippeastrums, amaryllis, tulips, crocuses and their large and small relatives. But they are also dangerous for another plant that forms pseudobulbs and rhizomes - orchids. They are easily adaptable and reproduce amazingly quickly, are difficult to detect and require drastic measures to combat them.

Bulb root mite (Rhizoglyphus echinopus)

Content:

Description of the pest

The root mite is an amazing creature. It is constantly present in the soil, but almost no one notices it. But if your bulbous plant dies, you should shake out the soil and examine it carefully. It is easy to recognize by its appearance. This is a light, translucent insect.

You will be interested in: “Agran” for bedbugs: reviews, composition, principle of action and instructions for use

It is very hardy and does not die without food and moisture. Under unfavorable conditions, his metabolic processes only slow down. But under suitable conditions, they come to life again and begin to feed on roots and bulbs.

The soil mite has very strong jaws. Therefore, insects easily damage the bulb tissue. They lay eggs in the freed space. Gloxinia, hyacinths and orchids are most susceptible to infection.

Features of the life activity of root mites

Root mites include two types of insect pests that literally gnaw at plants (and not always just roots and bulbs):

A true root mite is Rhizoglyphus echinopus; it is capable of gnawing the entire bulb from the inside, leaving only one shell. This is a small insect, but clearly visible even to the naked eye, with four pairs of legs and a light yellow body up to 1 cm long, tapering towards the end and broadly oval in the “abdomen”.
The bulb mite - Steneotarsonemus - is a larger insect with an oval white or yellowish body and only two pairs of legs.

Root mites literally gnaw through bulbs, pseudobulbs and root tubers, moving further and further and leaving behind clearly visible destruction - decay products similar to brown dust. They leave noticeable “movements” in the roots of orchids.

But it is very difficult to notice the lesions: most often, root mites settle in the bottom of the bulbs and can be detected only during transplantation or when, due to increasing damage to the bulbs, flowering stops, the leaves and peduncles begin to dry out and you have to resort to an emergency inspection of the bulb. But the insects themselves are quite clearly visible, as are their larvae and eggs.

Root mites actively reproduce at any temperature above 10 degrees (and the hotter it is, the faster they spread). But the most dangerous feature of these pests - unlike most terrestrial insects that are familiar to any owner of a collection of indoor plants - root mites are similar to nematodes: they love high humidity and reproduce more actively in a humid environment.

The difficulty of controlling root mites is largely due to the fact that they survive even in the most unfavorable conditions: females enter diapause (a state of inhibited vital activity), burrowing into the soil or hiding in hard-to-reach places of the plant until the atmosphere changes and favorable conditions for them will not arise. “In hibernation” it is very difficult to detect ticks.

Signs of plant damage

Under normal natural conditions, root mites are found in the soil. The appearance of animals on the ground surface indicates rapid reproduction and exceeding the permissible safe norm. Characteristic signs of damage include:

the presence around the rhizome of multiple passages (grooves) filled with crushed white dust;
wrinkled, dried out and loose bulbs covered with mold and spots;
rotten or rotten tubers that are easily mashed or crumble in your hands;
deformation of peduncle primordia, growth retardation;
putrid smell of soil;
dark areas and small holes on the leaves in the form of punctures with a needle;
the presence of shells from larvae in the soil mixture;
brown scar tissue on the undersides of leaves.

The main reason for the proliferation of mites is excess moisture and undecomposed organic matter. Heavily affected crops are removed along with the soil; for weakened ones, a set of measures is carried out to improve the health and destroy pests:

restoring soil balance, cleaning and filtering the earth (reducing moisture, nutrients and the number of protozoa);
plant transplantation;
reducing the diameter of the wick;
reducing indoor air humidity;
treatment with acaricides and insecticides.

If the soil is heavily infested with soil parasites, it is recommended to replace it with a new one. Before planting a plant in a new substrate, its roots must be disinfected. You can use tansy decoction for this. Boil 100 g of herb in a liter of water for about 10 minutes, then cool and keep the plant bulbs in the prepared liquid for 20-30 minutes.

Soil mites are hardy. If the conditions for their life worsen, then these arthropods enter diapause - a state similar to suspended animation.

Prevention of root mites

The best method of preventing root mites is to maintain clean topsoil and an optimal environment for plants. You should not leave wilted flowers on the peduncles, and even more so, do not allow fallen leaves to lie, or allow debris to accumulate on top of the substrate (the contaminated top layer can be removed more often, and not only during replanting or in the spring).

Air humidity must be maintained within optimal limits. And wiping leaves or showering for those plants that allow this should not be accompanied by soaking and contamination of the soil. You should always try to maintain the required substrate humidity. Overmoistening, dampness, and stagnation of water in trays are extremely dangerous for all bulbous plants.

Signs of damage to the bulb by root mites. © Doctor Mom

Proper storage of bulbs during the dormant stage is equally important. A cool, dry room with a humidity level of no higher than 40% is the main guarantee that the bulbs, both outside the soil and in pots that are in the dormant phase, will not suffer from these pests.

If you are just purchasing bulbs for planting, it is better to leave them for several days in a cool, dry place and inspect them carefully. But no one is safe from purchasing infected blooming beauties. Therefore, the quarantine period is very important and should be strictly observed.

Prevention of spider mites

If you take some precautions, you can prevent the pest from appearing. And yet, it is much easier to protect domestic plants from tick attacks; in the open ground this is more difficult to do

When purchasing new plant species, you need to keep them separately (in quarantine) for some time, ensuring their safety.

Window sills, tables, shelves and plant pots that touch or are in close proximity to indoor plants should be wiped with alcohol or another disinfectant.

The soil mixture for planting crops must be disinfected. It can be poured with boiling water several times, calcined in the oven, steamed on the stove or in a water bath.

It is necessary to maintain high humidity in the room. To accomplish this task, you can purchase an aerator or constantly spray the plants with a spray bottle.

In the vegetable garden and orchards, you need to remove all weeds, dig up the soil in the fall, removing crop residues, and follow other rules of agricultural technology.

In the greenhouse, you need to set a climate regime in which pests do not live: humidity 80-90%, temperature up to 25 degrees.

As a preventive measure, you can treat plants with acaricidal preparations, and also plant flowers nearby that are never inhabited by spider mites.

How to deal with root mites?

Root mites are much more difficult to control. The sooner signs of root mite damage are identified, the better. Indeed, in this case it will be possible to limit oneself to minimal measures for processing the bulb and there is a higher chance of saving the plant. But in any case, we are talking about emergency transplants and procedures that injure the plant.

Related article: Information about grapes: planting, care and cultivation

It is simply impossible to cope with root mites without treating the bulbs themselves. And although there are several more gentle methods of treating pests, most often only fairly aggressive chemicals and treatments help completely get rid of root mites.

Plants that are suspected of having root mites should be isolated from all other crops in the collection as quickly as possible and emergency replanting should begin immediately. In any case, the bulb and roots will have to be completely removed from the soil. The process of cleaning the bulb for inspection includes the following steps:

Removing all loose soil by hand.
Final removal of the substrate by gentle washing.
Inspect the bulb for the presence and severity of damage.

“Clean” bulbs and roots are treated with preparations to combat root mites. Here the approach can be very different, but, as a rule, it is better not to “play around”, but to immediately choose more serious means. The fight against root mites includes several “steps” of treatment - organic or natural remedies and insecticides of various types.

Organic control methods:

Wipe with soapy water or soak in soapy water. If the lesion was noticed at the initial stage or you want to prevent infection of neighboring plants, then this method can be considered initial prevention. The bulbs are wiped with a strong soap solution or soaked in a strong solution for 1 hour, then washed under running water. This is an ineffective method that will only help at the very initial stage of root mite damage.
Soaking in a solution of potassium permanganate (similar to treatment with a soap solution).
Treatment with alcohol. Alcohol is considered the most effective means of combating root mites. But in order to destroy mites in this way, you will have to treat the bulbs with fairly strong alcohol, which in itself can cause burns. Before treating plants, check the reaction of the tissues of the bulb or roots (burns appear only after 2-3 days, so this treatment is only suitable for bulbs at the dormant stage, which can be stored outside the soil). Alcohol with a strength of 40 to 70% is used by wiping the bulbs with a generously moistened swab or lightly spraying. In addition to treating plants, alcohol can be used to disinfect containers, trays and windowsills, especially hard-to-reach places.
Another gentle treatment method for initial damage is herbal infusions and decoctions. In case of minor damage, soaking or washing will help deal with ticks:
decoction of cyclamen tubers (1 tbsp per 1 glass of water);
decoction of nettle leaves (150-200 g per 1 liter of boiling water).

Treatment of bulbs against root mites. © beatrice164

As an alternative to treatment with herbal preparations, you can also consider treating the bulbs with ultraviolet lamps (procedures for 2 minutes, once a week).

All types of natural control methods can be used for bulbs without digging - by watering the soil with solutions and infusions and spraying the plants. But such treatment is only relevant if there is a suspicion of the presence of root mites and in the very early stages of plant damage.

How to detect soil mites?

Of all the variety of mites, soil mites are one of the most common types. Soil mites are a fairly large group that includes representatives of the Acarid family. It is not so easy to notice soil mites; their size is from 0.35 to 1 mm, their body is light, oval (as in the photo above).

Under normal natural conditions, mites take an active part in the processes that occur in the soil. But when humidity is high, mites multiply quickly and can be seen crawling on the soil surface. This indicates that their quantity exceeded the permissible safe limit.

The temperature range at which soil mites reproduce is quite wide, from 10 to 27 ° C. Mites react to changes in climatic conditions by going into diapause, then they are almost impossible to detect.

In small numbers, soil mites are harmless. Moreover, they maintain a kind of ecological balance in the soil by eating decomposed organic matter. But quite often they begin to harm plants, mainly flowers.
Ticks

The soil mite especially loves bulbous flowers: orchids, tulips, gladioli (pictured).

Thanks to their powerful chewing claws, adult mites gnaw through the shell of bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes. They can also penetrate and damage the inside of plant root systems.

Soil mites also reproduce in bulbs, roots and tubers of plants.

Damage can occur not only in the soil, but also during storage of bulbs and tubers.

The risk group consists of already weakened bulbs; their damaged areas are especially vulnerable to mites. In damaged tissues, they easily gnaw passages and get to the healthy part of the plant.

Signs of soil mite infestation:

bulbs are wrinkled and dried out, covered with spots;
inside the tubers are either rotten or rotten, such bulbs easily crumble in your hands;
inside the bulbs you can see passages made by mites and remains of excrement;
holes are visible on the leaves, similar to small punctures;
Brown scar tissue appears on the bottom of the leaves.

The photo below shows a bulb affected by a mite.

Soil mites on a flower bulb

Types of soil mites

Most often, gardeners encounter two types of soil mites:

elongated or putrefactive mite of the genus Tyrophagus (pictured);
bulbous root mite of the genus Rhizoglyphus.

Rot mites (pictured below) are the most harmful species that live in the soil. But with high humidity they come to the surface, where they feed on the above-ground parts of plants.

In addition to bulbous plants, the putrefactive mite affects various seeds and even grain stocks.

This type of mite not only mechanically infects plant tissue, it introduces a putrefactive infection there. Having thus weakened the plant, it begins to multiply more actively and feed on the damaged tissue.

As a result, only dust remains from the bulbs and tubers.

Mites from the genus Rhizoglyphus (pictured below) practically do not appear on the soil surface, and it is quite difficult to notice them during a superficial examination of the flower.

Most often people suffer from bulb mites

gloxinia,
orchids,
hyacinths,
hippeastrum.

Root mites prefer

begonias,
gloxinia,
lilies.

At the same time, they directly affect tubers and bulbs.

Fighting soil mites

Since one of the main reasons for the appearance of ticks is excess moisture, this is what should be dealt with first.

When a putrefactive mite appears, it is necessary to normalize the humidity and ventilate the plants. If the flower variety allows drying of bulbs and tubers, then this control measure should not be neglected.
Tansy is a natural remedy for tick control.

The main way to combat soil mites is acaricides (various anti-mite agents).

In the fight against soil mites, treatment with ready-made preparations is most effective.

In the fight against ticks, the most effective products are those containing:

malathion (for example, "Karbofos"),
clofentezine (Appolo),
dimethoate (“Rogor”).

For irrigation, solutions of the following preparations are used:

"Actellik" (1.5-2 ml per liter of water),
"Neoron"
"Talstar"
"Pegasus".

It is worth considering that some drugs (for example, Actellik, in the photo) are quite toxic. Using them to combat mites in a home greenhouse is hazardous to health.

Among the most bladeless and environmentally friendly drugs can be called Apollo, however, the effect of it occurs only after a few weeks. Since it does not kill, but only blocks the reproduction of ticks.

If affected by root mites, the previously cleaned root system of the plant is soaked for 20-30 minutes in an acaricide solution in the proportion indicated on the package.

Among the biological methods of controlling root mites, the larvae of predatory gall midges and predatory mites are used. Galicia and mites are a proven means of biological plant protection not only from mites, but also from aphids and other pests.

A folk remedy for combating root mites is tansy (pictured above).

To prepare the solution you will need 100 g of fresh tansy or 15 g of dry tansy.
The herb is poured with boiling water and allowed to brew for 10-15 minutes, cooled and diluted with distilled water in a ratio of 1 to 1.
This solution is used in the same way as chemical acaricides.
The bulbs and tubers, washed from the substrate, are soaked in the solution for 20-30 minutes.

So, comprehensive measures to combat soil mites include:

reduction of air and soil humidity;
reduction of nutrients in the soil;
treatment with acaricides.

It is easier to prevent the appearance of harmful mites than to solve an existing problem. Prevention may include the following activities:

use only healthy planting material;
Having discovered one affected bulb, it is necessary to disinfect all bulbs using a solution of potassium permanganate;
store planting material in a cool, ventilated area with air humidity no more than 60%;
during storage, the bulbs and tubers are sprinkled with chalk, sometimes it is mixed with sulfur;
control soil moisture, do not water plants more than required;
Provide plants with good drainage and avoid stagnation of water.

You will see what a colony of ticks looks like in the video.

Insecticides and acaricides for pest control

But if you don’t want to take risks, the defeat is quite serious, then only two options will be effective:

Biological products against insect pests. Many modern preparations based on essential oils and extracts from plants, vermicompost, etc. have a systemic insecticidal effect. And they can be successfully used to combat root mites.
Insecticidal preparations are an effective, but not the most effective method of control. Instead of systemic insecticides, it is better to use more “highly specialized” drugs - acaricides, designed to combat ticks specifically.

Treatment with both biological and chemical insecticidal agents is carried out in the same way: the bulbs are soaked in the solution, strictly following the manufacturer’s instructions for its concentration and duration of treatment. After disinfection, the bulbs are thoroughly dried, and only then they begin to plant.

Any container (even a new one) in which an onion that has been treated against root mites will be planted will have to be disinfected. For cleaning, use either alcohol, boiling and scalding, or a solution of insecticides.

Only fresh soil is used for planting, preferably from ready-made purchased substrates with a guarantee of treatment against soil pests.

Whatever method of control you choose, in the process of fighting root and bulb mites, you must remember the basic principles of treatment:

treating only the affected parts or areas is ineffective: all roots and the entire surface of the bulb should be soaked or wiped, and not just the bottom;
these pests adapt very quickly, and in order to cope with severe lesions, especially if infection occurs repeatedly, you need to alternate and constantly change medications;
a solution of any drug, even a biological or herbal infusion, is prepared and used within 1 day;
before treating with insecticides and acaricides, the bulbs must be thoroughly cleaned and washed;
It is better to wash the window and windowsill on which the infected plant has stood and will stand daily;
You should never forget about personal protective equipment, if necessary, wear not only gloves, but also a full set of protective clothing with goggles and a respirator, always treating your hands and face with soap after contact with any preparations to combat root mites.

Related article: Amaranth plant family: list, description, genera and species

Signs of damage to the bulb by root mites. © Doctor Mom

Bulbous plants that have “survived” treatment against root mites need not just high-quality, but more thorough care. They need to be watered very carefully. Air temperature and lighting must meet the requirements of the plants. Such bulbs will not be able to fully recover as quickly as after a regular transplant, so it is better not to rush into feeding and stimulating flowering.

How to get rid of pests

If the lesion is minor, and you noticed it on time, then no problems with treatment should arise, especially if you know how to get rid of soil mites.

The easiest way is a soap solution. They water the ground with it and wipe the leaves.
The second most popular, but not most effective, is an infusion of garlic in water. Usually the procedures are repeated until all symptoms of the disease disappear completely.
For indoor plants, you can use an ultraviolet lamp. It is enough to keep it on for two minutes a couple of times a week, and all pests will completely disappear.
Nettle also helps fight pests. To do this, take 0.7 kg of nettle and pour 5 liters of boiling water. Place the vessel in a warm place. After five days, strain, dilute 1:10 and water at the root.

Root mite on houseplants

Root mite pests are certainly dangerous, but fortunately they are not as omnivorous and less common than whiteflies, spider mites or aphids. But if a root mite appears, expect trouble. If timely measures are not taken, very serious harm will be caused to the plant. The situation is aggravated by the fact that this pest is not very easy to detect. The root mite hides in the ground and gnaws the roots of the flower. It is dangerous for many indoor plants, but it especially likes orchids and bulbous plants. Gnawing on the bulb, the mite moves between the scales, affecting it more and more.

Causes of root mites

The first reason is non-compliance with watering rules. If the plant is flooded, the soil is constantly damp, and the room is warm, then these are ideal conditions for its existence.
The second reason is the migration of root mites from an infected plant to a diseased one.
And the third reason is purchasing an already infected plant.

Although I have divided the reasons for the appearance of root mites, they can all be combined into one chain. First, an infected plant is purchased, quarantine rules are not followed, the pest migrates to a healthy flower, and there are ideal conditions for it with wet and warm soil.

Signs of root mite infestation

There are no obvious external signs that the flower is affected by a mite. The plant just withers and that's it. But if all care rules are followed and no other pests are found, then you need to inspect the roots and bulb. The root mite is clearly visible to the naked eye. They are relatively large, spider-like with three pairs of legs and a transparent body. It is quite simple to understand that the bulb is affected. You need to squeeze it slightly. The root mite eats the bulb from the inside. Such a bulb, if severely damaged, will begin to fall apart in your hands, and dust will begin to fall out of it, both the root mites themselves and their larvae.

Soil mite, its description and habitat

Soil or earth mites belong to a group of microscopic animals from the Acarid family. Their size ranges from 0.2 to 1 mm. They have an oval translucent body with a shiny tint on 8 limbs. In general, the standard color of these individuals is white or yellow. They are endowed with strong chewing jaws that are capable of piercing the scales of bulbs.

Soil mite

The strong and strong claws of adult individuals are capable of gnawing through the hard shell of plants and making numerous passages in them. The developed oral apparatus is capable of sucking moisture from the buds and from other parts of the plant.

Reference! These individuals are very hardy; they can survive without moisture and food for a very long time. Their vital activity may decrease when the external temperature reaches below +9 or above +27 degrees. Under these conditions, ticks enter a period of diapause, at which point it becomes almost impossible to detect them.

The greatest activity is observed at an ambient temperature of approximately +18 – +20 degrees. Small individuals hide in the ground in whole groups or columns. More often they can be seen on tubers, roots or bulbs. There they feed on the remains of other indoor pests, decaying root crops, bulb pulp and moisture from the pre-root system of plants.

Soil mites reproduce on tubers, roots and bulbs. The high fertility of the female allows her to lay from 300 to 800 eggs. After 30 days, full-fledged larvae hatch from them, which can already feed on their own at the earliest stages of their development.

Cause of root mites

The reason for the occurrence of root mites is the creation of favorable conditions for their life, which is a warm, moist or even completely liquefied substrate. In addition, the disease can be easily transmitted from one plant to another. If field mites are found on any flower, it must be isolated from other indoor plants, otherwise the entire flower garden can be destroyed.

Attention! In damp and humid weather, the soil should not be over-moistened; plants should be watered only as needed. In hot weather, you can also overdo it with water, since the surface of the earth in a dry climate dries out quickly, and the roots do not yet have time to process the incoming liquid. Housewives often do not take this point into account and over-water the plants.

Types of soil mites in indoor flowers

According to the nature of their feeding, field ticks can be divided into:

Saprophages. They feed on the remains of plants and animals.
Phytophagous. They eat plant tissue.
Predators. Their diet consists of small insects and invertebrates.

The most common type is armored mites. They are very resistant to external irritants and feed on dead plants and insects. Their habitat is premises and even the human body. In apartments there are acarid or grain parasites, which come in the following types:

Tyrophagus. They have an elongated body.

Rhizoglyphus. Bulb mites.

Root mite control

The most common type of these pests is the bulb mite. Therefore, the greatest attention should be paid to bulbous plants. If you find a mite on the bulbs or are affected by them, soak them in a solution of the appropriate preparation. Which one to choose, decide for yourself. A lot of drugs have been created to combat root mites. Before soaking, thoroughly clean the bulbs from the soil and wash them with warm water. The soaking time depends on the drug and is indicated on the package. The pot must also be treated. It must be thoroughly washed and treated with the same preparation against root mites. And if possible, it is better to boil the pot.

Note. From the moment the plant becomes ill, regardless of its cause, until the end of treatment, separate the flower from healthy plants. It is better to carry out the treatment in the fresh air or in a non-residential area.

Prevention

Store plant bulbs only in a dry and cool place.
Before planting and during transplants, carefully inspect the roots and bulbs of plants.
Make sure to water correctly. Excessive watering is no less, and often more, destructive to flowers than drying out the soil.
Drain the water from the pan after watering. It should not remain in the pan.
To avoid stagnation of water in the pot, be sure to create good drainage when planting and replanting flowers.

Note. Root mites are dangerous not only for indoor plants. If you grow garden flowers on your property, then keep an eye on them. It is especially dangerous for gladioli, tulips, hyacinths, lilies and other bulbous plants.

Acarid mites - pests on tubers and bulbs

Representatives of the family of acarid or grain mites can be found in various places - apartments, granaries, and on the human body. They are also present in the soil. Two types of arachnids live on the roots and tubers of plants:

Tyrophagus - elongated mites;
Rhizoglyphus - bulb mites.

Rhizoglyphus

The root bulb mite is widespread in all countries. It is a polyphagous organism that eats various types of food. The pest's diet includes onions, potatoes, grape roots, cereals and ornamental crops. The body is elongated, yellowish in color. The legs are short and thick, each with large spines. The length of an adult is 0.8-1 mm.

Through mechanical damage, the mite penetrates the bulb and feeds on its juice. If there are no holes, then it gnaws the road with strong claws. In regions with a warm, humid climate, decorative flowers in open ground and greenhouses are at risk. In damaged gladioli, tulips and daffodils, the growth process slows down. They can be infected with various diseases.

Attention. When acarid mites come into contact with human skin, they cause itching and irritation.

The pest is very moisture-loving; it thrives at 100% humidity. Its life processes accelerate with increasing temperature - at +150 the nymph develops in 22 days, and at +250 – 2 days. The female onion mite lays from 200 to 800 eggs. After 7-10 days, larvae emerge from them. The lifespan of adults is 2 months. But the pest also feeds in the early stages of development.

Tyrophagus

The elongated putrefactive mite causes no less damage than the onion mite. This pest under normal conditions lives deep in the ground. When humidity levels are high, it leaves the ground and moves onto the plant. The mite damages the leaf blade; it prefers to settle on young shoots.

Signs of soil mite damage include:

the appearance of spots on the surface of the plant bulb;
drying of the bulbs;
the inside of the tubers turns to dust;
the appearance of punctures on the leaves;
a brown coating of scar tissue on the underside of the leaf blade.

The main measure to combat elongated and root mites is humidity control. To destroy the pest, plants are treated with Fitoverm. The soil is sprinkled with powders and granules - Sunmite, Nissoran. Bulb planting material should be stored in a dry place. They are warmed up before storing. Material with external damage is immediately removed.

Let's get acquainted with acaricides - drugs to combat plant mites

All summer residents should remember the rule of nature: “there is food, therefore there are eaters.” This applies to any plants, but it becomes especially important for those that people use for food.

No matter how beautiful and elegant the lush May greens of strawberries or cucumbers look at the time of the beginning of flowering, you need to take a close look at the leaves: suddenly tiny pests have already colonized the folds and the underside of the leaf blades.

How to deal with those who are invisible? Know the biology of the pest and understand acaricidal drugs .

What ticks are harmful in our gardens and vegetable gardens?

If there were ticks last season, they did not disappear in winter. In the spring, when it warms up to +12 degrees Celsius, the common spider mite will come out of winter. The female will lay 150 eggs, from which males and females will hatch, continuing a series of new incarnations. Summer offspring will be only male.

From spring to mid-summer, ticks live on quinoa, nettle, bindweed, and then move to apple trees. As soon as the length of daylight hours becomes equal to 14 hours, only females begin to hatch from the eggs, which will go to wintering. In the spring they will become the founders of new colonies of pests.

Article on the topic: Perennial flowers - planting and care, names and photos, flowering and deciduous

The hawthorn mite leaves its wintering grounds when the temperature rises above +10 degrees Celsius. These arthropods parasitize apple, pear, cherry, plum, peach, and sweet cherry trees.

The red fruit mite lays eggs in the fall; in the spring, new individuals emerge from them, which will be able to lay eggs at the time when the apple trees begin to bloom. These types of mites harm apple trees, pears, plums, cherries, apricots, almonds, roses, rowan trees, and hawthorns. If this pest has not been talked about, this does not mean that it is not in Siberia, Western and Eastern Europe, and the Far East. But it definitely exists in Crimea, on the Caucasian Black Sea coast.

The onion root mite lives in all territories of Russia. It damages the underground organs of bulbous crops, and not only garlic and onions, but also tulips, hyacinths, lilies, and gladioli. If the bottom of the onion becomes so rotten that it can fall off, the onion mite has worked. The developmental features of insects allow the pests the onion hoverfly and the onion secretive proboscis to spread mites to all the plants in your area.

When to start a war and how to process plants

It is easier to deal with ticks while they have just “emerged” from the egg, while they are still considered young larvae. Later, the larva and adult tick are more resistant to toxic substances, although there are drugs that can destroy even eggs. That is, the timing of treatments against ticks is now becoming clear.

Alf Ribeiro / Shutterstock.com

All dosages are written on the packaging, but you need to spray carefully. The leaves and stems need to be moistened with the working solution thoroughly on all sides so that the “medicine” gets to each tick. Then the effect will be wonderful.

Chemicals

The last resort for pest control is chemical insecticides. These are preparations of biological origin intended to protect plants in open and protected ground from various insect pests.

The following acaricidal agents are used:

Agravertin, Akarin, Aktofit (analogue of Fitoverm). The active substances have a nerve-paralytic effect on larvae and adult ticks, depriving them of motor activity and the ability to feed. The drugs are not addictive and do not allow pests to adapt to the components.
Borneo and Apollo preparations destroy eggs and larvae of arthropods, do not kill adults, but sterilize females, thereby reducing the pest population.
Vertimek - destroys pests on vegetable, fruit, citrus, berry and flower crops. The method of action on ticks is intestinal. After spraying the affected plant, the active substance penetrates the leaf tissue, which helps to increase the duration of action of the drug.
Envidor - has a detrimental effect on all stages of arthropod development (eggs, larvae, females, protonymphs, deutonymphs). Males do not harm plants and remain in the soil as food items for predatory mites. The drug adheres to the leaves, providing a protective effect for 10-15 days.
Kleschevit is a biological agent for controlling mites on cucumbers, tomatoes and currants. Suitable for processing open ground and in greenhouses. Ticks stop feeding 8 hours after spraying. The death of the population occurs after 4 days.
Nissoran - has an effect on many types of insects, does not affect adult ticks. Females continue to live, making new clutches of eggs, but under the influence of the drug the eggs are not reborn.
Nurell-D - destroys ticks of all larval stages and adult ticks that are resistant to organophosphorus compounds.
Sunmite is used to combat ticks at all stages of development. The active substance affects the pest within 15 minutes. Plants are sprayed with a diluted solution, the soil is sprinkled with powder.
The preparations Omite 30 and Omite 57 destroy most species of phytophagous mites. They affect the active stages of arachnid development through direct contact or in pairs during evaporation. They do not affect the eggs, but the residual effect of the drug kills the larvae.
Flumite - prevents the completion of molting of larvae, has a sterilizing effect, as a result of which females lay sterile eggs.

The last resort to get rid of uninvited residents of flower pots is to resort to chemicals. Among the acaricidal drugs used:

Kleschevitis;
Akarin;
Apollo;
Vertimek.

Kleschevit

Akarin

Vertimek

Apollo

Ammunition in the war for plant life

Lambda-cyhalothrin. Synonyms: Karate, PP 321.

This substance was discovered in 1977, and in 1985 it was already used against beet and rapeseed flea beetles, aphids, sawflies, and meadow moths. Within 24 hours, the drug destroys a significant part of the colony of harmful insects. It does not destroy ticks, but their development is suppressed, and the number of the pest does not grow. The waiting period after treatment is one month or ten days more.

List of drugs that contain only lambda-cyhalothrin: Lightning, Gideon, Gladiator, Diplomat, Kaizo, Altyn, Karatoshans, Karate, Zeon, Karachar, Kungfu, Lambda-S, Lambdex, Operacot, Samum, Sensei. Each liter of the drug contains 50 grams of the active substance lambda-cyhalothrin.

There are drugs in which other active ingredients are added to lambda-cyhalothrin. These are Ephoria (Aktara 106 g/l + lambda-cyhalothrin 141 g/l), Boreas, Clotiamed Duo.

Malathion. Synonyms: Aliot, compound 4049, phosphothione-50, drug 4049, (long-familiar and forgotten) karbofos , malaton, kipfos, AS-4049, FOG-3.

The substance in 1950 in the USA was called T.M. 4049, in 1953 it was renamed malathion, and in the USSR it was obtained in 1952, called karbofos.

List of drugs that contain malathion, also known as karbofos: Aliot (570 g/l), Bunchuk, Karbofos-500 (500 g/l), Iskra M, Antiklesch (525 g/l), Novaktion, Fufanon Expert, Fufanon Nova (440 g/l).

Anti-mite in a dilution of 10 milliliters of the drug per 10 liters of water is used to treat raspberries, apple trees, tomatoes and cucumbers in greenhouses against spider and fruit red mites during the growing season, taking into account flowering and harvesting.

Clofentezim. Synonym: Apollo.

This substance acts on eggs and larvae, and makes adult ticks sterile. They don't die, but they can't reproduce. It is beneficial to treat apple trees with Apollo; the substance is most active on this crop. In addition, it works well on grapes and strawberry mother plants.

Phenpyroximate. Synonyms: Danitron, Ortus, NNI-850.

The drug Ortus for home gardens is not registered, although it quickly leads to paralysis of gall and spider mites. Used for processing apple trees and grapes.

Phenazakhin. Synonyms: demitane, EL-436.

The substance is not new. It was registered in 1993. Back in 1994, it was tested in vineyards in Crimea. The drug Demitan is not registered for private households. This acaricide destroys gall and spider mite larvae at any age and is used to protect apple trees and ornamental plants.

Bromopropylate.

The drug Neoron was re-registered in November 2003. It is low-toxic for bees, so you can spray plants even during flowering, for example, apple trees and grapes. Effective against many ticks. At the same time, it is capable of destroying hawthorn moth eggs.

In addition to the active ingredients described, there are others. For example, the drugs Semaphore and Talstar are produced based on bifenthrin (Talstar) , Tiovit Jet and sulfur block FAS are produced based on sulfur , and Akarin is produced based on Avertin .

Simple rules

Refuse to purchase if new plants are suspicious. When buying bulbs, spread the scales a little. Parasites can be easily seen and the extent of the damage can be assessed. If the seller does not allow you to inspect the bulbs, it is better not to buy them.
If you use your own plant material, it will need to be dried after assembly. Bulbs of tulip, hyacinth and other popular plants need to be dried for 16 hours at a temperature of +40 degrees.
Planted plants need to be watered with chamomile decoction at a temperature of +35 degrees. It will be destructive to parasites.
Before storing the bulbs, you need to dry both the bulbs and the storage. The room needs to be pickled and the bulbs treated with special substances against fungus and mites.
Temperature and humidity during storage should be reduced. The higher the indicators, the better the conditions for the development of insects. Check your seeds regularly so that if any signs of damage appear, you can take immediate action. It is best to remove the onion and place it separately. If you do not see ticks, then you can observe her condition. If it worsens, it is best to burn the onion.

Principle of drug selection

Before going to the store, write on a piece of paper the names of substances that are effective, recommended and registered as acaricidal agents. It doesn’t matter what the drugs are called, the essence of which is these active ingredients.

In this case, you can avoid purchasing duplicate products with the same active ingredient. And the seller will not be able to advertise a long-known product as a new product.

Sources:

https://www.botanichka.ru/article/kak-borotsya-s-kornevyimi-i-lukovichnyimi-kleshhami/ https://dcactus.ru/kornevoj-kleshh-na-komnatnyx-rasteniyax/ https://7dach. ru/VeraTyukaeva/znakomimsya-s-akaricidami-preparatami-dlya-borby-s-rastitelnymi-kleschami-88609.html

Pest prevention

To prevent the appearance of mites, it is necessary to properly handle the bulbs and planting material.

Do not buy seed, seedlings and flowers if they make you suspicious. Mites most often hide under the first two sheets of onion scales; they are easy to see if you move the scales apart a little. If you cannot check the bulb for mites, it is better to refuse the purchase.
Own plant material is dried before planting. Onion sets are kept at a temperature of +40°C for 16 hours, after which they are planted in the soil. Seed material for indoor plants is treated with acaricides.
It is recommended to water the planted plants from time to time with water at a temperature of about +35°C. Such water will be fatal to parasites. During the period of active growth, plants can be sprayed with infusions of tomato tops or chamomile.

On a note! Biological methods are also used to destroy root pests. Hypoaspis mites will happily feed not only on root mites, but also on thrips, regulating the pest population.

Before storing, you need to thoroughly dry both the storage and the bulbs. It is recommended to etch the storage facility with sulfur dioxide. The bulbs are treated with agents against fungi and mites.

Temperature and humidity in storage facilities are reduced. The plant material is powdered with chalk and colloidal sulfur. It is necessary to regularly inspect storage facilities in order to promptly find moldy areas and remove them.

Sources

https://kursi-floristiki.ru/kleshchi/kornevoj-kleshch.html
https://kleshun.ru/pochvennye/
https://misterklop.ru/klesshi/pochvennye-kornevye-kleshhi-pochemu-poyavlyayutsya-v-zemle-u-komnatnyh-rastenij-kak-ih-mozhno-obnaruzhit-i-kak-ot-nih-izbavitsya
https://Rozarii.ru/borba-s-vreditelyami/pochvennye-kleshhi.html
https://beetlestop.ru/pochvennyiy-kleshh/
https://FB.ru/article/419208/pochvennyie-kleschi-opisanie-metodyi-borbyi-foto
https://KlopVred.ru/kleshhi/pochvennyj-kleshh/
https://murashdom.ru/kleshchi/pochvennyj-kleshch.html

[collapse]

In case of severe damage

How to deal with soil mites if the number of affected areas is already large? Folk remedies can no longer cope; more intensive measures must be used. Treatment with systemic insecticides will help destroy all parasites. Moreover, this remedy acts for a long time, so it manages to destroy even the future generation. Actellik or Neoron are best suited. Do not forget that insects get used to the drugs used, and therefore they should be alternated. Typically, systemic insecticides can save the plant even in the most advanced cases. And only if the bulb begins to rot due to a large amount of damage, it becomes impossible to save it.