In spring, not only plants wake up, but also their inhabitants, parasites are no exception. Weevil, also called the elephant, is recognized as a serious pest, because it eats almost all varieties of plant crops.
Weevil Description
Weevils vary in appearance, stages of development. Their larvae are thick, light-weighted worms with chitinous carapace on their heads, usually C-shaped, whose body is covered with small hairs.
During their development, they are underground and eat the root system of plants, only some of their representatives live on the surface and feed on aboveground shoots. Larvae evolve into light-colored pupae, on which one can already distinguish legs, wings, proboscis. Then they turn into adults.
The following groups of weevils are distinguished:
- the size of the nose (short and long proboscis);
- by color (yellow, brown, black, red, with a pattern on the shell or without it);
- according to body size (from 1 mm to 3 cm);
- body shape (rod-shaped, diamond-shaped, pear-shaped, spherical).
Weevil species
There are over 5000 representatives of this type. The table shows the most common in gardens.
| View | Description | Affected Plants |
| Strawberry raspberry | Growth 3 mm. With gray hairs with grooves on the wings. White larvae. Appears with the growth of the first green. | Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries. |
| Rice | It grows to 3 mm. The most dangerous, because it easily tolerates drought and eats dry species of plants with pleasure. | Cereal crops. |
| Beetroot | Length is 15 mm. The abdomen is gray, the back is brown, the body is black, covered with small hairs. Lays white larvae feeding on plant roots. Due to its ability to bury itself in the ground up to 60 cm deep, it easily tolerates severe frosts. | Beets, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, legumes. |
| South gray | Up to 8 mm. Has a dark body. It has the ability to travel long distances. Picky, will not refuse from weed. | Sunflower, corn, winter crops. |
| Fruit | The value is not more than 6 mm. It begins to become active during the period of kidney formation, regales itself with inflorescences, buds. Lays eggs in fruits, making small indentations. | Fruit trees: peach, pear, cherry, apple, cherry, quince. |
| Barn | Up to 4 mm. Dark brown. It affects not only grain, but also products made from it. One egg laying can have 300 eggs. | Cereals (wheat, oats, millet, rye, barley, etc.) |
| Pine:
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How to get rid of weevils in the open ground
In opposing weevils, all methods are good - from biological to chemical.
If a pest is detected, it should begin to act immediately.
Two solutions can help get rid of it on strawberries.
- The first is done as follows: 1 teaspoon of iodine is dissolved in 10 liters of water.
- The second option is to dissolve 3 Intra-Vira tablets in a bucket of water.
Spraying is carried out 5-6 days before flowering, then in the middle of summer.
On cherry trees, peeled off bark should be torn off, while treated areas should be treated with lime. Inspect for pests, and it is better to lay white material under a tree and shake it, if more than 10 individuals are detected, proceed to processing. Systematically remove fallen leaves and fruits.
On the plum, confront the beetle identically, as on a cherry. Effective preparations: Bazudin, Fufanon, Actellik containing pyrethrins and organic phosphorus compounds.
When an elephant is found on raspberries, the same solutions are used as on strawberries. The most effective will be Alatar.
In order for the nuts to remain intact, they must be sprayed with Fufanon or Actellik. Also of great importance is digging up the earth near a tree trunk to a depth of 20-25 cm and cleaning this area from fallen leaves and unnecessary fruits.
Pine and spruce will save from parasites such drugs as Karbofos, Actellik, Metaphos. Attracting their natural enemies (magpies, starlings, woodpeckers, rooks, ravens, jays, ground beetles, geese) will be an excellent solution to the problem.
How to get rid of weevils in the house
In the apartment, a bug may appear due to the acquisition of infected cereals. Such a bug is called a barn. You can be saved from him by following a series of simple steps:
- Keep cereals in tight and well-closed containers. In containers with pasta and cereals, peeled garlic should be placed, with flour - a couple of pieces of nutmeg, with peas and beans - pepper.
- Warm purchases in the oven at a temperature of 60 degrees for 6 hours.
- Do not store products.
- Wipe the shelves for storage with soapy water, and after it with water and vinegar. Put lavender flowers, cloves, bay leaves in the treated areas.
- Send bought cereals, pasta, flour to the freezer for a short period of time, or better for 2 days.
- View purchased products (tea, pasta, coffee, cocoa, cereals).
Folk remedies for weevil beetle
There are several effective means, the preparation of which will not be difficult:
- 150 g of chamomile is infused in a bucket of water for a day, then 50 g of soap is placed there.
- 400 g of dried crushed wormwood is poured with 10 l of water and left for 24 hours. After time, 40 g of soap is added to the solution and everything boils for half an hour.
- The husks of garlic and onions, coniferous branches are placed in a prepared bowl and filled with water, this mash is left for several weeks. Then the mixture is cleaned (filtration) and mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10.
The affected area is treated every 5 days.
Biological methods of fighting elephant beetle
All beetles run the risk of being eaten by natural inhabitants such as birds, ants, wasps. Their appearance will contribute to the elimination of weevils.
Nematodes powder sold in a specialized store can be used against them. Apply according to the instructions. Irrigated infected plants after sunset.
The use of chemicals in the fight against weevil
This method is more effective than others, since the fight against the parasite will take the least amount of time. To help him resist drugs:
- Kinmiks (take 1 mg of water per 1 bucket of water);
- Detis (per 1 bucket of water - 2 mg of the drug);
- Fufanon, Spark M, Kemifos, Karbafos-500 (for 1 liter of water - 1 mg);
- Fitoverm (per 1 liter of water - 2 mg);
- Karate (for 10 liters of water - 1 ml).
In order to lime the larvae of leaf species, Bazudin, Diazinon should be used. To Karachar and Sensei resort to flowering rocks.
They should be alternated so that the pest does not become addictive.
The first spraying is carried out 5 days before flowering, the next after 9-11 days. This procedure is recommended to be carried out a couple of times during the period of crop development.
Mr. Dachnik advises: preventive measures
To prevent its occurrence, a number of preventive actions can be carried out, which are as follows:
- Timely clean the site of foliage and unnecessary branches.
- Cultivate land near trees systematically.
- Plant repelling plants near growing crops, such as wormwood.
- Using lime, treat the trees.
- Promote the emergence of birds - lovers of beetles, with the help of birdhouses, hanging them on trees.
- Periodically treated with harmless special equipment, for example, Fitoverm.
- Grow away from wild crops.
- In the spring, when the buds appear, elephants should be discarded, and the hunting belts will be great helpers.
- Alternate crop sowing.
A comprehensive and timely effect on the weevil will lead to the desired result: the beetle will be defeated.
