The whitefly is one of the most annoying and voracious pests attacking protected ground crops. Many summer residents are forced to annually apply various methods of dealing with the whitefly that has settled in the greenhouse in order to preserve the crop. The main task in this case is to lime the butterfly and its offspring in such a way as not to poison the fruits.
General information about the pest
The whitefly is a tiny milky midge with frosted wings. The body and legs are covered with powdery coating. Its maximum size barely reaches 3 mm. There are about 200 species in total, but gardeners are mostly annoyed by only four: cotton, greenhouse, cabbage, strawberry. They are carried by gusts of wind or with the ground (larvae).
The whitefly loves warmth and humidity - the conditions that a greenhouse creates. It is plantings of protected ground that usually become the object of its attack. The worse the ventilation and the denser the vegetation, the more favorable the environment for the development of the pest.
In greenhouses, the whitefly prefers to settle on the following crops:
- cucumbers;
- eggplant;
- tomatoes;
- peppers;
- cabbage seedlings.
At temperatures below +10 ° C, the vital activity of the midge freezes, the larvae stop growing and developing.
Signs of defeat
Entering the greenhouse, you can see small white midges swarming on the leaves and flowers of plants. If you turn over the platinum sheet, then there will be found a mass of eggs in the form of black, yellow and green dots, laid in circles and loops, as well as mobile and immobile larvae, adult whiteflies. First, the pest colonizes young leaves.
The first sign of the presence of the whitefly, even before the growth of the population, are tiny yellow dots on the leaves - traces of punctures from its chitinous proboscis. On the reverse side, you can see spots of white bloom, as with powdery mildew. Subsequently, the sheet is completely covered with it, blackens and dries out.
The whitefly carries various viruses, so the result of its activity is often not only dried leaves, but also infection of the greenhouse with chlorosis and mosaic.
Fighting methods
Whitefly larvae are resistant to most chemicals, so the main goal should be the destruction of adults and the arrest of reproduction processes. The first step is regular ventilation. The whitefly prefers a closed ecosystem, so drafts will scare it away from its familiar place. It will take several treatments to kill the colony, and you need to use different preparations for adults and larvae.
Mechanical Methods
First of all, you should try a safe but troublesome method - washing the whitefly from the leaves with soapy water. Good laundry or tar soap. 30-50 g is dissolved in a liter of hot water, then the solution is poured into a bucket. Washing and spraying is done three times at weekly intervals.
You can enhance the effectiveness of the product - add 150 ml of kerosene to the soapy solution, mix thoroughly to the consistency of an emulsion, then pour another 5 liters of warm water. Such a solution is intended for tillage, only a small amount is allowed to enter the plant. The greenhouse is closed for 3 hours, then ventilated. Since only adult whiteflies die from fumes, the procedure is repeated after 4 and 8 days.
Some people recommend using a hose to shoot down midges, but for most greenhouse crops, such a crude method is not suitable. Soap treatment will wash away the fungus, honeydew and whitefly larvae, covering the leaf plate with a protective film.
In addition to the soap treatment, sticky traps can be hung around the greenhouse. Special devices (yellow tapes and sheets) for catching whiteflies in a greenhouse are sold in garden stores. Thus, adults are eliminated.
If the whitefly colony has grown to alarming proportions, then homemade large traps can be made.
- Prepare several sheets of yellow or orange cardboard.
- Heat a little rosin in a water bath (this is a resin sold in cans in hardware and hardware stores).
- Add honey, castor oil and petroleum jelly to the heated resin. All components are taken in equal volumes.
- Coat the cardboard boxes on both sides and hang them around the greenhouse, preferably higher.
Whiteflies actively flock to traps, stick and die.
You can use ready-made entomological glue (for example, Polifix, VLN-11).
Entomophages can be connected to the fight against the whitefly - insects that will deal with the pest without outside help. These include:
- bug macrolofus;
- encarsia (fly-ant-like fly);
- lacewings (flies);
- ladybugs;
- rider beetles.
Macrolophuses and other entomophages can be purchased in stores or ordered on specialized sites. It is desirable to populate the greenhouse in advance, but it is quite acceptable to develop the population directly when the whitefly attacks.
Spraying with infusions
Spraying plants with homemade herbal solutions is an effective folk method of dealing with whiteflies. It takes several days to cook, so it is better to take measures to mechanically remove the pest first.
- Grind a large head, pour 0.5 liters of water, close tightly, leave for a week. Strain and dilute for spraying in the proportion of 6 g of infusion per liter.
- Dandelion. Pour about 100 g of roots and leaves with a liter of water, leave for 5-6 days, then strain and spray the plants.
- Sagebrush. 100 g of leaves pour 1 liter of water, soak for 5 days. Strained infusion is ready for use.
Before spraying, you can add a little sugar to the solution so that repellents last longer on the leaves.
You can also use yarrow, tobacco dust against whiteflies. The pest does not like the smell of nasturtium and dill. These plants can be planted in a greenhouse or placed between plantings in pots so as not to disturb the root system. Dill and other umbrella spicy herbs, sown even before planting the greenhouse, save many summer residents from whitefly problems.
An unusual, but effective and proven folk remedy for whiteflies is an infusion of cigarette butts. About a handful is soaked in a liter of water for a couple of days, then filtered. The resulting liquid is suitable for spraying plants, and for watering the soil.
Biologicals
The whitefly often attacks greenhouses in the midst of ripening and harvesting. Summer residents, not without reason, are afraid to use “heavy artillery” in the form of pesticides to combat it, the decay period of which is 30-60 days. Bioactive preparations based on the waste products of the fungus can help out:
- "Aktofit";
- "Agrovertin";
- "Avertin";
- "Aversectin-S";
- "Verticillin".
A non-pathogenic fungus in the process of its development and vital activity releases highly specific neurotoxins (avermectins). They are destructive not only for the whitefly, but also for most sucking insect pests, and without causing their adaptation. For worms, plants and warm-blooded toxin is safe.
The substance decomposes after 2 days, so treatment with the drug in the proportion of 0.6 ml / l is also allowed during the fruiting period. After about 6-8 hours, the whitefly larvae will stop feeding as their digestive system will be paralyzed. On the second or third day they will die. The mass death of the whitefly is observed on the fifth or sixth day. Processing is carried out 2-3 times with an interval of a week. It is advisable to direct the sprayer (finely dispersed is most effective) directly to the reverse side of the sheet in order to accurately cover the eggs and midge larvae with the product.
Preparations based on entomopathogenic nematodes (Antonem-F, Nemabakt) are also effective against whiteflies. To exit the nematode from hibernation, heat and humidity are necessary, so it is advisable to spray the leaves of the plants with water beforehand. Nematodes penetrate whitefly larvae and poison them with excreta products. Death occurs in 2-3 days.
Bacteria-based products are also available:
- "Bicol";
- "Bitoxibacillin";
- "Entobakterin".
Bacteria settle in whitefly larvae, germinate through the covers and destroy them.
Chemicals
Chemical-based preparations are best used before fruiting or after fruit picking (in order to get rid of whitefly larvae for the next year). The following are effective:
- against adult midges - Actellik (2 ml / 1 l), Akarin, Confidor (01 ml / l), Aktara (for irrigation), Tanrek (5 ml / 10 l);
- against larvae - "Admiral", "Mospilan" (4 g / 10 l), "Match", "Spintor";
- against soot fungus - "Topaz", preparations with copper.
It is necessary to process with a complex of preparations, since the cover of whitefly larvae does not allow substances that are active against adults to pass through.
Experienced gardeners advise desperate colleagues to use an emulsion of benzyl benzoate sold in pharmacies. Dilute for spraying in a proportion of 50 ml/l of water.
Preparing for winter
Many summer residents unsuccessfully try to remove the whitefly from greenhouses for several seasons in a row, but the pest returns again. To prevent the whitefly from breeding next year, it is necessary to prepare the greenhouse for the winter.
In autumn, all plant residues are collected and carried out. It is recommended to wash polycarbonate structures with a common floor cleaner with a disinfectant effect, spray all the cracks and internal parts of the frame (especially wooden ones) with insecticides, and spill the Aktara soil. Then carry out the pickling of the greenhouse with a smoke bomb (for example, "Climate", consumption 300g / 20m 3, "Pawn-S", "Hephaestus"). Tobacco or sulfur checkers can also be used during the growing season - they are safe for plants.
The whitefly does not like an alkaline environment, so it makes sense to play it safe by cultivating the soil: add slaked lime (200 g / m 2) or ash (3 cups per 1 m 2) when digging. Additional guarantees of getting rid of the pest will give a complete change of the topsoil. Whitefly eggs are at a depth of about 5-8 cm.
In winter, at temperatures below -15 ° C, the whitefly will die. For this, there is no need to leave the greenhouse open, as the visits of cats and other animals can seriously spoil the soil. If the protected ground is usually mulched for the winter, then after the invasion of the whitefly, this should not be done, otherwise its eggs will not freeze under cover. Throwing snow or opening the roof in winter is also not necessary.
Prevention
As preventive measures, gout, wood lice and nettle should be destroyed on the site - these plants are attractive to whiteflies. Some gardeners have noticed that mint and tansy are also pest bait, although a number of information sources strongly advise using these herbs as repellents.
After planting, it is useful to spray the seedlings with biological products so that the whitefly has no chance of reproduction. Stagnation of air in the greenhouse, excessive humidity, and thickening of plants should not be allowed. Tomatoes need to be pinched in a timely manner, and extra lashes should be pinched from cucumbers.
Whitefly in closed ground is very difficult to breed. Even from one egg that survived the winter, a whole colony will grow again in a short time, so do not neglect the autumn processing of greenhouses and preventive measures. If you notice a pest while its settlements are single, then there is a chance to get by with folk methods without resorting to chemical means.
An experienced summer resident or gardener knows how important it is to get rid of pests as soon as they appear in order to minimize the harm they cause. The whitefly, despite its size, can cause significant damage to the future crop. Often a whitefly appears in a greenhouse, the environment of which is favorable for its development, but how to get rid of the whitefly ?!
How to recognize a whitefly in a greenhouse: life cycle features
The size of the whitefly does not exceed 1.5 cm, its body is covered with a thick coating and has a yellowish, grayish or green tint. Wings are white and transparent. Insect larvae are even smaller - about 0.3 mm. They have an oblong oval or flat shape, light green in color with short hairs. It is difficult to notice the caterpillars, they look more like scales stuck to the underside of the leaves.
Signs of a whitefly in a greenhouse are:
- Light yellow spots form on the leaves.
- Insects are located on the underside of the leaf plates, fly up if they are disturbed.
- The plant is depressed, all vegetative processes slow down.
- The leaves turn completely yellow and eventually fall off.
The most favorable climate for the development of the whitefly is in the greenhouse, but in the southern regions it appears both in the garden and in the open field. Its biological cycles are very short-term. For a year in a heated greenhouse, up to 15 generations of whiteflies can grow. An overwintered female whitefly in a greenhouse or in the soil lays eggs, at a time - 10-20 pieces, in total during her life (about a month) the female is able to lay up to 130 eggs. A week later, larvae are born. They find a comfortable place and freeze on the bottom of the leaf plate. For two weeks they remain motionless, feeding on the nutritious juice of the plant. After the second molt, they acquire a wax coating and become resistant to chemicals.
IMPORTANT: An adult insect develops in 25 days. Favorable temperature is 16-18°C.
Preventive methods of dealing with whiteflies
The whitefly infects many crops, mainly nightshades, but also cucumbers, peppers, and some types of flowers. The whitefly in the greenhouse causes great harm not only by sucking out the beneficial juice of the plant, but also:
- carries viral diseases;
- black fungus appears on infected leaves;
- plant photosynthesis slows down.
Before you learn how to deal with the whitefly, how to get rid of it and how to destroy it, you should also learn about preventive measures in order to, if possible, even prevent its appearance in the greenhouse. These include:
- After harvesting fruits and vegetables, the greenhouse must be disinfected and disinfected. Rinse the frame with strong water pressure.
- Pull out all the weeds, they can act as backup "homes" for the caterpillars, until crops that are more attractive to them are planted in the greenhouse.
- Planting material is grown according to all the rules, including disinfection of seeds. If seedlings are purchased, give preference to reliable suppliers.
- Seedlings must first be kept in the quarantine zone of the greenhouse to make sure there is no infection.
- In the event of the appearance of a whitefly in a greenhouse, before planting a new generation of crops, it is necessary to remove a layer of earth in order to remove the remaining females for wintering.
- The soil prepared for seedlings should be frozen, and then steamed.
- In winter, when the temperature is less than 12-15°C, you can open the greenhouse for a few days. Under such conditions, the whitefly will die.
IMPORTANT: To prevent pests from entering the greenhouse, it is worth hanging gauze or nets on the windows.
If the greenhouse is heated, lettuce or mustard can be planted. Treat seedlings with pesticides to get rid of whiteflies. Do not eat salad.
Experts advise to follow the landing patterns, not to compact the beds. It is also not recommended to plant vegetables and flowers in the same greenhouse.
How to get rid of whiteflies
There are various drugs that effectively affect pests at different stages of their life cycle and allow you to get rid of the whitefly chemically:
- Poisonous substances affecting females (90% efficiency): Fitoverm, Aktara, Kemifos, Actellik, Vertimek.
- Chemical preparations against greenhouse whitefly: Inta-vir, Confidor, Fufanol, Komandor, etc.
- Drugs that affect eggs and larvae: Match, Mospilan, Spintor, Admiral.
The fight is carried out by spraying crops planted in a greenhouse. Preparations are diluted with certain proportions, according to the instructions. Usually, the dosage is 0.05-0.08%. So, per liter of water you need 0.1 ml of Confidor, 1.2 ml of Fufanol, 0.05 ml of Mospilan. A significant large dosage of Verticillin is up to 25 ml. They are intended for single use. Twice can be treated with Pegasus and Verticillin, and Actellik and 3-4 times.
Folk methods
From folk methods, one can single out spraying with green soap, which is considered the most optimal in the fight against whiteflies. It is also worth catching adults. Sometimes a vacuum cleaner is used for this. It will be less laborious to hang pieces of film in the greenhouse at a distance of 10 cm from the bushes. It will need to apply glue that does not dry for a long time. Instead of a film, it is also recommended to use transparent plastic, glass or hardboard. In the same way, adhesive fly tape or a glue trap, which can be purchased at specialized stores, will work.
IMPORTANT: It is believed that even spraying with plain water allows you to get rid of the whitefly for a short time. But only from adults.
Scientists have calculated that the effectiveness of this option is more than 98%. The method is optimal for tomatoes, the indicator is slightly lower when growing cucumbers. They have hairs on the leaves that prevent female encarsia from getting on whitefly caterpillars. At the same time, for a greenhouse of 10 sq. m will need 30 encarsia pupae.
Another option for biological impact in the cultivation of tomatoes and peppers is the macrolofus bug. For 10 sq. m of the greenhouse will require 50 individuals, which must be released every two weeks.
Having studied how the whitefly develops in the greenhouse, how to get rid of the whitefly by chemical and folk methods, as well as preventive control methods, you can count on the complete destruction of the pest in the greenhouse.
Friends, the whitefly is an insidious insect! The fight against it is one of the most difficult, but possible. In this article, we will learn how to get rid of whitefly in a greenhouse.
The main thing is not to be late!
Friends, keep in mind that many insecticides (and pesticides too) in this case may become ineffective. The fact is that the fight against the whitefly in the greenhouse should take place when the insect is in the larval stage or in the adult. At a later date, all chemicals will already become useless.
Who is this whitefly?
This is a garden pest that looks like aphids. The whitefly has a yellowish tint. The length of her little body is no more than 1.5 mm! It will be very difficult to identify it with the naked eye. Swarms of thousands of whiteflies in a matter of days destroy the plant, sucking all the juice out of it!
Not all cats are sour cream!
Before we tell you about how to get rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse, a small disclaimer should be made. Note that it is greenhouse crops that are more susceptible to attacks from this pest, because greenhouses and greenhouses are a favorite place for whiteflies! It is in them that ideal climatic conditions are created for the insect.
As we said above, very often the fight against the whitefly may turn out to be ineffective due to the delay and the lack of the necessary integrated approach to this problem. We will talk about this further.
How to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse?
If you approach this correctly, you can not only protect the future crop and existing plants from this pest, but also prevent its further appearance! How to do it? Complex! This requires the treatment of greenhouse crops with special insecticides. What exactly? Now you will know everything!
- Spring is the time when the first adult whiteflies appear. It is at this time that everything must be done to prevent them from breeding. To do this, you need to water the plants in the greenhouse with a special product of the Aktar trademark (be sure to read the attached instructions). Note that drip irrigation is effective. The drug "Aktar" has an effect on new larvae through a conductor in the form of a treated plant for 20 days.
- If there are already a lot of whiteflies, use the Talstar and Komfidor tank mixture. However, that's not all!
- But what to do if all stages of development of this insect are already observed? How to get rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse in this case? To do this, it is necessary to use special mixtures that affect the eggs, larvae and adults of the insect. Choose mixtures of "Fitoverma" and "Admiral" and all the same "Komfidor" and "Talstar". Carry out up to four treatments at weekly intervals. You can use "Imidor", "Biotlin", "Novaktion", "Kalash", "Kemifos" and other chemicals that the whitefly in the greenhouse is so afraid of.
- How to deal with this insect yet? Friends, you can properly freeze the greenhouse in the winter season. A temperature of 10-15 degrees below zero is detrimental to the whitefly.
Whitefly - a miniature, 1.5-3.0 mm insect with translucent wings of fabulous elves is a formidable pest of green plants, especially in confined spaces. No, even the most toxic chemicals are not able to destroy the whitefly "in the bud". Every year it returns with rare tenacity to the greenhouses and necessitates a new wave of merciless and sometimes futile struggle against it. Why is this happening? What measures are necessary to clear the greenhouse and the surrounding area from whitefly attacks?
Big problems with the protection of vegetable and other crops from whiteflies in greenhouses most often arise in novice gardeners. It seems that if you spray the plants several times with a strong pesticide, then the whitefly is finished! Not! In the process of natural development, the whitefly has developed a unique ability to survive. And there are two such moments in the cycle of its development:
- oviposition protected by a special waxy substance, invulnerable to pesticides;
- the nymph stage, in order to save life and “give birth” to the egg-laying stage of insects, it stops feeding and is also covered with a wax-like substance that is inaccessible to the vast majority of pesticides. During the period of life allotted to her, a hatching female manages to lay several dozen protected ovipositions, in which the survival rate of larvae is up to 90%. For all stages of development, about 80-90% reach the stage of nymphs - a whole army of pests. During the season, the whitefly manages to form 15 or more generations, the development cycle of which is only 25 days. In autumn, she goes to any gap where she calmly endures bad weather, especially under a thick snow cover.
An analysis of the literature data and our own experience showed that those who fail to get rid of the whitefly and it returns again and again to greenhouses violate the basic rule of dealing with this pest. To destroy the whitefly, it is necessary to annually carry out a full cycle of preventive work, including autumn and spring processing of the greenhouse and the surrounding area.
Preventive work against whiteflies
For tips to work, they must be fully implemented. Separate lines, doses, periods of treatment torn from articles will not have a positive effect. Most often, this effect will be limited to just one season.
Carry out all preventive autumn work in the greenhouse.
Empty the greenhouse completely. If necessary, cover the soil with a film and disinfect all internal greenhouse parts. The processing of hard-to-reach corners, crevices, spaces between frames, etc. is very important. Accessible places can be painted, and hard-to-reach places can be blown with a disinfectant solution. Against the whitefly, this should be a substance that will dissolve the protective shell of the ovipositors:
- Creolin solution (cypermethrin), which acts as Mospilan, Sharpei, Inta-Vir,
- aerosol ("KRA - deo super"),
- solution of technical alcohol (vodka) with water in the ratio 1:1. The mixture dissolves the protective shell of the masonry and destroys the whitefly eggs. A solution of alcohol with water well destroys the whitefly at any stage of development and when spraying plants. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of 96% alcohol in 1 liter of water and spray the plants.
Literally all hard-to-reach places should be washed (remember, the size of the whitefly does not exceed 3 mm, and any gap is accessible to it).
- 2-3 days after the first treatment, repeat the spraying of all parts of the greenhouse with Aktara, which will have an additional effect and destroy all whitefly offspring, including adults.
- Effectively use hormonal chemicals, such as Match, Admiral. But their action is aimed only at the destruction of eggs and larvae. These drugs do not work on adults and require additional treatment against adults. It can be additionally treated with Actara, Actellik, Sharpei, Tanrek and other chemicals.
Greenhouse treatments are best done in the evening, in calm weather, taking all measures to protect against toxic substances (glasses, a respirator, a dressing gown, trousers, boots, a hat).
After finishing the processing of walls and all ceilings, you need to disinfect the soil.
The whitefly does not tolerate alkaline environments. Therefore, at first they dig the soil with the introduction of slaked lime, ash, and another powder agent. Sprinkling of soil with slaked lime is carried out at the rate of 100-200 g/sq. m of area and dug up on a layer of newly introduced soil or 10-15 cm. Ashes - 2-3 cups per square meter. m. Other substances contribute in accordance with the recommendations.
The last autumn chord of work against the whitefly is the fumigation of the greenhouse. For fumigation, you can use special smoke bombs Pawn-S, sulfur bombs or Hephaestus tobacco bombs. The latter can also be used during the growing season of greenhouse crops. Smoke does not harm plants. If there are no checkers, you can fumigate with sulfur, laid out on metal baking sheets at the rate of 50-80 g / cu. m of greenhouse space. The greenhouse must be well insulated. After 2-3 days, carry out ventilation. When fumigated, the gas penetrates the soil, causing the death of overwintering larvae and adults. Please note! Whitefly eggs are not harmed by fumigation. Additional tillage is required.
The whitefly and its offspring cannot stand low temperatures, therefore, after the measures taken, it is effective to freeze the greenhouse by lowering the temperature in it to minus 15 ... 20 * C. Some greenhouse growers believe that if the roof of the greenhouse is open and there is a lot of snow, then this is enough to kill the whitefly. Not! She winters well under the snow. Therefore, freezing should be carried out before snowfall or in early spring, removing its excess. Only on open ground in winter conditions the whitefly does not survive. If there are no low winter temperatures in the region, then all disinfecting measures are carried out and preparations (autumn, spring before planting) are completed by fumigation.
Preventive cleaning of the greenhouse area.
It is necessary to remove all rubbish and inventory from the greenhouse and the surrounding area. Clean, rinse, put in an annex, the temperature in which in winter will be equal to the street temperature (natural freezing). Don't forget to disinfect this extension first.
The whitefly can be destroyed in the greenhouse, but it will definitely reappear - from neighbors, purchased seedlings, from weeds on which eggs and adults hibernate. Therefore, it is very important to keep the territory adjacent to the greenhouse in a clean condition.
Be sure to destroy all weeds, especially gout, nettle, wood lice. You can fence off your neighbors with a Moorish lawn, on which you can plant plants that attract whiteflies. A small layer of dill, celery, parsley plants will serve as a natural barrier for the whitefly. They are inhabited by riders, macrolofus bugs, ladybugs, lacewings and other predatory insects that destroy the pest. You can plant fragrant martinia on the lawn and in the greenhouse. The sticky substance on martini leaves serves as a natural adhesive, on which the whitefly dies. Some gardeners recommend planting Ageratum Houston (Hauston) in greenhouses. We advise you to be careful with this plant. It contains coumarin - a substance dangerous for humans, especially for allergy sufferers. Vapors of the alkaloid (and it's hot in the greenhouse) can cause bleeding if it gets on the mucous membranes. But this plant can be used outdoors in a makeshift lawn or flower garden, where it will successfully exterminate the whitefly. Mint and tansy are attractive to whiteflies. Their fragrance is always rushed by adults. By cultivating the lawn in the summer and mowing it for the winter, you can protect vegetable crops from the whitefly that enters the country house from the outside.
Dear reader! The article shows only some of the ways to protect greenhouses from whiteflies. This article is a reminder that it is only possible to fully protect greenhouse crops from pests when performing a set of works. 1-2 single spraying is only a temporary escape from the problem. More complete materials about the whitefly, its development, reproduction and control measures during the growing season of plants can be found in the article.
Whiteflies are very small flying insects. The length of their bodies is about 1 mm. In nature, they live in warm countries. In our climatic zone, pests can settle in greenhouses, greenhouses and apartments on houseplants.
Signs of a whitefly
You have a whitefly if:
- leaves have punctures or discolored holes;
- dark or white spots are visible on the underside of the leaves;
- on the underside of the plates you can see small white midges flying up when the plant is shaken.
What is dangerous insect
The whitefly lives on the underside of the leaf blades and lays its eggs there. Insects themselves and their metabolic products are dangerous. Adults secrete sweet substances, where soot fungus settles. Having strongly multiplied, pests can destroy all the plants in the greenhouse.
Harm from the whitefly:
- pierces the leaves from the underside and sucks out the juice, weakening the plants;
- secretes sweet substances on which microfungi dangerous to higher plants develop.
The whitefly is especially dangerous for:
- cucumbers;
- tomatoes;
- eggplant;
- beans.
Fighting methods
Folk remedies
Environmentally friendly methods of control include mechanical destruction and scaring. Sticky tapes and sheets are hung in greenhouses. Insects stick and die. You can even use regular fly tape.
Whiteflies flock to yellow objects. Several sheets of yellow paper are hung in a greenhouse and covered with non-drying glue. Most of the population will be destroyed.
The whitefly does not tolerate low temperatures well. If tomatoes grow in a greenhouse, the temperature can be temporarily reduced to 15 degrees. The method is not suitable for greenhouses with cucumbers, since pumpkins are more thermophilic.
Tobacco tincture:
- Buy a pack of the cheapest cigarettes.
- Grind.
- Pour a liter of boiling water and leave for 5 days.
- Spray the undersurfaces of the leaves every three days until the pest is gone.
At the initial stage, insects can be destroyed with an infusion of garlic:
- Grind 100 gr. teeth.
- Pour in two glasses of water.
- Insist 4-5 days.
- Before spraying, dilute 5 grams of infusion in a liter of water.
Ready funds
The following chemicals will help against the pest:
- Aktar;
- Atelik;
- Fitoverm.
Pyrethroids effectively destroy the whitefly:
- Cypermethrin;
- Arrivo;
- Fury.
Use pesticides in the greenhouse in strict accordance with the instructions. All of them, except for Fitoverm, are poisonous to humans, animals, birds and fish.
Sometimes Verticillin is sold in garden stores. It contains the fungus verticillium lecanii, which causes a fatal disease for whiteflies. The leaves are sprayed with the drug. It is advisable to use an adhesive, that is, add a little shampoo or ordinary soap to the working solution.
Traps
Traps are thick sheets of yellow paper, smeared on both sides with glue. The device is suspended at a height of 20 cm above the plants. In addition to the whitefly, it will protect plants from other flying pests, and at the same time destroy flies and mosquitoes.
These traps are safe for humans and pets. Most often in garden stores there are devices manufactured under the brands: Argus and Bona Forte.
You can make your own trap. Prepare in equal proportions:
- Castor oil;
- rosin;
- petrolatum;
Keep the ingredients in a water bath until a homogeneous mixture is formed, let cool. Apply glue with a regular brush on sheets of thick cardboard 30x40 cm in size, painted in yellow-orange color. Hang traps over plants. With each shake of the bush, you can see that the whiteflies rush to the orange rectangles and stick. Periodically, you can wash off insect traps and apply the adhesive mixture again.
