Many insects like cabbage. Midges pose a threat to it throughout the growing season, but most often they bother young, fragile shoots in early spring. What to do if midges appear on cabbage? You can fight them using folk methods and chemicals, and simple measures will help protect the seedlings. Let's look at each point in more detail.
Young, juicy leaves of cabbage attract many agricultural pests, so cabbage beds need to be protected from their attacks from the moment the first shoots appear on it. In addition to the cabbage fly, the following pose a great danger to immature sprouts and already formed leaves:
- cruciferous flea beetles;
- cabbage aphid;
- thrips.
All these insects are similar to midges (and are popularly called that), but they belong to different families of insects and differ in color, body shape and feeding behavior. What they have in common is that they appear on cabbage beds earlier than all other pests, so there are especially many of them in the spring, when cabbage seedlings are just beginning to take root in the soil. If you do not save the seedlings from the invasion of midges in time, they will all die.
Why do midges appear on cabbage?
The midge eats cabbage with its piercing-sucking mouthparts. With its help, it sucks out cell sap, which contains a large amount of nutrients. Pests attack plantings during the period of their active growth, when the texture of the leaves is most delicate. The period of parasite activity is from May to September . Often parasites attack seedlings that are just planted in the ground.
Why are they dangerous?
The danger of these pests lies in the following negative effects on crop plants:
- in severe damage to leaf blades, leading to their withering and drying out;
- reducing the leaf area involved in photosynthesis, which significantly reduces the accumulation of nutrients in heads of cabbage;
- reduction in the yield and quality of cabbage heads;
- complete destruction of seedlings and death of the entire plantation.
Settling on the cabbage seeds, flea beetles damage the leaves and cause a decrease in the yield and quality of the seeds.
On a note. Contrary to misconception, flea beetles do not cause serious damage to the root system - their larvae developing in the soil eat the roots, but do not cause significant damage to the plants.
Types of insects and signs of parasitism
Cabbage fly is a small crawling and flying insect.
The most common among them are:
- thrips;
- whiteflies;
- cruciferous flea beetles.
Yellow dots, unsightly stains and small through holes appear on the affected crop. With extensive damage, plants wither and die.
Thrips
It is difficult to see thrips on cabbage, since they are small, their size does not exceed 1 mm. Tiny milky insects leave behind:
- dark spots on leaves;
- areas lacking pigmentation;
- yellowed and wilted cabbage leaves.
Thrips carry the mosaic virus, which in itself is dangerous for white cabbage and Chinese cabbage.
Cruciferous flea beetle
A small black pest called the cruciferous flea beetle, its size does not exceed 4 mm. The insect has jumping legs, which allows it to quickly move between plantings.
Read more about how to fight and how to treat cabbage against cruciferous flea beetle in this article.
The midge leaves behind small through holes. Damaged areas of plants quickly turn yellow and wither. The main activity of these parasites is observed from May to June. Pests are most voracious in hot and dry weather.
Whitefly
In appearance, the whitefly resembles a small moth. Its wings are white and its belly is beige. The total size of the pest does not exceed 3 mm. Midge larvae stick to the bottom of the leaf, eating and sucking the juice from it.
During their life, pests secrete a liquid with a high sugar content, in which fungi rapidly develop, accelerating the death of the crop. A plant affected by whitefly loses cellular tone, turns yellow and dies.
What pests do gardeners call midges?
Whitefly
An alternative name is white midge. Whiteflies belong to the Aleurodidae family. The insects have symmetrical paired wings of a light shade; there is a trunk on the head for sucking cabbage juice. The body color is light yellow or pale brown, the length is from 1 to 1.5 mm.
Whiteflies prefer to feed and breed on the undersides of leaves. Insects lay small, pale green eggs 0.2 mm in size, which are invisible against the background of foliage. Using sticky saliva, pests attach eggs to the leaf blade. After a few days, the masonry turns brown.
After 1-2 weeks, transparent larvae 0.25 mm long hatch from the eggs. They attach to the leaf blade and suck out the juice using a specific mouthparts. They actively feed on sap, so the plant quickly withers and loses resistance to fungal and infectious diseases.
After 14-15 days after hatching, the larva stops feeding and pupates. Metamorphosis into an adult takes up to 16 days. Whiteflies remain on cabbage seedlings for some time, after which they can move to other plants.
Advice
The duration of each growth stage depends on the ambient temperature. The warmer the climate, the faster insects develop.
Cruciferous flea beetle
These insects are also called black midges.
Cruciferous flea beetles are leaf beetles. Pests have an elongated body, the length of which is about 3 mm. The color of the exoskeleton depends on the type of flea; it can be dark, brown, black with light legs. On the head of an adult insect there are antennae consisting of 11 parts. Unlike other insects, black midges can jump long distances, due to which they quickly spread throughout the garden. Adults eat leaves, while their larvae feed on the root system of cabbage. Midges have a black body with a metallic sheen. Small gray dots can be distinguished on the elytra and head of the insect.
Adult flea beetles overwinter in the upper layers of soil, covered with organic debris. With the onset of spring, they migrate to weeds, which they feed on until the first cabbage shoots appear. The gnawing mouthparts allow pests to scrape off the dense skin on the leaf blade and eat the juicy pulp. Because of this, holes appear on the leaves.
When the air temperature rises to +15°C, the breeding season begins. Females lay oval, light yellow eggs in the ground. Their length is 0.3-0.4 mm. They hatch into cream-colored larvae with 3 pairs of legs. After 2 weeks they pupate in the soil. In mid-August, adult cruciferous flea beetles are born.
Thrips
Insects are small beetles with an oblong body of black or gray-brown color.
Their growth rate depends on the species. Body length ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 mm. The mouthparts are piercing-sucking type. The body is supported by short legs designed for fast running. On each limb there is a dense growth at the base. Insects have wings on which there are 2-3 longitudinal veins and dense pile at the ends. The abdomen of thrips consists of 11 parts. Adults lay white eggs, which hatch into beige or gray larvae.
Aphid
The shape of the insect's body resembles a hemisphere, an egg or an oblong ellipse with a length of 0.3 to 0.8 mm.
Unlike other insects, the outer shell of aphids is soft and translucent. The color of the insect matches the color of the cabbage leaves, which helps the colony remain undetected for a long time. The surface of the body is covered with outgrowths and villi of different lengths. On the head there are antennae consisting of 5-6 parts. With their help, insects hear and touch. Below the antennae there are eyes that are red, black or brown. Aphids feed on sap from leaves, so the insect’s mouthparts are of the sucking type—represented in the form of a sharp trunk that pierces the leaf plate.
Thin legs allow the insect to cover long distances. Females forming a new colony have colorless wings.
Specifics of insect control
To prevent the appearance of insects on plants, preventive and protective measures should be carried out in a timely manner. At the initial stages of damage, traditional methods of exterminating pests are effective. When there is a massive invasion of midges, biological and chemical preparations are used.
If pests are found on the plantings, the plants should be treated immediately. In one day, the cabbage midge can increase its colony several times.
It is necessary to treat cabbage against black midges with chemical and biological substances a month before harvest. Otherwise, drug residues may end up in your food. Traditional methods can be used throughout the entire period of plant growth.
Chemical insecticides
If the problem cannot be eliminated using “grandmother’s” methods, you can resort to more aggressive methods of destroying the cruciferous midge. For this purpose, special preparations are used.
Another article:
How to get rid of onion flies in the garden
- "Aktellik". Spraying the soil with a solution of this drug helps destroy insect pests and prevent their reappearance.
- "Initiative". The main substance of the drug is diazonin. It helps kill black midges that damage cabbage plantings. It is better to apply “Pochin” to the soil during planting to destroy the larvae of harmful insects.
- "Decis Profi". The drug has an instant effect: insects die within a few seconds. Does not wash off after watering or rain. The protection period is up to 15 days.
- "Bankol." This is one of the most effective universal insecticides against garden pests. It has a low level of toxicity to soil and other animals. Provides reliable protection of plants from pests for up to 20 days.
Means used
Folk and biological remedies can be used to combat cabbage midges. Chemicals are only used when there are large numbers of insects, as particles can remain in the tissues of the plant, making it toxic to humans.
Folk recipes
Traditional methods are effective when the number of parasites in the garden is insignificant. These products can also be used immediately after planting seedlings in the ground to prevent insect infestations.
Tobacco dust and wood ash
Ash and tobacco dust repel small pests from cabbage. To obtain the desired effect, the plantings and the soil around them are sprinkled with a mixture of these components. The treatment must be repeated every time after rain.
For better fixation of particles on plants, a homemade solution is prepared containing:
- 10 liters of water;
- half a bar of laundry soap;
- 1 tbsp. tobacco dust;
- 2 tbsp. ash.
The resulting mixture is sprayed on plants several hours before the rain. It is recommended to choose days when the air temperature exceeds +18 degrees. You can spray the resulting solution on the plantings several times a season.
Celandine and tansy
The dried parts of celandine and tansy are ground into dust. The resulting powder should be sprinkled onto the soil and cabbage to prevent midges. Pests cannot tolerate the smell of these herbs and leave the treated areas. Based on the components in question, you can prepare a tincture and pour it over the cabbage against midges. This method is no less effective.
Garlic infusion
The garlic smell repels many pests, including cabbage midges. To protect plants, a tincture is made consisting of 10 crushed heads of garlic and 2 liters of water. After a day, the resulting solution is filtered and diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. The resulting product should be sprayed onto the affected plantings. For better effect, liquid soap is added to the tincture.
Dandelion
Dandelion tincture allows you to save your cabbage harvest from midges in 2-3 applications. To prepare the product, the fresh plant is crushed and filled with water in a 1:1 ratio. After 2 hours, the resulting mixture is sprayed onto the plantings. The treatment should be repeated up to 3 times with an interval of 2-3 days.
Red pepper
Hot peppers can effectively fight cruciferous flea beetles. To process cabbage, prepare an infusion of 5 g of red pepper and 1 liter of water. After a few hours, the solution is mixed with a small amount of liquid soap. The resulting product is used to irrigate seedlings in warm weather 5-6 hours before rain.
Needles
It’s easy to get rid of small midges on cabbage using folk remedies and essential oils. To do this, mix 15 drops of ether and 10 liters of warm water. The resulting solution is sprayed onto the cabbage and the soil around it.
Chicken droppings
Chicken droppings not only repel insects from the crop, but also promote its active growth.
To get an effective remedy:
- a hundred-liter barrel is filled by a third with manure;
- the remaining volume is filled with water;
- the mixture is infused for 3-4 days.
Before treating the plantings, the resulting product is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. The prepared infusion should be watered over the plants.
This method can be used as a preventive measure. Treatment can be done once every 2 weeks.
Vinegar and ammonia
Ammonia and vinegar are effective against midges on cabbage. These substances have different spectrums of action. A vinegar solution consisting of 50 ml of 70% vinegar and 10 liters of water leads to the death of pests. It is recommended to do the treatment no more than once every 14 days. The smell of ammonia repels insects and protects the crop. A solution of 25 ml of ammonia and 10 liters of water is sprayed over the area with the crop.
Note! Cabbage should be processed when the sun is setting. Direct sunlight when interacting with particles of vinegar or ammonia will lead to the formation of burns on the plant.
Potato and tomato tops
Potato and tomato tops effectively combat midges in plantings. The solution is made from 3 kg of twisted greens and 5 liters of water. The mixture is boiled for 30 minutes, after which it is infused for at least a day. The resulting solution is filtered and diluted with clean water in a 1:1 ratio. The product is sprayed onto plants and the soil around them. This mixture is also a good fertilizer for bushes.
Infusion of common yarrow
A tincture based on yarrow leads to the death of small pests on cabbage seedlings, which makes it possible to protect it. To prepare it:
- 800 g of dry herb are steamed with 2 liters of boiling water and left for 30 minutes;
- the resulting mixture is filtered and diluted with 10 liters of water;
- Before treatment, wait at least 4 days for the solution to infuse.
The prepared product is sprayed onto the plantings and the ground around them.
Valerian solution
A pharmaceutical solution of valerian with the addition of a lathering component allows you to quickly get rid of parasites on the crop. To prepare a solution for irrigating cabbage, mix 3 liters of water, 2 tbsp. l. liquid soap and 1 small bottle of liquid valerian. The bushes are treated once and repeated after each heavy rain.
What does a cabbage fly look like - description
There are 2 types of cabbage fly:
- spring
- summer
They are very similar to each other.
The summer one is larger - the length of the individual is 7.5 mm (female), 5.5 (male), the spring one - 6 mm. The color is ash, there is a longitudinal line across the belly.
Males are slightly darker.
The pests are very similar to the popular and well-known fruit flies, only smaller.
The cabbage fly is a member of the flower fly family. The name is given because their emergence coincides with the color of most fruit crops.
The emergence of pests starts during the lilac blossom.
The summer species “wakes up” about 14 days later.
cabbage fly
After a couple of days of the beginning of the month of June, the pest mates.
After 14 days, female insects lay eggs (150 pieces). Mating occurs at or close to the base of the cabbage root, right under the top layer of soil.
After 10 days, the larvae emerge from the eggs and harm cruciferous crops.
From now on, the vegetable suffers from larvae, since adult insects are not dangerous for garden crops, they eat flower nectar and pollinate - that is, they are even useful.
The larvae crawl under the root part and operate under it, causing harm.
The insects, depending on the temperature, develop over the course of 21 weeks, then are released and degenerate into a pupa right in the ground.
The development of the pupa takes 20 days from the time the adult emerges.
What is the danger of cabbage fly for plants:
- The larvae need to constantly nourish the body by consuming cabbage root.
- Due to the fact that the root system is destroyed, the vegetable dies. Destruction occurs in 21-28 days. During this period, pupation occurs. After this time, the second generation of the dangerous insect emerges.
- Under positive conditions, the 3rd and 4th generations of this pest are born. True, they will do less harm.
To ensure minimal harm, gardening pros recommend systematically implementing vegetable crop rotation.
What does an affected cabbage leaf look like?
Initially, the seedlings wither.
It may seem that this is a symptom of a lack of soil moisture, but in fact, the cabbage root is deteriorating.
This is explained by the fact that the cabbage itself does not have enough moisture, which has an injured vascular system through which water comes from the root.
The second symptom that the cabbage is damaged is that the foliage of the vegetable becomes blue-leaden.
Cabbage damaged by cabbage fly
Biological drugs
Components of biological origin are effective against moderate damage to plantings. When choosing a suitable drug, you should read the instructions and choose a product with a suitable waiting period.
Note! Waiting period is the time from processing to harvest.
The most effective drugs are:
- Lepidocide. The product is effective against whiteflies. The plantings are treated twice with a substance diluted in water with an interval of one week, no later than 5 days before harvesting.
- Bitoxibacillin. A drug identical in action to Lepidocide. The plantings are processed twice with an interval of 1-1.5 weeks. After processing, 5 days must pass before the product is consumed.
- Biostop. The drug is effective against many small parasites. The solution is diluted according to the instructions and applied to the plantings twice with an interval of 1 week. 2 days after spraying, cabbage can be eaten.
In case of mass infestation of seedlings by midges, biological agents may be ineffective.
Chemicals
Chemicals are used to treat cabbage in extreme cases, since the solution gets on the leaves, which subsequently end up inside the head of cabbage. This can lead to human poisoning.
Bankol
The drug "Bankol" is used to destroy pests on cauliflower and white cabbage 20 days before it ripens. For spraying, prepare a solution of 5 g of the active ingredient and 5 liters of water. It is enough to carry out one treatment per season.
Decis Profi
The “Decis Profi” agent for treating cabbage is dissolved in 5 liters of water in an amount of 0.5 g. Plantings are treated no more than once per season, at least a week before harvest.
Initiative
The drug "Pochin" is an insecticide added to the soil before planting. The granules should be poured into a liter jar of sand and mixed. The resulting mixture is added to each well, 2 tbsp. l. If the product was not applied when planting seedlings, it can be distributed over the soil around each plant.
Aktellik
The drug "Actellik" allows you to exterminate all types of midges on cabbage in 1-2 treatments. Spraying of plantings is carried out with a solution made from 700 ml of water and 2 ml of the active component.
At least 30 days must pass between irrigating plants and harvesting.
Cruciferous flea beetle
This pest is most common in the European and Central Asian parts of Russia, the Caucasus and western Siberia. In a short time, the population of flea beetles on each cabbage sprout can reach 200 individuals, as a result of which the entire seedling will die. Adult insects overwinter in the upper soil layers and under plant matter that has not been harvested from the garden.
The most common types of cruciferous flea beetle:
- Southern cruciferous or black. The most dangerous and widespread pest of all cruciferous crops. Adult insects skeletonize leaves, and larvae eat small roots. Adult insects are black, sometimes with a metallic tint. Rows of dots can be seen on the head and elytra. If black bugs appear on cabbage leaves, then these are probably black cruciferous flea beetles.
- Wavy. The larvae infect the lateral roots, and adult insects skeletonize the leaves - they eat away the soft tissues of the leaf, leaving veins. Adult insects have a black head and black pronotum, yellow stripes on the elytra and a black tapering suture stripe.
- Light-footed. The head and front part of the back are black with a greenish or bluish tint, the legs are yellow, and there is a black suture stripe on the elytra. It mines leaves by piercing them with its proboscis to suck out the juice and lay eggs. As a result, patterned spots remain on the leaves. The larvae make tunnels inside the leaf, leaving characteristic whitish paths.
- Notched. The elytra have yellow notched stripes on the sides and a black suture stripe thickened in the middle. Adult beetles gnaw leaves, larvae feed on roots.
All of the listed flea beetles belong to the family of leaf beetles; they are small, only 2-3 mm in length, and therefore are hardly noticeable on plants. They are named fleas because of their long hind legs, which allow them to jump well.
Timing and technology for processing cabbage plantings
Products consisting of dry components are recommended to be used at any time of the day in the absence of wind. Spraying is carried out in the morning or evening, provided that there is no wind and dew drops on the leaves. The optimal temperature for processing is up to +21 degrees.
To combat insects, freshly prepared products should be used. Before processing, you must wear gloves and thick clothing to protect your skin. When spraying, make sure that most of the solution falls on the lower part of the leaf.
How to kill insects on cabbage seedlings?
If pests attacked cabbage seedlings before planting in the ground, chemicals should not be used. It is worth using traditional methods, or you can fill the soil around the plants with soda, and apply a solution of water and toothpaste to the plantings themselves.
If the number of parasites is large, you can use Dichlorvos or Dust.
If the seedlings began to be eaten immediately after planting in open soil, you should choose one of the methods described above and process the plants as soon as possible.
Prevention and protection
To prevent a massive invasion of pests, all weeds and deposits of dry grass on the site must be removed in a timely manner. All plant waste located near the plantings must also be disposed of.
Most pests are most active in dry and hot weather. To protect healthy plants from invasion by parasites, they should be covered with a thin covering material that allows air to pass through. To reduce the number of midges next year, it is recommended to deep dig the soil in the fall.
Cabbage is attacked by various pests, which gardeners call midges. All of them are equally dangerous, but with the timely use of special means, the crop can be saved without even minimal losses.
