Each of us in childhood was happy if he found a cockchafer. It was interesting to watch him or put him in a matchbox, but we did not even suspect that this bug is a dangerous pest of the garden. The larva of the May beetle brings particular damage to gardeners. Strawberries are their favorite plant, which they destroy. The tender roots of the bush attract them the most. So who is the cockchafer, and how do you get rid of cockchafer larvae?
Beetles and larvae
The Maybug got its name because of its peculiarity to appear in May. Only with the onset of heat can one notice the activity of these beetles, which is associated with the appearance of the first leaves of oak and birch. During the day, they are located on the branches of trees and fly out only after sunset, filling the evening air with their buzzing. More often you can meet several individuals, but it is no exception when whole garlands of beetles eat leaves at the same time. Such flocks are capable of completely baring a tree. You can detect their presence by the stubs of leaves under the tree and beetle excrement.
Beetles and their larvae can survive the winter quite easily in the soil, sodon't expect them to die in the cold. After mating, the female beetle burrows into loose black soil up to 10–20 cm deep and usually lays 50–60 eggs there. After 4-6 weeks, the larvae appear. These are the same larvae that will then harm your garden in every possible way for three to four years.
Ways to control the pest
How to get rid of the cockchafer larvae if they hide deep in the ground? The first thing to do is to determine if there is a larva in this area. It's pretty easy to find out. The strong jaws of the larvae can even gnaw through the roots of trees, so if you find a wilted plant for no apparent reason, then you should check the ground.
To do this, pour plenty of soil around a bush, such as strawberries, and carefully dig it out. Slowly, shaking off the ground from the roots, look through the soil, as you can also get rid of the May beetle larvae manually. If a pest is found, destroy it and plant the plant back.
The second important rule is to be careful when digging the garden, and if you find larvae, collect them and destroy them. Do the same when you are going to fertilize the garden with humus or leafy compost - this will reduce the likelihood of larvae getting into the ground.
Preventive measures are effective ways to get rid of the cockchafer larvae. In order to prevent the laying of eggs by the female and in time to prevent the appearance of larvae,it is enough to water the trees and shrubs with a dilute solution of ammonia: 10-15 g per 10 liters of water.
Another way is before planting, three to four days before planting, pour the soil with the composition: 10 drops of iodine per 10 liters of water.
As a child, we were attracted to the cockchafer with its fluffy paws and bright, smooth shell, but not the cockchafer larva - the photo on the left causes disgust and disgust even among the most hardy people.
