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The cabbage scoop is a polyphagous pest that can destroy a significant part of cabbage plantings because it prefers to attack all cruciferous crops. Belongs to the class of insects, the scoop family. To protect cabbage beds, you need to know the peculiarities of the development of the pest and methods of dealing with it.
Why is the cabbage scoop caterpillar dangerous?
To begin with, you should briefly familiarize yourself with the pest itself - the cabbage scoop. This is the name of the butterfly, although its larvae pose a danger in the garden. She is rather nondescript, she has large wings with denticles along the edges. The color of the scoop is grayish-brown, fertility is very high.
The nondescript appearance of a butterfly should not make summer residents feel safe for cabbage.
While the cabbage is growing in the garden, the pest can produce 2 or 3 offspring. But the number of eggs in a clutch directly depends on the region. In areas with a cold climate, this happens only once. The southern regions are more affected, where the moth lays eggs again.
The moth larvae do the main harm to plants at night, during the day they have a rest time. Therefore, it is difficult to notice the eggs and caterpillars of the pest during daylight hours. The butterfly lays eggs on the inside of cabbage leaves and it will not be possible to detect this dangerous focus without injuring them. The greenish larvae first scrape off the tissue on the underside of the cabbage leaf, then begin to gnaw holes of various shapes on them.
Particular attention should be paid to measures to combat voracious caterpillars
After the appearance of the scoop, only thick veins remain on the leaves. On young cabbage seedlings, the pest gnaws off the stem, and the plant dies.
During the day, scoop caterpillars gather at the very base of the cabbage head. When autumn comes, they actively penetrate the cabbage head, gnaw through the passages and pollute the head of cabbage with excrement. Such specimens are no longer suitable for storage and consumption.
Having penetrated into the core, the caterpillar moves to the stalk, eating away the inside of the vegetable along the way. The forks may appear relatively healthy on the outside but empty on the inside.
The cabbage scoop overwinters in the ground at a depth of 1 m.
Signs of a cabbage scoop
Knowledge of the biological characteristics of the development of the scoop will help determine the time of appearance of the pest. Butterflies appear on the site in late May or early June. Laying eggs begins immediately. After 10-12 days, caterpillars (larvae) will appear from them, which will complete their development within 3.5 to 7 weeks. The first generation of the scoop will pupate at the end of June, the next in October. Then the pupae overwinter, and butterflies will appear on the site again. Focusing on the stages of development of the pest, you can notice in time its appearance on the site:
- At the stage of seedling growth, the caterpillars of the cabbage moth gnaw the trunks of the seedlings. As soon as fallen plants are noticed in the garden, it means that the larvae of the scoop have already appeared and attacked the cabbage.
- As soon as the heads of cabbage begin to set, places with eaten juicy pulp appear on the leaves. Only thick streaks remain - these are traces of third-instar scoop caterpillars.
If you do not take action on time, cabbage can lose the bulk of its leaves.
The listed signs indicate to the vegetable grower that there is a pest on the cabbage beds.
How to deal with a cabbage scoop
This process is quite complicated. To defeat the enemy of cabbage, different methods of fighting are used:
- agrotechnical;
- mechanical;
- biological;
- chemical.
In addition, folk methods and preventive measures are very effective. Such a number of techniques is due to the fact that the fight against the cabbage scoop has to be carried out at any stage of development.
Measures to combat cabbage scoop with folk remedies
Similar techniques are used by vegetable growers who prefer environmentally friendly formulations or preparations. The main ingredient in recipes against cabbage scoop are herbs with a specific flavor or spice. From a large list of funds, you need to highlight the existing and proven ones:
- Hot pepper. You can take fresh (100 g) or dried (20 g) pods. Pour raw materials with water (1 l) and boil for 1 hour. Filter, leave for 2 days in a sealed container. Before processing cabbage, dilute the resulting volume of solution in 10 liters of water.
- Wormwood. Collect the grass in the flowering phase, before preparing the solution, chop the color and stems. Boil 10 liters of water, add 350 g of chopped raw materials, leave for 6 hours. To increase the effectiveness of the scoop remedy, you need to add 1 tbsp. l. liquid soap. Spray the plants 2 times at intervals of 14 days. You can cook wormwood in another way. Insist 100 g of dry bird droppings in 3 liters of water for 2 days. Then boil 1 kg of wormwood in 3 liters of water for at least 15 minutes. Strain the droppings and wormwood, combine the compositions, add water to a volume of 10 liters. Spray the cabbage 2 times after 7 days.
In addition to infusions against cabbage scoop, aroma traps work well. They need to put bait, such as sweet jam or fermented jam, set near the garden. These can be plastic cups, which are important to place at a distance of 1 m from the ridges where the pest is seen. The mixture must be added as it evaporates, after 2 weeks it must be replaced with a new portion.
Some gardeners prefer wood ash infusion (1 glass) + tobacco leaves (200 g) + mustard powder (15 g) + liquid soap (30 g). Mix the components, pour boiling water (19 l), leave for 24 hours.
To save the heads of cabbage, gardeners should start the fight well in advance of their formation.
Biologicals against cabbage scoop
Manufacturers produce a wide range of anti-cabbage scoop biologics for on-site use. The main advantage of such tools is safety. This applies to humans and garden crops. Each package contains instructions for use, which allows you to competently process cabbage. It is important to remember that the drug should first be diluted in a small volume of water. The second condition is that the last treatment against the scoop should be no later than 5 days before the start of the collection of heads. Fitoverm, Lepidocid, Biostop, Bitoxybacillin are used.
Before processing, you should carefully read the instructions for use.
Another modern biological method is the use of insects - trichograms. These hymenoptera lay their eggs inside the eggs of the cabbage scoop, thereby destroying the pest.
Chemicals against cabbage scoop
Chemicals are also used to combat the pest. They are very useful for large growing areas and strong spread of moths. The drugs are used strictly according to the instructions and with the implementation of precautions:
- Inta-Vir, Iskra-M - take 1 tablet for 10 liters of water;
- Sherpa - 1.5 ml for 1 bucket of clean water.
There is a group of selective insecticides (pyrethroids), to which the scoop does not get used to it. This is Fury, Decis, Karate.There is also a list of neonicotinoids that are safe for animals and people - Aktara, Mospilan, Tanrek, Confidor. They decompose quickly in the ground.
Of the old proven remedies against the pest, dust (5%) and pyrethrum powder are used. For early cabbage, Fas, Zeta, Decis, Kinmiks are recommended. For summer treatments, Zolon, Danadim, Dursban are more suitable.
There are general rules for working with insecticides:
- spray on a calm day;
- apply when the sun goes down;
- use no more than 2 times during the growing season of cabbage;
- stop processing 1 month before harvest.
It is imperative to check the degree of danger of drugs, use personal protective equipment.
Insecticides can be used against cabbage scoop, which are suitable for the method of application, have an affordable price.
Prevention of the appearance of the cabbage scoop
Pest preventive measures are always effective. Among those available for vegetable growers, one can distinguish:
- Agrotechnical - deep winter plowing in the fields, cultivation of row spacings in the garden (especially during the egg-laying period), high-quality weeding.
- Folk - regular inspection of cabbage, manual collection of caterpillars, bait placement, preventive spraying with herbal infusion.
Spring digging of the soil eliminates the pupae of the pest and prevents the emergence of a large number of butterflies. Autumn digging also fights against pupae, but clods should not be broken.
Gardeners always share extraordinary ways to deal with the cabbage scoop:
Conclusion
Cabbage scoop is a malicious pest. However, timely and competent actions to destroy it are within the power of any gardener. Subject to the recommendations, it is quite possible to cope with a cabbage scoop.
