The appearance of cabbage fleas is accompanied by its spoilage. Multiple hole lesions are observed on it. This can cause a significant loss of yield, and even death, especially in young specimens. There are many methods to combat cabbage fleas, but it is best to take preventive measures ahead of time.

Varieties and danger of cabbage fleas

On cabbage leaves you can find such varieties of cruciferous fleas:

1. Light-footed. Prefer young plants of the cruciferous family. They have a metallic dark body color and a yellow-colored head. Reach sizes of 4 mm. Their larvae, unlike other species, also feed on foliage.
2. Black. Most often, black fleas eat cabbage. They can be determined by the uniform dark color of the body, measuring 2-3 mm.
3. Wavy. They have a dark-colored body and a yellow stripe on the wings. Also often found.
4. Notched. There are several yellow stripes on their black body. Not only cruciferous plants, but also other vegetables can be damaged.

Cabbage fleas eat 3 times their weight in one day and quickly gnaw the leaves. They are especially dangerous for seedlings and seedlings, as they prefer to eat the top of the plant and often hit the growth point.

Did you know? Cruciferous fleas belong to the tribe of earthen fleas from the subfamily of gnats of the leaf beetle family. In the CIS countries there are about 400 species of these insects, and in total there are about 5000 species of them in the world.

Why do the main reasons appear?

Cruciferous fleas, like all types of earthen fleas, winter in the soil and under fallen leaves. As soon as it gets warmer and the soil thaws, the insect is active. Before cabbage appears, it feeds on weeds. In June, females lay eggs in the soil or on plants, and in 2–4 weeks larvae appear. They live underground and eat roots. Then the larvae become pupae, and after 1-2 weeks a new generation of the pest appears on the surface.

These insects are most active when it is hot and dry - in late spring - early summer. Under such favorable conditions, their population is booming and can destroy all seedlings in a few days.

How to get rid and how can you process cabbage?

In order to save cabbage from the harmful activity of fleas, it is necessary at the first sign of appearance to take measures to combat the pest.

Folk methods

For cabbage of early ripening or shortly before its collection, folk methods must be used to protect the beds from cabbage fleas. Many people prefer to fight pests precisely with them, since they are completely harmless and effective, especially in the early stages of lesions. There are a variety of folk ways.

Important! The dusting process is good to do in the morning or in the evening after watering. This is done using a bag of gauze in which the prepared mixture is placed. It is shaken, observing uniformity, over the leaves of planting cabbage.

Dusting:

• using ash and lime-fluff in a ratio of 1 to 1;
• a mixture of fly ash and dust;
• tobacco dust;
• red pepper powder;
• mothballs.

Spraying:

1. Ash infusion. For its preparation, the ash should be steamed with boiled water in a ratio of 1 to 3. For better fixation, crushed hooter is added to the leaves.
2. Garlic infusion. It is necessary to chop 1 cup cloves of garlic and 1 cup leaflets, as well as stepsons of tomatoes. Stir everything in warm water with a volume of 10 l and throw 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped hospice for sticking. For chopping garlic, you can use a meat grinder, blender, press. It is better to spray with a warm solution.
3. Infusion of dandelion. Grind 0.5 kg of leaves and rhizomes of this plant. Then stir in a 10 liter bucket along with 1 tbsp. spoonful.
4. Infusion of chicken droppings. Cooking is required based on a ratio of 1 to 20. This solution should reheat for about 10-14 days in the open air.
5. Tobacco and soap solution. For this, 200 g of tobacco should be poured with boiling water of 10 liters. When the solution cools, you need to strain and mix 1 tbsp. Spoon hozmila.
6. Vinegar solution. To cook it, you need to stir 250 ml of table vinegar 9% in 10 liters of liquid. Instead of table vinegar, you can take 2 tbsp. spoons of essence.
7. Wormwood infusion. Cook based on the ratio of 100 g of raw materials per 10 liters.
8. Potato topping. For this, 4 kg of tops should be poured with boiled water of 10 liters. Then cool, strain and add an equal volume of water.

Traps:

1. Sticky traps. They are made of thick fabric or paper, as well as thin plywood. Such devices are conveniently made in the form of flags. To do this, the cut-out cloth is fixed to a stick and covered with an adhesive mass (solidol, resin). Then they waved over the planting with cabbage, slightly affecting the leaves. The troubled fleas begin to gallop and stick to the sticky mass. This procedure will significantly reduce the number of insects.
2. A piece of cloth soaked in used automotive or diesel oil. It should be laid out on cardboard next to the cabbage planting. The gap between such traps is about 4 m. After 2 days, a piece of the treated tissue is turned over on the other side.

Did you know? In ancient Greece, cabbage was a symbol of sobriety. It was believed that its use did not allow to get intoxicated and drove off the hops.

Chemicals

A good result for eliminating cabbage fleas is given by chemical treatments, especially with severe insect damage. They are recommended to be used long before heading out.

Consider the most popular of them:

1. Bi-58. This insecticide is suitable for combating many insect pests. Dissolve this chemical according to the instructions in 5-10 l of water.
2. Decis. Universal drug against a wide range of insects. It is desirable to use it when setting the temperature at the level of +24 ... + 25 ° С.
3. "Imidalit". This chemical agent is used to disinfect seeds against a number of diseases and pests.
4. Diazinon. This chemical preparation treats the soil before planting cabbage in order to destroy insect larvae.
5. Bankol. This drug in an amount of 7 g is diluted in 10 l of liquid. It leads to death by affecting the nervous system.
6. Karate. In this case, 1 ml goes to 10 liters of water.
7. Aktara. One of the most popular pest control products. It is sold in a ready-to-use form, so it does not need to be dissolved in water. [
8. "Actelik". Suitable for many plants for the fight against fleas. When used, the chemical gets inside the sheets and insects, eating them, quickly die. 2 ml are dissolved in 2 l of water. Such a solution is enough for 10 m².

Important! Chemical treatments against harmful insects should be carried out in the evening in calm and not rainy weather.

How to avoid the appearance?

To avoid the appearance of cabbage fleas, one should adhere to measures that, basically, consist in observing all the rules of agricultural technology.

Gardeners recommend adhering to the following prevention rules:

1. Landing time. This plant crop is advised to plant before and after the mass appearance of these pests. This is early spring (April) or for later varieties - July. Subject to the indicated terms, the plant manages to take root, and the leaves become coarser, which is not as attractive to the flea as young leaves.
2. Weeding. Pests love to hide in the thickets of grass, so removing weeds from the beds precludes this possibility. Be sure to weed and remove plant debris in the fall, as well as fallen leaves on the site.
3. Watering. These small pests multiply rapidly in dry weather and poorly tolerate moisture. Therefore, hydration is essential when it becomes dry.
4. Planting plants whose smell will scare off insects. These are dill, garlic, onions, coriander, marigolds, marigolds.
5. Shelter. Young sprouts and immature seedlings are recommended to be protected with a covering material (spandbond, lutrasil) until they are sufficiently grown and strengthened.

From cabbage fleas, there are many folk remedies and chemical preparations. If all preventive measures are observed, then they may not be needed.

Did you know? The Chinese consider cabbage a symbol of wealth. In Chinese, the word "cabbage" is consonant with the words "wealth", "money." In feng shui, it means a hundred kinds of luck.