Cabbage whitewash is a crop pest
This harmful insect does a lot of harm by destroying cabbage. It occurs very often, but not everyone knows how to get rid of it. In this article, we will take a closer look at what a cabbage plant is, where it lives and how to deal with it.
General information
Probably, many people know what a cabbage plant looks like. An adult individual (also called an imago) of a cabbage whiteness, the photo of which is located below, is very large in size. It has white wings with black corners in front, the span reaches as much as 6 cm. Caterpillars of the cabbage whiteness are yellow-green, there are many black dots on the body, and stripes on the back. Their size is about 4 cm.
What harm do cabbage plants do?
Since the second half of summer, cabbage whites destroy the crop. They eat leaves at the edges. If there are a lot of larvae, then they can destroy the pulp of the cabbage, and after a couple of days, the whole head of cabbage.
Development cycle of cabbage whites
Before an adult appears, the cabbage goes through several stages:
- In winter, these are pupae. They hibernate on trees, various bushes or walls of buildings. After a short period of time after the emergence of an individual, they begin to lay their eggs on cabbage leaves. Females lay their eggs in heaps from 15 to 200 pieces.
- After a few weeks, caterpillars appear and molt (this process lasts from several weeks to a month). After that, a cabbage whitewash grows - a butterfly.
Prevention
Starting in July, it is necessary to carry out a thorough examination of the cabbage leaves, and immediately destroy the eggs. If you find cabbages, immediately resort to measures to prevent them.
Measures to combat cabbage whites
You can fight the pest using various methods, there are a lot of them. Let's consider the most effective ones. But first, a few tips:
- When spring comes, the garden needs to be cleared of old weeds and grasses, because butterflies love to eat them before laying eggs.
- Inspect the bottom of the cabbage every day, the pests live there.
- Kill any clumps of cabbage eggs immediately.
- In the fall, you need to dig up the garden.
- It is better to plant cabbage early, before the butterflies start to fly.
The most effective method, as mentioned above, is a daily inspection cabbage... Inspection of neighboring crops will not be superfluous, since pests can settle there too. But this method still does not completely get rid of cabbage. And it takes a lot of energy. The best thing in this case would be the use of special drugs - poisons. There are many means to destroy the cabbage scoop, but insecticides such as Kinmiks and Fitoverm are considered the most effective. They will help to completely neutralize these and other cabbage pests.
Kinmix
A drug that is used to combat any kind of harmful insects. It is better to treat the plants with a fresh solution of the poison, equally wetting both sides of the leaves. All this should be done in the morning or evening in the absence of wind. It is prohibited to store it ready-made.It is necessary to work in clothes that reliably protect the body, as well as in a special bandage. Kinmix is very dangerous to humans, so take all precautions. It is necessary to dilute the powder in 10 liters of water.
Fitoverm
Another effective tool in the fight against garden pests. It is also necessary to work in the absence of wind and rain, in protective clothing. After 6 hours, the pests will stop gnawing the cabbage. Use 2 ml of solution for 250 ml of water.
Popular folk remedies for combating cabbage whites
There are also folk methods of dealing with cabbage whites. These methods are widely used by many gardeners. They are more popular, because they are absolutely safe for human health and pets. But traditional methods are less effective.
- Take 10 liters of water, be sure to hot, add 100 grams of dry mustard there. Stir well and leave for several days. After that, dilute again with water, but with cold water, in a 1: 1 ratio.
- When wormwood blooms, you need to collect it, finely chop it. Take 1 kg of grass, pour a small amount of water and boil for 15 minutes. After complete cooling, add another 10 liters of water and spray the cabbage once every 7 days.
- Chamomile is also widely used and can be easily found in the pharmacy. Take 1 kg of grass per 10 liters of water. Insist half a day, then strain and add another 20 liters of water and 100 grams of soap.
As a preventive measure, you can water the garden with an extract from the leaves tomato... Kapustyanka doesn't like this smell. Most importantly, inspect the leaves carefully, this will help prevent the development of cabbage whites.