The cabbage moth (also known as the common mole cricket) is a large insect with a thick shell that poses a threat to plants in the garden. A summer resident who notices a pest on his property has to urgently decide how to get rid of the mole cricket. You can destroy the insect and save the harvest using folk and professional means.
The article contains the most effective methods with which you will destroy the pest and forget about the problem for a long time.
The mole cricket is a large insect that poses a danger to the crop. To preserve seedlings and grown vegetables, it is important to start fighting the parasite as early as possible, using an integrated approach
Anatomy and activity of pests
The mole cricket is a major pest of the order Orthoptera. Its body consists of a cephalothorax and abdomen and can reach 6 cm in length. The insect is covered with a dense shell, due to which it received the name “earthen crayfish”.
Mole cricket is dangerous for all crops grown in the garden, but it is especially dangerous for the roots of tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, bell peppers and potato tubers. The insect eats the root system of the vegetable, which leads to its death due to the inability to obtain nutrients from the soil
On the head there are two large eyes, antennae and tentacles. The front legs are short, but quite powerful, as they are designed for digging underground passages. At the end of the abdomen there are two processes up to 1 cm long.
The pest has elytra and large wings, thanks to which it moves well through the air. In addition, he swims well and runs fast, but still prefers to spend most of his life underground.
The life cycle of a mole cricket is quite complex. During the mating season, which lasts from May to June, females build nests and lay eggs. One clutch can contain up to 500 future larvae.
The nest is located at a depth of 10-15 cm and looks like a small earthen lump with an internal chamber. For the proper development of eggs and the formation of larvae, high humidity is required, which is controlled by the female, closing the entrance hole if necessary.
After 10-18 days, larvae emerge from the eggs. Outwardly, they are similar to adults, but are distinguished by their size and lack of wings. After leaving the nest, the young generation moves through ready-made tunnels, feeding on organic remains. After 10-12 months, the young reach the size of a large individual and are able to dig underground passages themselves.
The cabbage moth/mole cricket is an insect that reaches 5-8 cm in length, has a dense shell and spends most of its time underground. It reproduces actively and moves quickly over long distances
The appearance of a mole cricket in a summer cottage can be detected by three signs:
- wilting of plants;
- the appearance of deep holes with a diameter of up to 1.5 cm on the soil surface;
- the presence of earthen paths that are clearly visible after rain or watering.
Having noted these signs in your area, take measures to combat the pest. This will save the harvest and prevent the rapid growth of the cabbage plant population.
The crustacean/mole cricket is dangerous for the crop - it eats up the tubers and roots of vegetable crops, which leads to their withering and death. Just a couple of bugs can “mow down” a fairly large planting area
How to get rid of mole crickets on your property: the most effective ways
Folk methods and remedies will help you cope with pests in your summer cottage. They are effective, affordable and safe.
The following methods will help you remove pests from your dacha:
- digging up the area - this destroys the nests and disrupts the vital activity of parasites;
- creation of artificial barriers;
- exposure to substances with a pungent odor;
- etching, flooding.
Barriers for insects
A simple but effective way to protect young plants from mole crickets is to create barriers. To do this, cut old plastic bottles into rings and place them around the plant. They should cover the roots and rise 5 cm above the ground. This primitive method will protect the root system and shoots.
Nylon stockings can save a young plant . They will reliably protect the root system of the plant without disturbing the process of its development. Place an old nylon stocking over the root before planting to protect it from mole crickets and other pests.
Homemade trap
Effective home remedies in the fight against earthen cancer are traps - yeast/beer, water, shadow or manure. They differ in the way they are organized, but they are all based on the preferences and activities of pests.
According to reviews from experienced summer residents, traps have a very effective effect, so let’s take a closer look at each of the options.
Traps are an effective way to control cabbage weed. The bait will lure the pests out of their holes, after which they will fall into a trap from which they will not be able to escape.
Shadow
During the day, mole crickets prefer to hide in secluded corners, under leaves or stones. To attract them, place scraps of dark fabric on the site in sunny places. Raise the shade traps daily and destroy any pests found.
Yeast/beer
Bears love beer. Dig several bottles or narrow jars with the remains of the intoxicating drink into the ground. Leave the necks open. Pests will crawl into containers, attracted by the smell of the bait, and will not be able to get out.
We offer a video, after watching which you will be convinced of the effectiveness of a similar trap:
Water/sweet
A water trap has the same operating principle, but instead of beer, use clean water, and to attract insects, lubricate the neck of a bottle or jar with honey.
Manure/compost
manure is effective .
The procedure for using it is quite simple:
- In the fall, dig several holes in the garden, up to half a meter deep.
- Fill the holes with manure mixed with hay.
- The mole crickets will crawl to the hot spots to set up a home for the winter.
- After the first frost, dig out traps and scatter manure with insects over the surface of the ground.
- Frosts will destroy pests.
how an experienced gardener catches pests from a compost pit in the following video:
Other ways to kill and scare away mole crickets
Having identified traces of pests in the area, try to lure the mole cricket outside . This can be done using a kerosene-based solution:
- Dilute 100 g of kerosene in a bucket of water.
- Pour the resulting solution into the mole crickets' passages at intervals of a couple of hours.
- Destroy the emerging insect.
The disadvantage of this method is the inability to detect all underground passages of pests, so it does not guarantee one hundred percent elimination of them.
Another way to expel a mole cricket from a hole:
- Grate 50 g of laundry soap or take 20 g of washing powder.
- Prepare a soap solution in 10 liters of water.
- Pour the resulting product into the pests' passages, wait until they crawl out and kill them.
A soap solution based on laundry soap or washing powder will help lure out the pest. Just pour liquid into the insects' passages, and in a couple of minutes they will crawl out of their holes
You can lure the mole cricket with sunflower oil :
- Pour 1 teaspoon of oil into the mink.
- Pour a large amount of water into the passages - 1 bucket.
- The oil will moisten the hairs that cover the insect's body and block the pest's respiratory tract.
- This condition will cause discomfort and the insect will crawl out, where it should be waited and destroyed.
Crushed eggshells . Combine the resulting powder with sunflower oil in equal proportions and distribute evenly over the area during digging (in autumn or spring). You can also pour eggshells into the holes when planting seedlings or potatoes.
As a poisonous bait, also use steamed oats, wheat or corn, sprinkled with Aldrin (50 g of powder per 1 kg of grain).
To get rid of mole crickets in the garden forever (or at least for a long time), use an integrated approach - baits, traps and other folk remedies
Ultrasonic repellers
Modern developments - ultrasonic repellers - will help drive pests away from the site. The devices emit signals that negatively affect the condition of insects and even some animals. With this impact, the mole cricket experiences discomfort, forcing it to leave the area.
To repel pests, devices such as “Riddex”, “Grad”, “Post Reject”, “Typhoon”, etc. are used. Before purchasing, consult with a specialist to choose a device that will not harm pets.
Warm manure traps
Knowing the characteristics of the insect, throughout the growing season, as well as in the autumn-winter period, you can destroy a large number of these pests.
Any gardener who has ordinary cow or horse manure in stock can set up such a trap for mole crickets. For arrangement, in addition to manure, you will need an old metal container with a bottom. This can be an old tank, basin or bucket, which is deepened into the soil so that the top of the container is located 3-4 cm below the soil level. Manure and 1/3 of the volume of compost or humus are poured into it. Top it all with sunflower oil with a “smell” or beer at the rate of 2-3 tablespoons per container. Such smells attract a mole cricket, like the smell of valerian attracts a cat. Then the container is covered with blocks or slats, so that there are gaps between them sufficient for the bear to “pass”, and covered with old slate, roofing felt or dark film, preventing rainwater from entering. Thus, a trap for a mole cricket is made with your own hands. It can be left in late autumn and removed in the spring after the snow has melted. You can also install a similar structure in the spring and summer, removing it every 30-35 days. After the mole cricket trap has been removed from the soil, all contents must be burned by dumping it into a pre-made fire or metal container for burning garbage.
How to get rid of mole crickets in the garden using chemicals
Are you interested in how to get rid of mole crickets on your property? The most effective way is pesticides. This is a radical method of struggle, which summer residents turn to when folk remedies are ineffective.
To combat the mole cricket, the following pesticides are used: “Aktara 25 WG”, “Prestige”, “Medvetoks”, “Grom” and “Phenoksin plus”. These products are available in the form of powder, granules or liquid. To destroy pests, also use biologically active substances - “Boverin”, “Nemabakt”, etc.
Pesticides have a toxic effect on the body of insects, which leads to their inevitable death
Procedure for using chemicals:
- Read the instructions on the package carefully.
- Determine the location of the pest's last activity (the most recent passages).
- Place poison pellets in the holes. When laying out the poison, cover it well with soil to limit access to it by pets or birds.
- To increase the likelihood of attracting mole crickets to the poison, make baits from fresh manure.
When working with pesticides, do not neglect safety measures. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and avoid inhaling chemicals or getting them on your skin or mucous membranes. Do not allow children or pets to come into contact with the poison.
Shadow like a trap
Knowing that this pest loves dark but warm places, you can create a shadow trap for the mole cricket. To do this, you will need old pieces of plywood, roofing felt or cardboard of a dark color, which will need to be laid out around the area. To make the mole cricket more willing to move into the trap, small depressions are made under the sheets into which you can place steamed pearl barley, millet or rice porridge, seasoned with unrefined flavored vegetable oil or beer. Such traps need to be checked and the mole crickets in them destroyed twice a day - in the morning, around 10-11, and in the evening, at sunset. You need to approach shelters quietly, but you need to open and destroy insects quickly so as not to give them the opportunity to escape.
Pest prevention
Mole crickets are dangerous pests that are quite difficult to get rid of. To protect the area from parasites, take preventive measures. A simple and effective way is to plant plants with a pungent odor. Cabbage plants really don’t like being in the vicinity of such crops as chrysanthemums, coriander, mint, garlic .
To preserve the harvest and prevent an increase in the cabbage weed population, plant plants with a strong aroma around the perimeter of the beds - valerian, coriander, chrysanthemums, etc. Also, the pest does not tolerate the smell of pine needles
To prevent the appearance of parasites, dig the soil deeply in the fall and carefully remove all leaves, branches and crop residues.
Mole crickets are dangerous pests that destroy crops. To save your plants, start removing parasites as early as possible, preventing them from actively multiplying and spreading throughout the area. Use several fighting methods at the same time to achieve the desired effect.
Chemical control
The chemical industry produces many insecticidal preparations that successfully combat
bear:
- "Medvetox";
- "Medvecid";
- "Boverin";
- "Rembek";
- "Phenaxin Plus"
As a rule, it is enough to add the recommended amount to the soil during autumn and spring digging, or directly into the holes. Experienced gardeners, when adding this “delicacy” to the bear, flavor it with vegetable oil so that the smell attracts insects.
The dosage and method of use of the drugs are always described on the manufacturer’s packaging. It is imperative to comply with these requirements, since if you save on money, you can skip the spring wrestling season. As a result, the mole cricket will get another year, during which it will breed huge offspring.
Despite its terrible appearance and ability to quickly multiply and spread, the systematic and methodical destruction and scaring away of this monster insect will clear the area of it and get an excellent harvest.
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