From May you can see delicatespider webs entwining the shoots of conifersBoth spruce, pine, fir, juniper, cypress and thuja. Usually, the presence of cobwebs is accompanied by yellowing, browning and then dropping of the needles. Thesespider webs on conifersand needle-like havoc wreak havoc on spider mites, a common pest of conifers and other garden plants. Seehow to get rid of these spider websand successfully fight spider mites on conifers!
Cobwebs on conifers are the result of spider mites feeding. Photo © Rafał Okułowicz
Cobwebs on conifersconsists mainly of the pine spider mite (Oligonychus ununguis). He is particularly fond of the white spruce of the 'Conica' variety, on which it is common and even stripped of needles. But he also does not despise other conifers. The development of this pest is favored by warm and dry weather. A very nice and warm May this year madewe have a real invasion of spider mites
The spider mite feeding symptoms are seen on the needles As a result, first we observeyellowing, then browning and dropping of the needlesThis is followed bycharacteristic cobwebs on the conifers
The pest itself is unfortunately very hard to spot and we identify it mainly by symptoms on the plant. Adult spider mites resemble tiny red spider veins, and their bodies are 0.2 - 2.4 mm long. You can only seelooking at the shoots of conifers through a magnifying glass And if we look at them, we also notice larvae and tiny red balls - spider mite eggs, deposited on the shoots at the foot of the needles. In the form of these eggs, the spider mite hibernates, and in spring, in April, larvae hatch from them, which, after passing all nymphal stages, eventually turn into adult mites. New eggs are laid in the summer.
If we want tomake sure that there are spider miteson the plant, take a white, clean sheet of paper, place it under the twigs and shake the plant. Most likely, the spider mites will fall off the twigs and we will observe them in the form of small, mobile points, contrasting with the white sheet.
When we are sure thatour conifers have mastered the spider mite , it's time to start fighting it. And fast!
Spider webs on conifers are usually accompanied by yellowing and browning of the needles. Photo © Rafał Okułowicz
The above-described life cycle of this mite is of great importance for theway to combat the pine spider mite Well, the plant can contain both eggs, larvae and adults at the same time. This makes the fight against the spider mite very difficult, as it requires the selection of methods that will destroy all forms of the pest. Things are not made easier by the cobwebs with which the conifers are entwined. They prevent the pest from reaching the pests.
"Therefore,combating spider mites on conifers, start with removing the spider websPut on gloves, take brushes and tear the cobwebs. With a large number of conifers, this may be laborious, but removal of the spider webs will make it easier for the spider mites to reach the interior of the plant, where the pests reside. Spraying must be done very carefully, even pour the agent over the plants so that the liquidalso reaches the inside of the conifer , between the shoots.
Chemicalplant protection agents against spider mitesMagus 200 SC was very effective, as it fought at the same time all development stages of the spider mite. I am writing about it because it has now been withdrawn from amateur use and is only available to professional users.Who has access to it, I recommend it! "
Cobwebs on conifers and browning needles. Photo © Rafał Okułowicz
And what can we use in home and allotment gardens when we do not have access to funds for professionals? Among the chemical preparations, the Karate Gold agent is noteworthy, and it even has its version specially designed for conifers - Karate Gold Thujas and Conifers. Nissorun Strong 250 SC also fights spider mites very effectively (it destroys both adult and larvae stages), but unfortunately it is intended only for vegetable and fruit plants (it is registered only for such plants).
General registration for the control of spider mites on ornamental plants, and such are conifers, is available for the preparation Ortus 05 SC. Here, however, the problem is that the label includes: fruit spider mite, hop spider mite and greenhouse spider mite.And there is not a word about the pine spider mite. Therefore, we can only guess that the pine tree spider mite will also defeat this preparation. Its use is even more applicable if we are not sure which species of spider mites inhabited our plants.
Ortus 05 SC on ornamental plants should be used in a concentration of 0.1%, i.e. 10 ml of the agent should be dissolved in 10 liters of water.Spraying is performed immediately after noticing the symptoms of feeding of the spider mitesIn the growing season, however, only 1 such spraying can be performed due to the possibility of pest resistance to the preparation.
In view of these shortages and limitations in the use of chemical preparations, I recommend a natural alternative in the form of Agrocover and Emulpar 940 EC. The latter, not inferior to Karate, also has a version designed specifically for conifers - Emulpar Thuje and Conifers.
I know from my experience that you can use themto get rid of spider mites from conifersbut the spraying must be done very carefully and you should not regret the agent.Both Agricolle and Emulpar work mechanically, sticking to the pest and cutting off air, causing suffocation. For this to work, they therefore need to reach these pests. Everything is in our hands and the spraying is done thoroughly, after removing the spider webs (if possible).
In addition to combating spider mites in the growing season , you should also remember about early spring spraying. Their goal is to destroy the pest's wintering eggs, as they will surely survive some. For this purpose,is sprayed withoil preparations in March and April, such as Promanal 60 EC and the aforementioned Emulpar 940 EC. I especially recommend Emulpar, because the one used in early spring protects conifers against the late spring browning of the needles. Both of these sprays are ecological and significantly reduce the risk of later appearance of spider mites during the growing season.
The above-describedmeans for spider mites are available in our store . To view the offer, click the button below. Good luck in the fight against spider mites!
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