2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Redcurrant aphids live almost everywhere and, in addition to red currants, they also damage black and white. Sometimes roses and gooseberries also suffer from her attacks. Particularly severe damage can be seen towards the end of July. The tissues damaged by parasites grow strongly, and the leaf blades bulge noticeably, and the appearance of swelling is noted on them. During the year, the harmful red currant aphid is capable of producing several generations (mainly four to five), which has a very negative effect on the volume of berry harvest, since the growth in damaged crops is very weak. In addition, these parasites are carriers of a huge number of different diseases
Meet the pest
The redcurrant aphid is a leafy gall aphid belonging to the order of Homoptera. The length of the lemon-yellow wingless parthenogenetic females is about 2, 2 - 2, 3 mm. Their tails are white, the antennae are larger than the body, and the length of the cylindrical tubes exceeds the length of the tails. The size of grayish-brown winged females reaches 2.4 mm. And the larvae of the redcurrant aphid are painted in green tones.
Fertilized eggs overwinter on young currant shoots. Gluttonous larvae revive in the spring, as soon as the first leaves begin to bloom. They usually settle on the undersides of young leaves. A couple of weeks later, the larvae develop into parthenogenetic females that reproduce by live birth. And two or three generations later, before the growth of leaves and their coarsening ends (approximately at the end of June or at the beginning of July), females appear, migrating to vegetation from the family Labiata. Giving birth to live larvae there, they continue their development until the end of the summer season. Moreover, this development takes place in parallel on herbaceous plants and currants.
Towards the end of August or in September, the females return to the currants again and revive more larvae. As a result of the feeding of harmful parasites, galls are formed on the upper sides of the leaves attacked by them, painted in yellowish-greenish or cherry-reddish tones. Females of the last generation lay overwintering eggs, about three to six pieces. The laying period is usually late September or early October. Eggs overwinter, as mentioned above, almost always on the branches of berry bushes. And all other harmful individuals, as soon as the autumn temperature drop occurs, rather quickly die.
How to fight
Leaves with galls damaged by redcurrant aphids, as well as the tops of shoots with lumps of leaves, should be cut off. It is on the tops that pest colonies are often concentrated. Weed vegetation must be promptly eliminated from the plots, since it is the intermediate host of aphids.
Currant bushes from redcurrant aphids are sprayed with infusions or decoctions of chamomile, dandelion, yarrow or tobacco with soap. Garlic and onion infusions will also serve well. About a week later, re-treatment with the above means is carried out. Carrying out such treatments, the undersides of the leaves should be moistened with special care. However, such measures are effective only with a relatively low number of red currant aphids.
If the number of uninvited guests is high enough, in early spring, before the buds begin to swell, currant bushes are treated with insecticides. In case of severe infection, treatments are carried out with "Rovikurt" or "Karbofos". You can also spray berry bushes with Kinmix or Fufanon. Preparations called "Karate" and "Bi-58 New" have also proven themselves quite well.
The number of redcurrant aphids is also perfectly reduced by a huge number of all kinds of predatory insects. The seven-spotted ladybird, also called the aphid ladybird, is considered their especially active enemy.
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