Caterpillars shovels are very voracious pests

Scoops - the largest family of butterflies. To date, there are more than 30 thousand species. Most likely, this figure is inconclusive - it will increase.

All kinds of scoops have thick hairs on the thick abdomen, which makes their flight seem "soft". Caterpillar caterpillar is a butterfly larva. They are very voracious, and therefore have a well-developed oral gnawing apparatus. On the lower lip they have glands forming a special liquid, instantly hardening in air. From such cobwebs they weave cocoons, fasten the leaves.

At the end of its development the caterpillars of the scoop are transformed into pupae, differing in size and color. They are all motionless, convulsive movements are possible only by the abdomen. They are egg-shaped, covered with a dense shell.

At mass reproduction caterpillars of a scoop can put huge harm to gardens, fields, woods. For example, in Ukraine in 1924 the caterpillars of a winter scoop destroyed so much grain that they could load a railroad train 100 kilometers long.

In the household plots, the winter caterpillar caterpillar is the most common . It is thick, light brown or gray, indistinguishable on the ground. This malicious pest of many cultures: beets, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, etc. It can feed almost everyone, and at night. During the day, it hides under leaves or in the soil. For a season develops in two generations.

Caterpillar shovels can cut plants, like a bear, and in root crops eat whole hollows. The above-ground parts of plants that are close to the soil can also be damaged. She does not disdain the planted seeds, which is why there are large bald patches in planting.

Cabbage, gamma scoop and many other butterflies of the Lepidoptera family also harm agriculture, and grain damage not only plants, but also harvested grain. For forest plantations the most dangerous pine scoop, the caterpillar which feeds exclusively on pines.

The most effective way to combat this voracious pest is deep digging of soil onto the spade bayonet, both in autumn and in spring. In the summer, you need to loosen the soil more often in the inter-row crop. Having seen the damaged plant, it is necessary to excavate the earth around it, for sure there will be found caterpillars of the scoop.

When mass distribution will have to resort to insecticidal drugs, such as Decis, Bazudin, Aktara, etc. You can take 10 liters of water for half the recommended dose and about 100 grams of urea. Such a solution should be sprayed with planting and soil around them. The benefits will be double: the caterpillars of the scoop will die, and the plants will receive additional fertilizing.

To reduce the number of eggs laid by butterflies, it is necessary to arrange baits (containers with diluted water jam) during their massive summer. The contents will have to be changed periodically, and the butterflies that are lost will be destroyed.

You can use a harmless biological method - to release a trichogram (an insect that destroys the eggs of a scoop). They are sold in specialized stores, and the number of individuals is calculated per unit of plantations. Perhaps one release of the predator-helper will not be enough. Then in 6 days the procedure will have to be repeated.

Defeating the caterpillars of the scoop and keeping the harvest is very real, especially knowing their way of life and methods of struggle.