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The raspberry bug is one of the most common pests in many horticultural areas. The insect can cause significant damage to the crop if no action is taken to destroy it.
What is the name of the raspberry bug
Under this common name, plant owners mean a whole group of pests: forest tree bugs. These small bugs successfully parasitize on berry bushes, destroying the crop.
Most stink bugs are so similar in appearance that not every person can identify a specific species. That is why insects are often referred to simply as “stink bugs”.
Description of the raspberry bug with a photo
Berry shield can be found everywhere throughout Our Country. It safely harms not only cultivated, but also wild shrubs. In total, there are more than 4000 species of stink bugs, but one of the specific species likes to parasitize on raspberries.
Distinctive features of the green bug: its body is oval, protected by a shell and covered with tiny villi. Yellow-brown antennae are attached to the head. The wings are the same color. In length, the shield bug grows no more than 15 mm.
Keep in mind that the color of the beetle depends on the season. In spring, the raspberry bug is bright green in color, and by autumn it becomes a brown hue. This feature is a defense mechanism against birds and other predators.
Beetles are active from April to September-October, until frosts begin. On the eve of winter, raspberry bugs begin to look for shelter. They safely hide in the garbage, bark cracks, fallen leaves. It is quite possible to detect a beetle indoors.
The stink bug loves to live not only on raspberries, but also on currant, blackberry bushes, and it can also be found on cherries and cherries
The beetle has a peculiar life cycle: only a small number of insects survive to full maturity. During spring and summer, the female crimson bug lays her eggs twice on the underside of the leaf. Two weeks later, larvae hatch from them, which actively harm the shrub, feeding on the juice of the leaves. Most often this is manifested by the drying of the shoots.
Bed bugs can change their shell up to five times during their lifetime.
What harm does
Most gardeners are sure that the beetle is unable to cause significant harm to the crop, but this is an erroneous opinion. The raspberry bug is attracted to sweet juice, so the shield bug feeds on it, thereby weakening the bushes. Through damage, spores of fungi and bacteria safely penetrate the plant, so raspberries begin to get sick often.
But most often gardeners are irritated by the smell that remains after the beetle stays on the bush. This is due to the fact that the raspberry bug leaves its secretions with an unpleasant odor on the leaves and fruits.
Reasons for infection
Raspberry bug most often lives no more than 1-2 years. But even during this time they need to find a place for a safe wintering. For this, the insect uses the surrounding objects: leaves, cracks in old stumps. In the spring, as soon as the temperature rises to +15 ° C, the beetles begin to crawl out to search for a source of food.
As soon as the berries appear, the raspberry bugs begin their harmful activity, and also lay their eggs on the stems.
Stink bugs smell the plant, and this feature allows them to quickly find the bush. Gradually, if no measures are taken, all shrubs become infected.
What to do if there are bugs on raspberries
The choice of method of dealing with beetles depends on the personal preferences of the gardener. Consideration should be given to the effectiveness of the methods, as well as the possibility of their combination with each other. The success of the event depends on the degree of infection and the literacy of the actions of the raspberry owner.
If there are few stink bugs, then its mechanical collection is possible. It is best to carry out the procedure in cloudy weather, since in bright light the insect merges well with the environment. During collection, you should arm yourself with a container of water and gloves. Inspection of the leaves from the underside is required.
All found clutches of eggs should be destroyed, adults can be brushed into the water or crushed. If you miss at least one pest, they will soon multiply again.
Chemicals
Among the most effective measures to combat the raspberry bug, insecticidal agents should be highlighted. Currently, there are drugs with a wide spectrum of action that do not reduce the yield of the plant. There are no specialized remedies for raspberry bugs, so the following insecticides should be used:
- Aktellik;
- Fufanon;
- Karbofos.
These products are easy to use and can kill most insects.
Raspberries should be treated with insecticides from the bug twice a season: in the spring, when the buds have not yet opened, and before flowering.
The only drawback of insecticides is the high cost of drugs and the gradual development of beetle immunity to the main components.
Biological preparations
Those gardeners who are afraid of harming the environment often use a different group of tools. Biological preparations help fight the green bug on raspberries without harm to humans and plants.
Common means:
- Boverine: Made using the Boveria fungus. Spores that enter the body of an insect begin to develop rapidly and produce toxins that kill the raspberry bug. If the shield bug has been in contact with its relatives, then they will die from the fungus.
Although the drug is not dangerous for humans, it is recommended to use it with the use of personal protective equipment.
- Bitoxibacillin is another drug that contains bacteria that kill harmful insects. Among its shortcomings, a delayed action is noted: raspberry bugs die only on the third day after treatment.
Gardeners also note an unpleasant odor in the drug Bitoxibacillin
How to deal with bedbugs on raspberries with folk remedies
You can also get rid of the raspberry bug with the use of improvised substances. In the arsenal of gardeners, decoctions and infusions that are harmless to humans and plants, but dangerous to pests. But folk methods are not popular. This is primarily due to the need for frequent processing of shrubs throughout the season.
Recipes:
- Dilute mustard powder in cool water in a ratio of 10:1. The prepared product must be sprayed with raspberry bushes. Alternatively, gardeners water the plant from above with a watering can.
- Put the onion peel into a plastic or glass container, filling the container halfway, and then fill it to the top with water. The concentrate is ready for use five days after infusion. Its shelf life is 1-2 months. Before use, the product must be diluted with water 1: 4, and then sprayed with raspberries. Bedbug treatment should be done at least five times per season.
A peculiar folk method from an insect will be planting a cimicifuga, more commonly known as a black cohosh
Prevention
The best measure to prevent crimson bugs is to inspect the plant. Particular attention should be paid to shrubs in the summer, when the berries begin to ripen.
Suitable as a preventive measure and a solution of basil. To obtain it, you need to mix 100 g of grass with 8 liters of water and let it brew. Irrigation of shrubs with this remedy will scare off the shield insects.
Preventive measures:
- timely remove dry shoots left over from last year;
- remove and burn fallen leaves;
- plant raspberries in accordance with the rules of agricultural technology, prevent bushes from thickening;
- regularly destroy weeds.
It should be borne in mind that all preventive and folk remedies are effective only in early spring. If the shield insects are not destroyed in time, then only insecticides will help get rid of them at the height of summer.
Conclusion
The raspberry bug is a common pest in horticultural areas. The shield not only prevents the plant from developing fully, but also destroys the crop, leaving discharge with an unpleasant odor on the berries. To destroy the raspberry bug, you can use both chemicals and biological agents, and even folk methods.
