Spider mites on gooseberries. How to fight

As with other plants, insect pests often appear on gooseberries. They spoil the bushes, resulting in crop loss. The gooseberry spider mite is one of the pests that is a fairly frequent guest on the site. It is necessary to constantly inspect the bush. Because as soon as you forget about it, the gooseberry can die altogether. Remain without leaves and, accordingly, without sweet and tasty berries. Therefore, you should carefully study this issue. Know the characteristics of this pest. Because it's not enough just to get rid of it. And it is best to prevent the appearance of a spider mite and deal with it correctly.

Description of the pest

Spider mite on gooseberries: photo

The gooseberry spider mite is a very small sucking individual. Its size does not exceed 0.4 mm. The spider mite eats not only the leaves and branches of the gooseberry. It also attacks other berry bushes that are grown on the plots: grapes, currants, raspberry bushes. And also flowers: roses, elderberry.

The spider mite has a round body with pronounced bristles on it. And, as mentioned above, it has a very small, almost imperceptible size. Therefore, this insect is difficult to see with the naked eye.

These pests reproduce with the help of larvae, which are hatched from the laid eggs. An interesting fact is that the females of this insect emerge from eggs that have been fertilized. And males are from unfertilized eggs. The eggs are also round in shape. Mostly transparent or with some yellow tint.

The described pest can change color. So the tick can be either brown or yellow, and even green. Some individuals have small dark spots. During the time when the female spider mite leaves for the winter, her body changes color to a bright red or orange color.

When a larva emerges from an egg, it has three pairs of legs or, so to speak, walking limbs. After the first molt has passed, the larva turns into a nymph. At this stage, the limbs become more by one pair. This is how the adult remains.

Signs of the appearance of a spider mite on a gooseberry

Spider mite on gooseberries: photo

The harm that spider mites inflict on gooseberries is very large. Most often, it settles on the back of the leaves. Its presence can be seen thanks to the characteristic spider webs around the branches, stems and leaves.

The cobweb becomes more noticeable if the bush is doused with water. In the place where the spider mite stuck to the leaf, a white dot first appears. It gradually develops into a large spot without a definite color. If you see many spots on the leaves that resemble the color of marble, then the plant was attacked by a spider mite. And has already managed to multiply enough.
Affected leaves dry up and the shrub loses them. On such a bush that has been attacked by a spider mite, the yield is usually greatly reduced. The immunity of the bush becomes weak. Consequently, the plant becomes vulnerable to various fungal diseases. And also to lower the thermal regime.

It is important to note the fact that this pest is not an insect. Therefore, special insect repellents, insecticides, will not bring the desired result.Spider mites on gooseberries survive the winter, similarly to other insect pests, in the leaves under the bush, or in the upper layers of the soil. When the ground warms up well enough in spring and the plant begins to turn green, buds bloom, it is then that the wintering female again moves to the bush. And it begins to destroy leaves and stems, laying its eggs on the back of the leaf, which can also be seen with a magnifying glass.

You can make sure for sure that a spider mite attacked the bush by simply shaking the leaf from the plant slightly. This enemy will be immediately noticed.

Gooseberry spider mites: pest control products

Spider mite on gooseberries: photo

You can get rid of a spider mite on a gooseberry with the help of special preparations - acaricides. These are chemicals that are specifically bred to kill ticks. These remedies are effective against any mites. Not only those that live on plants, but also those that live and feed on the blood of animals and birds.

Drugs

The following are some drugs - acaricides that will help get rid of gooseberry spider mites. These funds are time-tested, and their effect is very noticeable: "Akartan"; "Zolon"; "Tedion"; "Antio"; "Cydial"; Metaphos; "Vofatox"; "Karbofos"; Phosphamide; and Phosphamide.

Colloidal sulfur

It has proven itself quite effectively in the fight against such pests as mites, colloidal sulfur. In addition, the tool effectively copes not only with spider mites, but also with various other microorganisms. And also with causative agents of various diseases and with fungi. Colloidal sulfur is classified as an inorganic fungicide.

In order to process a shrub, it is necessary to dilute 10 grams of sulfur in one liter of water. The dosage should be strictly observed. Because the wrong dosage can damage the leaves of the bush.

If the plant is badly damaged, the mite has multiplied not only on one shrub, but also on all other crops grown in the garden, it is necessary to apply the preparations in turn. Because this pest can develop resistance to acaricides.

For the entire vegetative period, no more than two treatments of the affected bush should be carried out. If after that the tick has not left the plant and the leaves also continue to change color or curl, then spraying can be carried out a third time.

Fighting spider mites is very difficult. And you have to repeat the procedure several times. Because the delayed larvae remain unaffected by the drug. And also those females that do not feed at the moment remain safe and sound. Therefore, the treatment is repeated so that the newly appeared larvae are also destroyed. The interval between the treatment of shrubs should be no more than 10 days. If the break is delayed, then females will be able to lay a new generation of eggs.

Other mixtures

Experienced summer residents also advise adding anti-tick drugs to other means that are used to destroy other insect pests, for example, in a chlorophos solution. With the resulting mixture, it is necessary to process shrubs that have finished blooming. If fruits have already formed on the bush, then no chemical agents can be used to destroy pests. Because the berries will not be suitable for consumption.

Apollo

According to the reviews of experienced summer residents, the drug "Apollo" is very popular. The remedy is very effective. But when using it, you should strictly follow the rules specified in the instructions. Because the vapors that come from this drug can harm a person's health. During processing, you should observe your own safety measures. And spray in a special protective suit, mask and respirator. After processing, you should take a shower and change clothes.

Gooseberry spider mite: preventive measures

Spider mite on gooseberries: photo

Also, the appearance of a spider mite on a gooseberry is easier to prevent than to get rid of it. This rule applies not only to the tick, but also to all pests. Keep under the bushes clean. Remove and destroy fallen leaves in time. And also carry out regular weeding and loosening. When the summer is dry, you should regularly hose it down. It is desirable that the jet be very strong. Then the pests will simply be washed off with water.

You can irrigate with water with the addition of manganese or warm water, the temperature of which will be about 65 degrees. This watering should be done in the evening. Periodic processing of shrubs with infusion of onion peels helps a lot. To prepare the solution, it is necessary to pour the onion peel with water in a ratio of one to two. Leave this mixture to infuse for about 2 days.

Before processing, the infusion is additionally diluted with water about two times. It is recommended to process plants with the resulting composition once a week. It should also be noted that the treatment of shrubs from various pests, regardless of what composition you use, chemical or folk, must be carried out in such weather that the air temperature is not lower than 18 degrees. This should be done for the best impact efficiency.

Gooseberry spider mite: a manual way to destroy the pest

Spider mite on gooseberries: photo

You can also get rid of spider mites mechanically. It is necessary to carefully inspect the leaves and branches of shrubs daily. Any leaves that look unhealthy — dry, spotted, curled — should be torn off and destroyed. This procedure will prevent pests from breeding.

If the plant is very badly affected and you cannot save it in any way, no matter what drugs you use, you just need to cut down the shrub. It should be noted that the spider mite does not like high humidity levels very much. In addition to spider mites, other insect pests cannot tolerate high humidity. Therefore, if you spray the shrub with water from a hose from time to time, then ticks and other pests will not settle on this shrub. And you will not need to spend time and effort to fight them in the future.

Concluding, we can say that the spider mite causes great harm to gooseberries and other berry bushes. You can notice the tick in time by carefully examining the bush. There are acaricides to destroy the pest. In addition, preventive measures must be followed in order to protect the bush from the attack of not only spider mites, but also other pests.