Meadow moth, how to fight it

The meadow moth occasionally gives outbreaks of large-scale reproduction and very badly damages agricultural land. This pest is characterized by a wide range of crops eaten by it, a high proportion of damage to caterpillars, the ability of butterflies to fly long distances and domestate the widest areas. All these characteristics make the moth one of the most serious pests.

The meadow moth goes through four stages of transformation: a caterpillar appears from the egg, which in turn becomes a pupa, and a butterfly appears from the pupa. An adult is considered to be a gray-brown moth. In a calm position, it looks like a triangle. The span of its wings reaches 25 mm. Flying moth short, but fast zigzag-like flights.

The caterpillar has a greenish-gray color, dark stripes on the back and sides, between which are sinuous yellowish stripes. Head is black with a white pattern. Caterpillars feed on both cultivated and wild plants. The most popular is sugar beet, peas, sunflower, corn, melons and vegetables. Eats caterpillar wormwood, swan, bindweed and even bitter and poisonous herbs. For the period of its development the caterpillar molts four times and passes through five ages. The most harmful time of a caterpillar's life is 2-5 years old, its length is then from 0.8 to 3 cm. At this time, caterpillars eat around the clock and stop only for molting.

The meadow moth. Control measures

The areas captured by the caterpillar should be deeply plowed. Loosen and fertilize plants. A young caterpillar, covered with earth, can not get out. Destroy the weeds not only on the fields, but also on the roadside and in the territory that lies ahead. Do this until the beginning of summer butterflies. You can destroy the weed by using the drugs "Glyphos" or "Hurricane Forte." Primary signs of the action of these funds will appear in a week. Thanks to the action of the preparations, the butterflies will have nowhere to lay eggs, and the meadow moth will fly away further. Or they can delay the eggs, but the larvae will remain without food.

But during the breeding season the meadow moth , especially its second generation, is quite difficult to deduce. The use of insecticides "Kinmiks" and "Fufanon" will help. With caterpillars, "Lepidocid", a biological preparation, does an excellent job. Its use is allowed even in vegetable crops five days before the start of the collection of vegetables. Drugs and all surrounding plants are treated.

If the horticultural partnership is chosen by a meadow moth, the photo of which you see, it is very important to stand up to the pest control collectively. The main emphasis should be made on the destruction of caterpillars, this will help to save the harvest this year, reduce the number of pests and the next season.

Especially the moth loves to destroy the sugar beet crops, for which vast areas are allocated. Mass reproduction of the pest can lead to a lot of economic damage. Therefore, the phytosanitary status of crops should be closely monitored.