Kivsyak: how to fight
Kivsiak is a pest that looks like a centipede. It lives in the soil and damages the roots of plants, which causes them to stop growing and wither. His particular danger lies in his gluttony: in a day he can eat the volume of plants, which is 1,5 times his weight. These pests are small – from 7 to 15 mm. Their reproduction takes place by laying eggs.
It is easier to take care of prevention in advance. In this case, your harvest will be healthy and you will not need to think about how to deal with kivsyak.
Fighting kivsyak is a difficult process, so take care of preventive measures in advance
To prevent the appearance of this pest, take the following measures:
- Work the soil in the fall after harvest and in the spring before planting the seedlings. Remove plant debris and weeds from the soil and loosen the soil.
- The presence of green manure on the site reduces the risk of the appearance of kivsyaks. These are, for example, white mustard, peas, sunflower, yellow lupine.
- Liming the earth.
- Check the planting material, especially manure. Before buying it, make sure of the quality, as this is often the reason for the appearance of pests. Either buy a quality one or refuse to use it.
By observing these rules, you will significantly reduce the risk of pests on your site.
How to get rid of kivsyaks
In the fight against them, use the following methods:
- Use pieces of vegetables as bait, which should be treated with insecticides before that. Scatter them around the garden.
- Use chemicals such as Aktofit, Zemlin, Fury, Karate, and others. They need to cultivate the land in the evening, when insects get out of the soil.
- These pests love damp hiding places, which is why some people use bait as a control method. Build some kind of wet shelter, you can use boards for this. Place them next to the garden bed. In the evening, insects will get out of the ground and gather on these boards, you just have to collect and destroy them.
- The centipede often appears on strawberries. To prevent this, cover the soil next to it.
- Try treating the ground with a solution of chloride salts in the evening.
When using chemicals, remember that they do not work on all types of centipedes. Also, a simple treatment of the leaves and stems of the plant will not help, since the pest lives in the soil.
Fighting kivsyak is not an easy task that requires time and effort. These insects can wreak havoc on your crop, so take the time to prevent them from emerging.