2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Matt dead eater is found almost everywhere. This parasite is particularly harmful in the western and northern regions of Russia. And although the dull dead-eater is considered to be a pest of sugar beets, he will not refuse to feast on clover, onions, sunflowers, potatoes, quinoa, sorrel, cruciferous crops, cereal ladders and some other plants. These parasites damage beets hardest from the end of April to the very middle of May. Late beet crops suffer the most from attacks of matt dead eaters, since seedlings with late sowing appear simultaneously with a massive release of the larvae of voracious scoundrels
Meet the pest
The Matt Dead Eater is a malicious bug that ranges in size from 10 to 12 mm. From above, the pest is painted black. At the same time, its body is covered with a huge number of small hairs, giving it a light yellowish-brownish tint. And the elytra of the matte dead-eaters are equipped with three elongated ribs.
The size of round, milky white eggs of harmful parasites reaches 1 mm. Shiny larvae, growing up to 25 - 28 mm, are characterized by a black color. Their body is flat, vaguely resembling the body of wood lice in appearance. All larvae are endowed with long legs with single-segmented tarsus and three-membered antennae. And on the tips of their abdomens there are a pair of widely spaced appendages. White pupae reach 11 - 12 mm in size.
Wintering of bugs takes place mainly in the soil, in the remains of vegetation and under soil lumps. They get out of the soil around April and immediately begin to feed. Then the harmful parasites mate, and the females go into the ground to a depth of five to seven centimeters, where they lay from one hundred to one hundred and twenty eggs. The process of laying them is somewhat stretched and can take from twelve to fifteen days. After about 6 - 10 days, the larvae revive, which, having got to the surface, begin to feed. They usually eat from eighteen to twenty-two days, managing to go through as many as four ages during this time. Both larvae and bugs feed exclusively in the evening or at night. All of them are incredibly fearful and, as soon as they sense danger, they immediately fall to the ground, trying to hide under lumps of soil.
The voracious larvae that have completed their development also go to the soil, where they pupate at a depth of ten centimeters in funny earthen cradles. As a rule, pupae develop within twelve to fifteen days, and voracious bugs appear in June. Females lay eggs in the soil after a short-term additional feeding. The development of the second generation is completely similar to the development of the first. And bugs of the second generation appear towards the end of July. They rarely get out on the soil surface, and as soon as the cold breaks out, they remain to winter in the ground.
Larvae damage beet crops to a much greater extent than beetles, however, beetles also contribute to a reduction in crop volumes. In most cases, harmful larvae eat the growing beets entirely, leaving only tiny stumps of them. And in mature plants, they eat leaves at the edges. Such leaves are easy to distinguish by their characteristic fringe from strongly chewed veins.
How to fight
The main preventive measures against matt dead eaters are the destruction of weeds and deep autumn plowing of the soil. Sowing beets in the early stages also gives a good prophylactic effect.
Insecticides are used only as a last resort, if the number of parasites on the site is especially high. The most effective drug against them is Rogor.
To a large extent, the reproduction of matte dead eaters and their subsequent development is facilitated by high humidity, therefore, this indicator on the site must be monitored especially carefully.
Recommended:
Guest House-bath
Relaxing in nature, as well as visiting the bathhouse, is a double pleasure. For numerous relatives and friends, build a bathhouse with a living room in your country residence. It is convenient, fashionable and comfortable
Metasequoia - A Guest From The Past
Under the hard-to-pronounce word hides a fast-growing coniferous tree that dominated the Earth tens of millions of years ago and was accidentally lost in the mountains of China, having survived to this day. The openwork pyramidal crown withstands frosts, dropping bright green needles for the winter
Sunny Guest From The East
Persimmon is not only tasty, but also healthy fruit. It contains many vitamins and minerals. Recently, you can find persimmons in markets and shops not only in winter and autumn, but almost all year round. This fruit is considered the second in terms of nutrient content after citrus fruits
Cabbage Scoop - An Uninvited Guest
The cabbage scoop does more than damage the cabbage. Onions, potatoes, lettuce, beets, peas and other crops (mainly of the root or stem plan) are often the subject of her attention. You can meet this polyphagous pest literally everywhere, with the exception of perhaps the Far North
Bacopa Madagascar - Overseas Guest
Bacopa Madagascar came to us from the reservoirs of distant Madagascar. It grows, as a rule, in small ponds and lakes, as well as in streams and flooded areas. She feels equally well both in semi-submerged form and being completely submerged under water. Occasionally, Madagascar Bacopa can be seen growing completely above water. In addition, it is perfect for decorating the foreground of various aquariums, since under water its height is quite small and ranges from five
