What does a whitefly look like on a strawberry and how to deal with it?

The whitefly is a rather insidious insect that loves to settle on a wide variety of garden crops. Strawberries are no exception, on which the whitefly can be found quite often. As a rule, due to its external characteristics, it is almost impossible to confuse this insect with other pests. In this article, we will take a closer look at the description of the whitefly, find out why it is so dangerous, and also consider the most effective methods of dealing with it not only with the help of chemicals, but also with proven folk methods.

The whitefly is a small white-yellow insect. From a distance, whiteflies look like small white midges or moths, many associate this with the similarity of wings. As a rule, these insects do not reach more than 3-4 mm in length, and many specimens are even less than 1.5 mm.

Whiteflies have as many as four wings, covered with a special coating that resembles something like flour or light dust. After reviewing the photographs and pictures of these insects, in the future it will not be difficult to identify this parasite on a flower or garden culture.

White flies actively feed on plant sap, as a result of which the latter gradually lose strength and die. Very often, the appearance of whiteflies at the first time of their settlement may not be noticeable; when searching for insects, it is very important to also inspect the lower surface of plant foliage.

Today, several species of this insect are known, for example, there is a greenhouse whitefly, citrus, strawberry and even tobacco. It should be noted right away that these small pests, regardless of which species they belong to, are dangerous for any horticultural crops. You need to poison everyone, without exception. They will not bring any benefit. Strawberries are usually attacked by the strawberry whitefly species.

White flies multiply very quickly, and therefore only one infectious plant can pose a threat to an entire garden or vegetable garden. It is recommended to get rid of the parasite as early as possible. That is why any new plants should not be immediately placed in the garden; they should be watched for a while.

It is not known for certain why white flying flies appear in the garden or in the garden. Many experts disagree on this matter. Very often, the appearance of an insect is due to the fact that strawberry bushes are planted close to each other, the optimal temperature regime is not observed in the greenhouse, there are no preventive measures, and there is no proper fertilization of plants.

The main signs of the appearance include white midges flying over strawberries, very similar to moths, as well as the following visual characteristics.

• The presence of translucent whitish dots on the leaves of strawberries and even on the fruits themselves, which may be insect eggs. They are similar to very small scales.
• The appearance of sticky dew, which is a waste product of the pest.
• The appearance of dark spots on the leaves.
• Slow growth of strawberries, curled leaves, lack of berries.

Usually, if the whitefly has actively multiplied in the strawberry bushes, it will be noticeable to the naked eye. If you do not take prompt measures to get rid of the insect, you can be left without a crop.That is why it is recommended to treat the bushes in advance with safe decoctions or infusions.

It so happens that a whitefly starts on a fruiting strawberry. Signs of this can be noticed, especially if you regularly inspect the plants, but in this case, only safe or folk remedies are suitable for processing, then everything will be in order with the berries.

Since white midges feed on plant sap, all this ultimately boils down to the fact that plants begin to die from lack of nutrients. Besides, large colonies of midges begin to scatter to other neighboring plants, and even to trees.

As a result of the appearance of sticky dew, which has already been mentioned, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted. Leaves do not receive proper nutrition, spots appear on them, they begin to curl, and then completely wither. As a result of the weakening, in addition to the whitefly itself, other insects can also attack the bushes, but most often the already weakened bushes begin to hurt under the influence of various kinds of fungal and other diseases. In addition, the whitefly itself carries various diseases.

Despite its very modest size, this pest can bring a lot of harm to plants and future crops.

Today, getting rid of insects on horticultural crops will not be a problem. On the shelves of gardening stores, a lot of different drugs are offered: from completely safe to very toxic for insects, used only in extreme cases, when nothing else helps.

This kind of substance is not recommended for use when strawberries have already appeared. Chemical preparations are most often quite toxic, which means that part of the product from the berries will still not be removed after processing, it will be dangerous to use such fruits in the future.

Chemicals can be used to treat strawberries after harvest or before flowering. But for preventive purposes, such funds are categorically not recommended. They are used when there are a lot of insects, and the usual methods do not help in the fight.

It is important to work with chemicals according to the instructions, without neglecting personal safety. Strawberry bushes should be treated with a protective mask, gloves and preferably a suit. Of the tested drugs, experts recommend using Fitoverm, Tepeki and Aktellik, which, in addition to whitefly, can destroy other pests on strawberries.

It can be used at a variety of times: during the flowering period of strawberries, during fruiting, as a prophylaxis and after harvest. This is due to the fact that folk remedies for the most part are completely safe for humans and plants, but very toxic for pests.

Consider the safest and most effective recipes for folk remedies.

• The easiest way is mechanical. However, it should be understood that having collected the bulk of the insects, the plants will still have to be processed or sprayed. This is the only way to get the expected effect.
• A proven method is to use garlic tincture. To prepare a tincture with garlic with a pungent odor, which will scare away and destroy insects, you should take 100-150 grams of garlic and one liter of hot water. The garlic cloves should be either chopped finely or ground to form a liquid mixture. After that, the garlic should be put in a jar, filled with water, closed with a lid and the resulting broth should be removed in a dark place for about a week.Over time, it is advisable to strain the broth, with its help you can spray strawberries, and even water the bushes with the remains of garlic water.
• Very often, strawberries growing in a greenhouse are fumigated with tobacco smoke. This method is safe, but at the same time, the insect dies from this smell.
• Another safe folk remedy is the use of tar soap., which should be dissolved in a liter of warm water. A soapy solution can be used to treat the leaves and stems of strawberries, as well as spray all bushes. The procedure can be repeated at intervals of several days. For 150 grams of soap, experts recommend taking 650-700 ml of water.

In addition to processing with special means, special glue strips can be placed in a greenhouse with strawberries - they are also called traps. These can be purchased at gardening stores. Whiteflies and other insects gather on them very quickly.

Boric acid can also help fight annoying insects. It should be used according to the instructions.

Preventive measures are carried out in order to timely protect plants from the attack of possible pests and parasites.

• Whitefly can be prevented by disinfecting greenhouses and greenhouses in autumn. Thus, the pests gathered for the winter simply will not survive.
• At the end of October or in November, you can safely dig up the soil and disinfect the soil. If strawberries grow in a greenhouse, we recommend using protective nets in the spring and summer, which can be placed on the door to the greenhouse and on the windows. In addition, it is very important that fresh air always circulates in the greenhouse and that it is ventilated. After all, if everything is closed, in such conditions, not only one whitefly can start. Also, in the spring and summer, do not forget to install sticky insect baits.
• It is recommended that you do regular inspection of the strawberry, paying particular attention to the leaves. Very often, pests hide, and at first they are not visible, because they practically do not fly out. But it is at this moment, when there are few of them, that it is easiest to overcome the pest.
• It should be noted that whiteflies very often start in conditions of high humidity and high temperatures. It is impossible to control some processes on the street, but in the greenhouse it is almost always possible to monitor this, while ensuring the optimal climatic regime.
• And, of course, as a preventive measure, shrubs with strawberries can be treated with any folk decoctions. It is also very important to ensure that the strawberries are not surrounded by weeds and grass, because very often insects accumulate directly on them. Strawberry beds should always be kept clean. In addition, no one canceled regular and high-quality care, including stable watering.